A-series engine builder in Yorkshire

[Hendy1201]

Hi

I'm still having issues with an oil leak from the rear end of my 1275 midget engine. I don't have much time at the moment and am living a fair distance from my parents house where the car is currently parked up. I'm wondering if anyone can suggest somebody in the york/scarborough/thirsk area who works on these engines and may be able to sort it out. Alternatively I might be able to get the engine up to newcastle if there are any good engine builders up here. Thanks very much.

Will

[Trickydicky]

PM sent

[bmcecosse]

Dies the engine NEED a rebuild? Is it just the oil leak?? Is the breathing hose connected to the carb - and is it clear???

[Hendy1201]

Well, I rebuilt the engine last year and have had issues with it leaking since. I have tried everything I can with the breathing etc with some improvement but its not great. I don't know if I have done something wrong or if the scroll isn't set up right.

[bmcecosse]

There is no 'set up ' on the scroll - the crank sits in the block and the cap bolts on top - no adjustment possible. The little half-moon above can perhaps be loosened and 'snuggled down' firmly to the cap - but it's unlikely to make any difference. How much 'rebuild' was done last year? If you run the hot engine at idle - remove the oil filler cap and rev up - is there a plume of smoke/fume? And how is the hot engine oil pressure at say 50 mph? A compression check on the cylinders will guide us to general engine condition too.

[Hendy1201]

It had a rebore, regrind and pretty much everything else is new! I tried the removing the cap and couldn't see any smoke. I thought it could be that the half moon had been moved by the previous owner of the engine and is now incorrectly set. The oil pressure seems to be fine and compression tests found nothing wrong. I just feel it past my mechanical knowledge.

[bmcecosse]

And are you sure the leak is from the rear seal - not from the rear of the sump? Where does the oil show - dripping from the jiggle pin? Or running down the rear of the sump pan?

[LouiseM]

Roy - here's an earlier thread referring to the leak which might help with a diagnosis: http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=40960

[moggiethouable]

You cant be far away from Tom Roy near Great Ayton, pop in and ask Chris.

[Hendy1201]

From the jiggle pin in the gearbox bell housing. Im not far from Tom Roys actually, been there for a few parts in the past. Just looking for options really as I live in Newcastle and work most of the time but the car is at my parents house. Got a few days off so going home. Probably gona take the engine out again and may have a look at it myself first. Thanks for the help guys.

[bmcecosse]

Well - as I said - the only thing you can do with the half moon part of the labyrinth is to snuggle it down on the main cap. Good suction on the block really IS the answer. Someone sells a 'lip' seal conversion - but I gather there are mixed reports of it's effectiveness.