[TR] TR3 Oil Pan Leakage

[DAVE HOGYE]

I too have had difficulty making a leak free engine on my street/race TR3.  I also had an oil drop on almost every pan bolt head.  I resealed the pan a couple times finding that the sealant had almost no adhesion to the aluminum filler block in front.  So I thought that where the leak was coming from.  I think I tried both the gray and black Permatex.  After pulling the engine for a refresh, I found that the oil leak was most likely coming from between the engine mount plate and the block.  I had used the red spray-on High Tack sealant on that gasket.  The gasket peeled cleanly off the block and plate and was saturated with oil.  Oil never dripped from the pan or engine.  It was pushed back while in motion and always dripped off the trans bell housing.  I developed an easy to change, disposable shop towel hanger out of safety wire between the two lowest bell housing flywheel cover bolts and never had a drop of oil on the garage floor.  I changed the towel before a race weekend.  
One think I was happy to find, was that the rear main seal was definitely not leaking.  
If I find a photo of the oil diaper arrangement, I'll share it.
Dave H. 

>     On 07/29/2022 7:50 AM Cliff Hansen <cliff_hansen at outlook.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
>     Bill,
> 
> 
>     Following.
> 
> 
>     I replaced the pan gasket on my TR4A about a year ago. I carefully leveled the mating surface using a dolly then a file, new gasket with Permatex #2, and actually used a in-lb torque wrench. Before it leaked moderately from the pan-to-block join. Now it leaks slooowly, accumulating a drop at almost every bolt head, even the bolts that don’t pass into the interior of the engine. It’s frustrating because I’ve managed to solve every other leak.
> 
> 
>     Cliff
> 
> 
> 
>     Sent from Mail https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986 for Windows
> 
> 
>     From: William Brewer mailto:billbrewer59 at yahoo.com
>     Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2022 8:19 PM
>     To: Triumph List mailto:triumphs at autox.team.net
>     Subject: [TR] TR3 Oil Pan Leakage
> 
> 
>          I have been trying to get the oil pan to quit being so leaky for
>     over 30 years and two engine rebuilds now. I made sure that the bolt
>     holes in the pan are lower than the mounting surface. I check the pan
>     fit with a feeler gauge with no gasket. I get everything cleaned off. I
>     have tried Permatex, Aviation Permatex and Hylomar Blue. I have used the
>     recommended torques. Still slowly seeping and dripping over time. It
>     seems worse in the front that the rear and no the front aluminum sealing
>     block isn't stripped out.
> 
>           I have family members asking me not to bring the TR3 and Morgan
>     over to their houses because of the amount of drips.
> 
>           I have looking over the "Triumph Experience" website and it looks
>     like most owners there have thrown their hands up and given up. Either
>     that or the ones that say that they are drip free probably haven't
>     driven their cars much.
> 
>           I've considered CNC'ing a 3/8" steel mounting flange, welding that
>     to the top of the oil sump (the weld would seal on the inside) and then
>     torquing that sonofabitch down tight with permatex on it. No more
>     worrying about flange distortion.
> 
>           I've also considered making a sheet metal "catch box" that would
>     mount under the pan and completely enclose it to catch drips. It could
>     be held on with 4 bolts and removed/cleaned out at oil changes. I should
>     make a long aluminum drip pan that goes under the sump, rear seal and
>     transmission.
> 
>           Anyone ever get there TR2/3/4 oil pans to stay drip free?
> 
>           -Bill Brewer
> 
>           Morro Bay, CA
> 
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