[TR] Leaking TR3 Engine Front Plate

[Randall]

> When I rebuilt
> the engine I re-used the factory bolts with the captive star lock
> washers

Hate to say this, Bill, but those were not the factory bolts.

> and evidently they worked loose.

Since they go into a relatively soft aluminum sealing block, I'm guessing
that they bottomed in the holes rather than pulling up against the plate.
I'll further guess that the holes are damaged, which is why some DPO
substituted the wrong, too long bolts (to grab the last few undamaged
threads in the bottom of the hole) and that now those threads are damaged
too.

If you have to try to address this with the engine in the car, I would drop
the pan and remove that sealing block, to install Helicoils in it.  Trim
away the gasket from the opening, then 'butter' the area with RTV.  Let it
set briefly, then put the block back in place.  Your choice as to whether to
replace the cork seals at each end, or try to fill the cavity with RTV (I
prefer the cork). Get the right bolts (HU0856 which are 5/16NC by 3/4" long)
with new split lockwashers (WL0208) and torque them only to spec (15 ft-lb).
Wait for the RTV to harden, and then remove any exposed beads.  Install the
pan and hope for the best.

I went through much the same thing after changing main bearings with the
engine in the car.  Mine didn't come out perfectly dry, but it didn't leak
enough to worry about, IMO.

Of course the right thing to do is to pull the engine and remove the plate
(which means removing the timing cover, chain, gears, etc.)

-- Randall