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TR4A engine oil leak - just purchased


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Rather than chase symptoms why not try to find out the root cause of your crankcase pressurisation?  Is there a reason why you can't do a compression test or a leak down test?  

Sorry if I sound like a cracked record.

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Hi Tim,

       if you mean the snorkel then - may be.

Fitting the snorkel is easy

Removing the core plug is an interesting  exercise.

I managed to use a 90' drill and a short bit. Drilled a hole and screwed in various diameters of wood screw > rawlbolt until the plug comes away.

There is a back wall behind the core plug for the screw to react against.

 

Roger

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9 minutes ago, TorontoTim said:

Quick question:  Is it easy/possible to remove/replace this crankcase breather with the engine in the car?

Thx,

Tim

Tim, just undo the sump bolt where it is bolted to (dont lose the little spacer) and then it should just twist out, very much doubt if it would need much cleaning out.

Stuart.

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I hate to have a different view to Stuart, but mine was full of oil/solidified road grime...........I guess more than 70% blocked at the join betweeen the vertical and curved return. It took a lot of cleaning. Different driving conditions?

Iain

Edited by iain
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13 hours ago, iain said:

I hate to have a different view to Stuart, but mine was full of oil/solidified road grime...........I guess more than 70% blocked at the join betweeen the vertical and curved return. It took a lot of cleaning. Different driving conditions?

Iain

Obviously not that much blow by on your engine to clear it then Iain.

Stuart.

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I am learning so much here in a short time.  But I am contributing little and certainly no knowledge/experience based advice - yet .

Today's lesson  - thank you -  means I won't buy from dealers who go into rhapsodies about the,  price justifying, condition of the car, then won't offer a warranty.

Which begs the question: What should the warranty cover?   It surely needs to be worth paper because it will be reflected in the price.  I always bought extended warranties 

for my motorbikes - they paid for themselves because main dealer's do not quibble - it's not their money. Independent dealers' warranties may have a less smooth claims process.

Any experience of warranties onTRs here.

Thank you.

 

Brendan

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There is an awful lot of BS talked in the classic car world and motor trade generally.   In my view its very like the world of estate agents..  Having some professional experience of both worlds, I find they have a slightly different moral code to the rest of us.  There are some true gents in all these worlds but an hell of a lot of chancers and rogues out to make a quick buck.  Caveat emptor I'm afraid. No amount of consumer law helps you with slightly dodgy second hand goods if they've got your money and a string of excuses.  The law is just too expensive unless you are prepared to do it yourself - even then you may end up paying an expert for a report.  Better to do this before you buy so at least you can sue someone if it all goes wrong!

I was reading one of the auction houses lot descriptions the other day - what a load of inaccurate, sentimental clap trap bigging up cars that had large and bizarre estimates. I don't think I'd buy a TR now at current asking prices - couldn't justify the price.  I'd be happy if values collapsed and turned my paper profit into nothing.  At least we'd get some younger people in to keep them running after we're gone...  It would also encourage anyone who has bought one recently to run it ragged, cover it in stone chips and generally use and abuse it for the purpose God intended and not worry about devaluing it any further. 

Anyway, enough of these wet, simpering, mealy-mouthed comments...

Bob 

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I purchased my TR4a a few months ago. Unfortunately my fathers knowledge of cars didn't rub off on me so decided to buy from a dealer. Not sure if I'm allowed to mention their name but given they really have gone the extra mile I will....TRBitz. They were upfront with known issues and had them fixed before I picked up the car - rebuilt gear box etc. No written warranty but a word of mouth "if it goes wrong in the next 3 months let us know and we will sort it". They have been true to their word ( and I suspect regret it! ). A week short of 3 months, having put a good few hundred miles on it, a major fault occurred necessitating a return to TRBitz. The fault was totally unpredictable. The fault would have cost a good few thousand pounds and they fixed it with no quibbles. The car feels better than new - my father was an MG man, I'm glad I've gone with TR's!

