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have i broke it!
rayward - 9/5/07 at 10:02 AM

after some "enthusiastic" driving on the way home from stoneleigh on sunday, i parked the indy in the garage, moved it today, and was presented with this...




the bottom of the car is covered in oil, as is the lower part of the engine (pinto)

looks to be coming from the sump gasket is it possible to change the gasket with the engine in situ?

Ray


twybrow - 9/5/07 at 10:03 AM

Oh dear Ray, now I bet you wish you had a nice easy to work on bike engine in there!

Any sign of that paperwork matey?


graememk - 9/5/07 at 10:14 AM

i thought pintos did that anyway ?


speedyxjs - 9/5/07 at 10:18 AM

As above


Agriv8 - 9/5/07 at 10:36 AM

No you need a Rover v8 to leave a proper calling card.

have you broke it suspect not - but finding where it is comming from dificult

Regards

Agriv8


stuart_g - 9/5/07 at 10:37 AM

are you sure the sump bolts just haven't worked loose? bit strange for the gasket to need replacing just after a bit of enthusiastic driving. just a thought.


cadebytiger - 9/5/07 at 10:40 AM

you checked you dipstick pipe. they skake loose

Where is the oil coming from?


TGR-ECOSSE - 9/5/07 at 10:42 AM

I've got a Land Rover Discovery and that looks normal to me
With oil leaks i usually wash the engine first and then look for the leak as the oil spreads and you can never be sure where its coming from.


nick205 - 9/5/07 at 10:56 AM

As above, best thing is to clean it as much as possible then re-check to see where it's coming from. My pinto has developed a small leak and it's proving difficult to find where it's coming from.

To answer your question, yew you can replace the sump and crank seals with the engine in situ. It won't be the cleanest or most comfortable job you'll do mind


arrybradbury - 9/5/07 at 11:02 AM

Great opportunity to change to bike power

I'll get my coat.....


BenB - 9/5/07 at 11:20 AM

As above, clean the engine, dry it well and dust it in talc (will "clot" the oil and show up where its coming from- or thats the plan anyway)....

The loss seems a bit excessive for a Pinto- for a Xflow I'd say its about right Have you been over any speed bumps recently? It's possible to get a hairline crack in the sump that opens when the sump gets hot and lets the hot thin oil through....


trialsman - 9/5/07 at 12:23 PM

At the risk of offending people on this list, the common term we use here in the States is..... "IT'S BRITISH". Besides my crossflow always looks like that, Russ


ayoungman - 9/5/07 at 12:41 PM

When it stops leaking, then you need to worry..........coz its empty!


Agriv8 - 9/5/07 at 01:12 PM

its not leaking its the 'Constant Chassis Lubrication Device'

A coment heard from a TVR owner - pitty it never got to the outriggers !!!

Regards

Agriv8


twybrow - 9/5/07 at 01:14 PM

quote:
Originally posted by trialsman
At the risk of offending people on this list, the common term we use here in the States is..... "IT'S BRITISH". Besides my crossflow always looks like that, Russ


Maybe it was hit by 'Friendly Fire'?!


Danozeman - 9/5/07 at 01:56 PM

My zetec does that and it hasnt been on the road yet.


flak monkey - 9/5/07 at 02:01 PM

Sump can be done in situ, bit of an arse to do while laying under a car, but can be done if necessary.

I would back up what others have said though. Try to find out where the leak is actually coming from before assuming the sump. Could be any number of places, as all leaks tend to look like they are coming from the sump because the oil always finds its way down there.

To be serious, theres no reason why any engine should drip oil, even if it is old and british. If it does drip, its usually a reasonably easy thing to fix. My pinto must be one of the few that doesnt leak somewhere, mind you that had a full rebuild.

David


40inches - 9/5/07 at 03:22 PM

My Pinto did this for weeks before i found that the leak came from the front crank seal, changed the seal twice, still leaked, then I fitted a genuine Ford seal, leak stopped????????


DarrenW - 9/5/07 at 03:51 PM

During winter engine swap i went to great lengths to get it leak free and painted up. Leaked after a few miles! Quite annoyed as you can imagine. Leak was actually due to poor breathing. Oil forced out of dip stick tube etc. Better breathing has improved it. Next job is changing the oil to 20W50 and fitting the mooky supplied (many thanks Mark) Cortina breather / oil trap.


jacko - 9/5/07 at 03:53 PM

Ray if i can help in any way let me know .
have you removed the one way valve [ breather in the sump ]
if not that may be the problem
Graham


Darren just beat me to it

[Edited on 9/5/07 by jacko]


nick205 - 9/5/07 at 03:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
To be serious, theres no reason why any engine should drip oil, even if it is old and british. If it does drip, its usually a reasonably easy thing to fix. My pinto must be one of the few that doesnt leak somewhere, mind you that had a full rebuild.

David



Mine din't leak after a full rebuild either, but after 500+ miles it has developed a drip from somewhere

[Edited on 9/5/07 by nick205]


Marlon - 9/5/07 at 06:58 PM

My pinto didn't leak until I had to change the rings, then after fitting a new gasket laid on my back under the motor it wee's oil out.
I will be changing the oil and gasket again after my first 1000 miles or so, (laid on my back again) hopefully this should sort it.
And yes it is possible but a swine to fit laid on your back. the hardest part is the rubber crank seals, getting them forsed into place in the groves a few inches above your face.
john.


Catpuss - 9/5/07 at 07:23 PM

quote:
Originally posted by trialsman
At the risk of offending people on this list, the common term we use here in the States is..... "IT'S BRITISH". Besides my crossflow always looks like that, Russ


Over here they we just say its a good sign of good oil circulation.

"IT'S BRITISH" is when you find a pool of oil under your classic motorcycle in the morning

I've seen American Hotrod and their 0 oil pressure episode. Personally if the dial was giving zero oil pressure I wouldn't try and start it another 3 times to see if it works.

Then again perhaps they got there engine from Microsoft.


martyn_16v - 9/5/07 at 07:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by twybrow
quote:
Originally posted by trialsman
At the risk of offending people on this list, the common term we use here in the States is..... "IT'S BRITISH". Besides my crossflow always looks like that, Russ


Maybe it was hit by 'Friendly Fire'?!


touché


Catpuss - 10/5/07 at 08:35 AM

quote:
Originally posted by martyn_16v
quote:
Originally posted by twybrow
quote:
Originally posted by trialsman
At the risk of offending people on this list, the common term we use here in the States is..... "IT'S BRITISH". Besides my crossflow always looks like that, Russ


Maybe it was hit by 'Friendly Fire'?!


touché


Nah touché si french. The only thing the french ever fire is their English car plant workforce