Technical Why didn't I think of that?

Had a 350 G.M. with a weepy front seal, found the front pump bearing (torque convertor) was worn through the Babbit, new seal /bearing on the road again.

 

I have a flathead. It's supposed to drip oil. If it DIDN'T, I'd be concerned.....

 

British Motorcycle that does not leak oil = No oil left in crankcase.

 

That’s why I don’t pave my driveway. Gravel absorbs everything.

 

New BSA rocket 3's came with a piece of foam under the engine. Between the frame and engine. No ****. Kept the showroom floor clean. Lippy

 

The engine in my HA/GR is a 1958 version. They use a graphite rope seal for the rear main. To avoid getting ugly looks at the track I made a small drip tray that fits under the sump that is filled with kitty litter. After each race meeting I remove it , take the mesh off and refill with fresh kitty litter. Works good. Approximately 6" x 6" and 1/2" deep.

 

My FED runs the same engine. I'm not sure if this is the front engine mount, or a drip tray



Cheers,
Harv

 

And when the diaper is full, you can use it to start your bonfire in the back yard!

 

It's a lovely smell, isn't it?

 

I think you'll find it's both.

 

With a scavenge pump, huge filter, reservoir, and return. Full-length oil pan!

 

My dad noticed patterns over the years in his dealings with European cars. It seems that, for a certain time at least, there had been approaches to oil containment which were traditional to specific manufacturers. He was into Mercedes-Benz in his later years, and being a neat freak he was hugely impressed with all the exact same oil coming out with an oil change as had gone in with the previous oil change. It's something you'd hope to see with a Mercedes, but apparently all the Fiats he'd had in his youth were the same way.

I've never had an air-cooled VW, but apparently the vertically-split crankcase means that oil leaks are just a part of life. My Golf Mk1 has a conventional iron-block four with a conventional pressed-steel oil pan, but it can't keep its oil in despite not having the excuse of flexible alloy crankcase halves.

 

Funny thing, all the oil leakers and droppers I’ve had, just did the cat litter clean up thing when needed.
Then about two years ago I bottle brushed honed a block and got a bag of cat litter. Then thought for a bit, went into AZ, picked up a large oil drip pan, worked great on my engine stand. Lol. But yes, used cat litter in the pan.
Thing is “they” have been making drip pans forever, but my first purchase was recent.
Oh well. Kids are trying to talk me into upgrading my iPhone 7. Maybe I will when I figure it out.

 

Ben

 

The price quotes given by transit mix suppliers are usually based on delivery in the urban area in which they are located. If you have ready mix trucked out to the farm the price goes up substantially

 

Be optimistic it. All cars leak from time to time, especially older ones. Just consider it to be a "fresh fluid purge, corrosion control system"!. You always have to top off the leaking component, there by you will always have fresh fluid in it, AND, because it leaks, it can protect your undercarriage from corrosion by a constant film of oil protecting it!

 

I picked up a beater VW beetle, and never owning one before, steam cleaned the crankcase because it had a skin of oil/dirt on it which was an inch thick. Just before I was told to "never clean the crankcase, it's the crud which keeps the oil in".

 

Yup, old showroom pics show cars on a bed of gravel or with a big sheet below them. For those who want less (almost impossible to stop 100%) there is a simple and almost obvious solution even with the old rope/composite seal types. Clock the seal. Let 1 side stick up ¼" or more on opposite sides of a 2pc crank seal. This way you don't have a continuous parting line. Pontiacs, old Ford, anything with a 2pc regardless. Best way to reduce leaks to nil is to drive it. Keeps seals swollen, doing their job. "Well if clocking the seal works so good why didn't the OEMs do it?" Because Stanley and Leo didn't have time, the lines moved too fast.

 

The cars I’ve owned in the past with the least rust in the floor pans always had the most oil leaks!

 

I've never had a rod that didn't leak somewhere. I've been busy chasing down sources on my 49 Buick for most of the Fall. After reading Rock's post and the responses I think I will just continue to slip a piece of cardboard under the car.

 

Before final wash of block I put the rear main cap on and see how the oil seal groove lines up. I tap it forward/backward to get the best transition at the part line. I then grind the outside of the block and bearing cap flush at the part line. Now when you put it together you get the cap flush and the seal doesn't have to struggle at the part line.

 

Interesting fun fact, I heard that the reason you shouldn't pee in the shower is because you train yourself to pee when you hear the sound of running water. Like Pavlov's dog.

Now reading the wick comment, it got me thinking. Instead of drip, drip, drip will that diaper not create a path to pee,pee,pee. Will it create a stream where before there was just a drip? The wetter the diaper the worse it draws it out. Capillarity.

I don't know. I've used the diaper trick myself, usually to prevent a mess on the driveway buying time to do the repair.

Holds it on tight. I always leave a small opening to drip to remind me to change it again. I switched to the blue from the red so it's not as obvious. Helpful hints.

In the same breath, leaving it to drip, is that not the slippery slope of procrastination. Maybe, maybe not. But it does get easier the longer you put it off.



I sold it during covid, it still leaked. He said he was going to take it apart and fix it. Counting the brown maple leaf's I said yea, good luck with that.

While I try to stay on top of the game, as I get older, broker, it's easier to let it slide. But it is a slippery slope.

 

When building a shop building to park cars and store parts in, My father priced concrete and decided it was cheaper to have asphalt put down instead. A few years later I realized the cars that we parked there left a oil puddles when parked in the shop with concrete but not on the asphalt. It just soaked in.

 

This may have been mentioned before but we used to tease guys on British bikes that the only reason that the British never made (clothes) washing machines is because they couldn't figure out how to make them leak oil.

 

I think the oil soaked asphalt might be seriously weakened, though.

 

It's been that way for twenty years so far and it seems fine but all we do is park on it and use it for parts storage. If I have to use a jack on it I put a board down.

 

I have 2 old Harley’s and 2 ***mins Diesels in my stash of E**on Oil 401K plan . All 4 are really leak tight for the design of the engines , slobber tubes ( crankcase breather tube ) . They relieve crankcase pressures through the tube . Nothing is 100 % seal ( rings ) , internal pressures will exit the spot of least resistance . Nothing to worry about , it’s part of the ancient works of art we all continue to enjoy .

 

Happened to me this Summer.Had the piece of cardboard under the Camino for about 7 years to catch drips.Header collectors are very low and ignited the cardboard and then rubber bushings caught fire also.I put it out fast and there was minimum damage.There was still packing tape on the old piece of cardboard and that contributed to the combustability also.My first underhood fire and it scared the **** out of me!I panicked and instead of grabbing the fire extinguisher in the garage I went looking for the garden hose!I'm insured with Hagerty and they treated me very well.

 

I had a really nice NAPCO '57 Chevy pickup a long while back. So nice I took it up to the photog place & had a pretty portrait made of it & hung it on the wall in the living room.
My wife made me take it Down cause it Leaked Oil on the Carpet...

 

"FRRS" : factory rust retardant system...