<html><body>Bob-that was another place the synthetic comes out...thru the threads. If you use anything, like pipe sealer or PTFE (teflon) just be careful not to get any near the entrance to your overdrive. Overdrive oil must be spotless due to the tiny drillings in the system. I was able to fix my seeps elsewhere with Permatex "Right Stuff" but be careful again to do a very neat job. I still recommend regular 30W non detergent mineral oil (as does the factory book) to refill the trans and OD. Some modern oils can foam in the overdrive and cause issues.<div><br></div><div>Even though the factory manual states not to use sealant around the casing seal of the brake ring-that will leak with most synthetics and also seep with regular oil. Had to" Right stuff" the casing seam post rebuild to stop that seeping. Another place synthetic runs out is at the bottom casing plug. I do not have too much experience using silicone gaskets. I rebuilt with paper and aircraft sealer (old school-but original). I expected leaks or else it wouldn't be authentic British. Hank<br><br><div class="reply-new-signature"></div><p>-----------------------------------------</p>From: "Robert Begani" <rfbegani@gmail.com><br>To: "Harold Manifold"<br>Cc: <br>Sent: Monday January 13 2020 5:38:23AM<br>Subject: Re: [Healeys] Does synthetic oil leak more?<br><br><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">My problem is leaking from the brass drain fitting in the bottom of the overdrive. When I used motor oil eventually by tightening the fitting, the drips would stop. With the synthetic oil the drips will not stop. Over the summer, while the car was sitting in the garage, there was a puddle in the plastic container I placed under the fitting before leaving for cooler weather. I just tightened the fitting a little more and the drips are reduced to 2 per day. Am thinking about using a thread sealant on the fitting and RTV on the gaskets. Or, is there a silicone gasket available?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Also, is a silicone gasket for the valve covers worth the expense to stop leaking? Or, a combination of silicone gasket and Ultra Permatex? I have aluminum alloy valve cover.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Bob Begani</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Healeys <healeys-bounces@autox.team.net> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Harold Manifold<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Saturday, January 11, 2020 11:51 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> warthodson@aol.com; 050.rpl@gmail.com; healeys@autox.team.net<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Healeys] Does synthetic oil leak more?</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue">Hello,</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue">All of your observations are a factor. Here are some comments from an article about synthetic oil leaks:</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Synthetic oil WILL NOT cause leaks. It may however make already worn-out gaskets/seals more evident, by leaking past them, and/or cleaning any sludge and other gunk that was sealing the existing leak. This is because Synthetic oil has much better cleaning properties, flows much better than conventional oil, and hence also lubricates much better than conventional oil (This is a good thing).</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue">I use a GL-4 synthetic gear oil in my transmission and it leaks. Believe it not not one of the leak mechanisms is from the interior along the bolts and drips from the bolt head on the exterior. I am changing the gaskets on my transmission and trying bonded sealing neoprene washers on the fasteners.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue">I may be pursuing the impossible dream of a leak free Healey.... Harold</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif"> <a target="_blank" href="mailto:warthodson@aol.com">warthodson@aol.com</a> [<a target="_blank" href="mailto:warthodson@aol.com">mailto:warthodson@aol.com</a>] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Saturday, January 11, 2020 7:24 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a target="_blank" href="mailto:manifold@telus.net">manifold@telus.net</a>; <a target="_blank" href="mailto:050.rpl@gmail.com">050.rpl@gmail.com</a>; <a target="_blank" href="mailto:healeys@autox.team.net">healeys@autox.team.net</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Does synthetic oil leak more?</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">I am not a leak expert, but I find this hard to understand. For there to be a leak there has to be a hole. Is it because the synthetic oil molecules are smaller than the non-synthetic oil molecules? Given that the "holes" come in different sizes this seems illogical. Is it because the synthetic oil is more slippery? How is that measured? How much more slippery is it? </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Gary Hodson</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Harold Manifold <<a target="_blank" href="mailto:manifold@telus.net">manifold@telus.net</a>><br>
To: 'R. Lindsay' <<a target="_blank" href="mailto:050.rpl@gmail.com">050.rpl@gmail.com</a>>; 'Healey List' <<a target="_blank" href="mailto:healeys@autox.team.net">healeys@autox.team.net</a>><br>
Sent: Fri, Jan 10, 2020 7:55 pm<br>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Rear Axle Oil</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
The biggest difference you will notice with synthetic gear oils is they leak<br>
more than non-synthetic. </span></p>
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