New engine same oil leak

[Kris]

Hi, iv just completed ( with a lot of help) building a new engine only to find after taking it for the MOT earlier that there is a major oil leak from the flywheel.
This is what warranted the engine rebuild in the first place, so after being of the road for nearly a year I was not pleased to hear this.
The new engine is a mixture on new and old, the new being a new crankcase and bearings, all of the other main components are from the old engine.
Im currently thinking that the only thing it could really be is there is to much end float still, but it does have 3 shims and the end float seemed fine before putting it back in. So if anyone has any surgestions of why it is leaking I would love to know.

Cheers.

 

[Bay-low71]

How major is major if a seal is leaking its not going to be major I would say just an annoyance.
Maybe a silly question but did you fit & seal the cam cap??

Ben

 

[sparkywig]

Or is it a badly installed crankshaft oil seal?

 

[67panel]

or the old flywheel with a ridge where the seal runs?

 

[Rippers]

Could be bad Flywheel oil seal, flywheel o-ring seal, worn flywheel ridge as suggested above, block in the crank oil seal drain, porous or cracked rear casing or in my case it was excess crank pressure with a cheap 3 port oil breather sorted, I don't think the PO ran it in properly and the pistons rings didn't seal properly

 

[Kris]

The leak is like a dripping tap and only when the engine is running/warm. As regards to the seals, I'm fairly confident that they are ok as they were all new and fitted using the correct tool.
I have again had a look at the amount of end float and as far as I can tell there is no play/ the very slightest if that.
I do however have an after market oil filler/breather fitted instead of a stock item, and noticed that it is very hard to open the filler cap after the engine has been running even tho done it up not loosely, but to where I could easily undo it. Is there away I can test if this is the problem without buying a new stock filler?

 

[69billy]

i have more end float than soft mick ! and its coming up on 2800 miles like this, but i did have a groove where the seal ran on the flywheel and it was your same problem. dont know if that helps, i also didnt get a new flywheel i built up the groove and like above done nearly 3000 miles and dry. tons of leaks else where though :lol:

 

[Kris]

Sorry I forgot to add that the fly wheel and clutch are also new. Oh and the fly wheel seal is top quality, not like the normal ones around but from a specialist. I have a friend with the same seal and never had a problem.

 

[bac2ba6]

i had a brand new flywheel seal go on me straight after a rebuild that i had done , i also used the installation tool .

Put a second seal in with a nice coating of oil on it before it went in useing the same tool and touch wood has been fine ever since .

the 1st one was proper chewed up , so dont know if that was to do with it not being 100% fully seated or just a crap seal ?

This was also a top quality seal .

the second one i installed was just a bogo standard one that i had already got before deciding to buying the "better " one ?

They do have to go in 100% square as can tear quite easily

Also as above you did remember to fit the cam end cap and seal it ?

 

[Kris]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I will have to have the engine out again and check and replace anything that may be damaged. I was hoping there might have been another easier option, but it seems not.