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Re: /Oil leaks

To: triumphs@autox.team.net, tr8@mercury.lcs.mit.edu, Dee Jackson <dee_jackson@gilbarco.com>
Subject: Re: /Oil leaks
From: Jim Sickler <jimsickl@icon-stl.net>
Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 19:56:36 -0600
Organization: Racer X (You know the one in Speed Racer)
References: <199603251703.KAA01656@triumph.cs.utah.edu>
Dee Jackson wrote:
> 
> Fellow SOLers,
> 
> After many honey-do type jobs yesterday my wife decides we should take a
> late afternoon ride in the Spit to unwind.  I readily agree and we jump in,
> crank up, and we're off.  A few blocks from the house I take a cursory glance
> at the oil pressure gauge and see, to my horror, it's reading 0, nil, nothing!
> Oh, no!  Look at the oil light, not on.  Back to the gauge.  It ain't moved.
> Which do I believe?  A third look at the gauge and I see a thin stream of
> black liquid coming from behind the gauge, dripping onto my newly installed
> carpet.  Oil! I cup my hand to catch it and end up with a handful of hot oil
> and no place to put it.  This while we're still moving and in the space of
> about 10 seconds.  I scream, "Throw out your drink and give me your cup" to
> Melody while turning in to the driveway of a fast food joint.  She does and
> holds the cup under the oil, catching it while I drive thru and back to the
> house. I never stopped and was now driving, still with a handful of lukewarm
> oil, trying to shift gears with my elbow without spilling anything.  We coast
> home and stop the engine with a 1/4 inch margin left in the cup before
> overflow.  Whew!
> 
> Dipstick shows 1 and 1/2 qts. low.  Could've been worse.  Lots worse.
> 
> I found that the plastic feedline had a split in it about 1/16 inch behind the
> brass nut on the back of the gauge that allowed the oil to seep, no, gush out.
> When I installed the gauge, I had left enough line to re-route it when the 
>time
> was right. ; ) I guess that left room for flex which fatigued the plastic to
> the point of failure.  Cutting 1/2 inch off and re-fitting the ferrule fixed
> the leak.  This episode forced the right time to come so I routed the line
> properly and fastened it securely so it shouldn't happen again.  When will I
> ever learn to do it right the first time?  A word to the wise, of which I am
> not a member.
> 
> BTW, we still took that drive.
> 
> Dee "greasy palms" Jackson
> 
> --
> 
>================================================================================
> C.D. Jackson
> Packaging Engineer                          '78 Spit FM90204U0
> voice:910-547-5007
> dee_jackson@gilbarco.com
> 
>================================================================================
Mr. Jackson,
Sorry tho hear about your "mishap". 
I CONSTANTLY recomend any and all aftermarket gauges to be
ELECTRICAL with senders. This surely will solve the "leakage",
and above all, are MORE accurate & use ALL of the scale.
I'll bet if you have a mechanical temp gauge installed, it never
will see past the first quarter of the scale. If it does, your
most likely "bummin'". Likely the same for the oil presss. too.
Jim Sickler
'78 TR7

BTW, if this happens again, SHUT THE MOTOR OFF FIRST!!,Then continue
the Triumphantly drive,fix,drive,fix way.

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