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On 11/6/2018 at 10:54 AM, peejay4A said:

Rather than chase symptoms why not try to find out the root cause of your crankcase pressurisation? 

Back to the OP - have you done a compression test? Have you tried just venting the rocker box to atmosphere?

Pete

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I had my car from TRBitz and have had no problems, the lads are very friendly and helpful, thay have changed hands recently and the new owners are an in house team. You can just call in for a chat and a walk round and with no need to buy. All the best to the new team, see you soon.

 

Mikw Redrose group 

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Good to hear of a good setup especially after all the bad stuff from that bunch @ S & M!

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3 hours ago, brenda said:

I had my car from TRBitz and have had no problems, the lads are very friendly and helpful, thay have changed hands recently and the new owners are an in house team. You can just call in for a chat and a walk round and with no need to buy. All the best to the new team, see you soon.

 

Mikw Redrose group 

 Brenda is a lovely looking car Mike.

It's nice to hear some positive feedback about a dealer.  I am not a cynic, though something of a sceptic. Of course the latter trait does not make me "screwed proof" far from it,  but it does cause me to say things like: I hope those guys did not have sell the business because they were decent and honest with their customers in a way that hit business viability. Let's see how the new people are overtime - I wish them all the best.

 

 

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7 hours ago, EXTR6 said:

 Brenda is a lovely looking car Mike.

It's nice to hear some positive feedback about a dealer.  I am not a cynic, though something of a sceptic. Of course the latter trait does not make me "screwed proof" far from it,  but it does cause me to say things like: I hope those guys did not have sell the business because they were decent and honest with their customers in a way that hit business viability. Let's see how the new people are overtime - I wish them all the best.

 

 

I think it’s more a case of the original owner retiring after many successful decades. 

( a theme that is reoccurring across the industry I feel)

and a bit like TRE the in house team taking up the batten, continuing the great work. 

 

That is not to say say any new companies or new owners cannot make a good name for themselves. It’s a difficult market where you have to expect to pay a decent hourly rate for skill and knowledge. And full Resto or repair takes time. 

H

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  • 2 weeks later...

I’m new on here. Have just sold my Morgan and am looking at a TR4. Has a good look at it on a hoist and noticed some oil drips along edge of sump and some at rear of engine by the bell housing. I’m told that the crankshaft seal is a scroll type an can be expected to leak slightly.  Reading the first post worries me! 

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Hi Jay,

       oil leaks are not the end of the world.

It all depends how much you pay for the car and how you want to go about rectifying any issues.

 

The scroll oil seal works when it is actually driving as it screws the oil back towards the sump.

In theory when standing still any small amount of oil should run into a drain hole and back into the sump. sadly theory is a devil.

There is a superior seal but you need to take a fair bit of the engine apart.

 

There is a nice simple Australian rear oil seal made from 2 'O' rings

 

Roger

Edited by RogerH
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Thanks Roger. Puts my mind at rest as do the previous posts about TRBitz. They were very patient with me when I popped down and couldn’t have been more helpful. I’ve absolutely no experience of TRs having been a Morgan owner for some years and for a while an MGB owner. The Morgans were too new to leak oil!  

I’d always thought a TR3 would suit me, a little akin to a Morgan with the cutdown doors and Morgan did use the TR engine in its day. Just lacking a wood frame!  I was able to take out both a 3 and a 4 and both ride a lot better than my old Morgan Roadster....sliding pillars have a lot to answer for. The 4 won the day though! 

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Hi Jay,

        as with all oily things, when it leaks it gets every where.

You need to clean the engine, take it for a long drive (100 - 300 miles) and then check to see where the oil is coming from. Otherwise you will be chasing it around the engine.

The sump screws can and do loosen. A simple tighten will help.

If the sump has been overtightened in an effort to cure a leak it may have distorted the flange and will never seal properly.

Remove sump flatten the flange and refit.

 

By the way - welcome to the forum.

 

Roger

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