The good news and the not so good news!

[Yanto]

I picked up my "new" Westfield today, perfect day for a 110 mile drive up through the Cotswolds, it runs very well if a bit flat compared to the V8, after putting it away a couple of hours ago i've just come in from giving it a look over where i found oil on the garage floor, now the sump was wet when i looked at the car but i wasn't unduly worried. However, the not so good news is that the oil is red and has come out of the bell housing, so looks like gearbox input shaft oil seal isn't a seal .

I'm not going to take it off the road so soon so will i be ok running it with a leak knowing that i've got to keep topping up the box until next winter when i can get the box out?

Ian (not a happy bunny )

[Bogyoch]

I would be concerned that the gearbox oil would travel along the input shaft and end up on the clutch lining. 

[Yanto]

I fear that might have already happened, there is a slight judder when pulling away if first, although not every time.

[corsechris]

Depending on which box it is, it could be coming from a few places, although input shaft seal is probably favourite, sadly. TBH, if it already has oil coming out, and it is coming from somewhere that can get on the clutch plate, it probably already has, so I might be tempted to just crack on, enjoy it for the summer but keeping close eye on oil level.

Which box is it BTW? Red suggests ATF - could possibly have been filled with the wrong oil, hence the leak. 75 or 90 weight gear oil tends to leak less than ATF

I did have the oil on clutch issue once with a Rover gearbox in a fake snake I built. Particularly irritating since I had paid good money to have it overhauled. Damn thing leaked out of every orifice. Ruined a new clutch too.

 

ETA...typed too slow   Seems the problem has already hit, so, given that, crack on and enjoy but budget for a clutch plate too next winter.

[Yanto]

It's a Type 9 and has been filled with ATF to make it slickerererer, i do fancy upgrading to one with a long first gear but need to save for it until next winter, In the meantime i will use the car and try to top up the oil, so I need to see if an access hole has been made in the tunnel.

[Steve (sdh2903)]

I think I'd be the other way. I'd whip it out and get it sorted now before the summer arrives rather than be worrying about it all the time and mopping up after it.

[Thrustyjust]

Ian, thats a shame, but wont take long to get the engine out and the oil seal is an easy job just behind it. Check the oil isnt leaking out the top cover plate first though. Usually it is the primary that is leaking. if you have a standard clutch plate in there, they are cheap as chips.

[Yanto]

15 minutes ago, sdh2903 said:

I think I'd be the other way. I'd whip it out and get it sorted now before the summer arrives rather than be worrying about it all the time and mopping up after it.

Ah yes I agree in an ideal world, but:

1. I've only had the car 8 hrs so don't really want to pull it apart.

2. No spare cash as if i'm taking the engine/box out I would want to replace the box with a heavy duty clubman ratio one.

3. No lifting gear

4. Need to grow some man tackle to attempt to take engine box out as I haven't done anything like that for 35 years

5. Recovering from broken wrist and torn shoulder ligaments so have limited strength and mobility.

Ian

[Thrustyjust]

2 minutes ago, Yanto said:

Ah yes I agree in an ideal world, but:

1. I've only had the car 8 hrs so don't really want to pull it apart.

2. No spare cash as if i'm taking the engine/box out I would want to replace the box with a heavy duty clubman ratio one.

3. No lifting gear

4. Need to grow some man tackle to attempt to take engine box out as I haven't done anything like that for 35 years

5. Recovering from broken wrist and torn shoulder ligaments so have limited strength and mobility.

Ian

Sadly I am too far away to help, as could have helped get it out. Its easy enough and in a way quite 'therapeutic' , as you can tick the checks on the way through the car.

[Yanto]

I will pull the box out, but it will have to wait until the off-season, hopefully the clutch will hold out that long.

Actually I'm looking forward to doing it.

I was also tempted by Ash's box that he's got for sale (if it's not sold later in the year), but it's a relative unknown and I'm not sure straight cut gears are suitable/ I could live with the noise,

Ian

[Thrustyjust]

A semi helical box is 'much' nicer , as you get the straights for accelerating and a helical for cruising. It will be noisy otherwise and drive you nuts !

[corsechris]

How about a half-way solution for now - drain the ATF and put a decent 75W90 synthetic oil in it - won't stop the leak but will certainly reduce it until you can get to doing the seal. Could also possibly just be the end casing gasket where it joins the bell housing, but that isn't very likely given the symptoms and you still need to pull either box or engine to find out.

I'd offer a hand and use of the man-shed as well, but again, you are a long way away to risk getting it done in a day. Should be perfectly doable in a day but these things have a habit of getting out of hand.

[Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO]

Whats the seller got to say in all this, if i'd drove my new to me car home and found a puddle under it i'd be straight on the phone.

Unless of course you knew about it and it was factored into the price.

[Yanto]

i knew there was a drip, but didn't know it was so bad, to be fair on the seller he's only had the car since Sep and done about 100 miles, i factored it in to an extent, just keeping my fingers crossed that the clutch will last this season. 

[TAFKARM]

If the clutch gets contaminated, it wont just stop working, it'll start slipping when trying to pull the car up to speed from low revs. (Mine started doing it on the motorway first)

I'd run it through the summer and put an uprated box in in winter, a decent box will transform the car. 

Do keep an eye on the oil level though, I killed a box with low oil.   Expensive lesson!