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Co1

Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3689

Good question. I’ve had a good sniff and it doesn’t smell like diesel.

19th Feb 2021 11:31am

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17543

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

You nose should be able to tell you if it is gear oil or engine oil too.

19th Feb 2021 11:38am

Dinnu

Member Since: 24 Dec 2019
Location: Lija
Posts: 3469

2012 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 CSW Santorini Black

Is it only weeping from the belhousing? Although 1st pic shows oil stains already just below the starter motor... but could be just the oil stain getting larger.
Can you compare the colour of the oil weeping from the bottom of the belhousing with say a sample of engine oil from the dip stick?
The gearbox should not leak, even it is overfilled.. maximum overfill is to the fill plug. How it would affect the lubrication of the gearbox I do not know (I do not know if the MT82 is force lubricated, i.e with oil pump or just splash lubricated). I have never seen an oil pump in any of the MT82 manuals.

Mind you, the breather of the gearbox is into the bellhousing. 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing
2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black

19th Feb 2021 1:03pm

Co1

Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3689

blackwolf wrote:
You nose should be able to tell you if it is gear oil or engine oil too.

My nose is probably good enough to tell between diesel and oil, but I don’t think it’s good enough to distinguish between oil types. Years of playing rugby and numerous broken noses later mean it’s is more form than function!!

I’m going to have a good look this weekend, as I relocated the file breather to the bulk head. I have checked the outlet and it is dry but perhaps it has been split somewhere.

Dinnu- it isn’t leaking from the bell housing hole itself, it is coming around from above and is on the engine block rather than the bell housing, I think. I’m going to give the area a through degreasing this weekend as best I can and see where it comes back.

19th Feb 2021 4:05pm

Co1

Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3689

Cleaned the area up today. Then spotted this. It is coming from the bloody bell housing! It was doing it before the clutch change, which was why I got the crank seal done. The mechanic said he didn’t spot anything leaking from the gearbox side, but it only happens when warm so he might not have spotted it.

Anyway, before I take the gearbox out again I’m going to check how much oil is in it next weekend. If it had been over filled, could the pressure force it past the input shaft seal on the gear box?

Any help very much appreciated. Interestingly my fuel economy has been down since I noticed this leak. Over filled g’box = more resistance!

Click image to enlarge

20th Feb 2021 5:37pm

Co1

Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3689

Anybody help? Or any thoughts at all?!!

21st Feb 2021 6:15pm

L110CDL

Member Since: 31 Oct 2015
Location: Devon
Posts: 10854

I had this along time ago and it was due to a faulty / not well made crank shaft seal, i think since then my indy changed what make the seal was as he had a few like this, not good i know and i hope this is not your problem, but just a thought for you Co1

Clayton.

1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up.
Keeper.

22nd Feb 2021 9:45pm

Dinnu

Member Since: 24 Dec 2019
Location: Lija
Posts: 3469

From the colour of the oil in that last picture, I think it is engine oil rather than gear oil. Even an over filled gearbox should not leak.... unless it is pushing the oil all the way up the breather (very unlikely).

The tdci rear crank oil seal cannot be installed incorrectly, however should use the installation collar/tool that comes with the seal. Otherwise can pinch the seal lip during installation.

I have replaced a crank seal on a Fiesta which was badly installed from factory. Hope that makes you feel better. 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing
2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black

22nd Feb 2021 10:02pm

Co1

Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3689

Thanks guys.

23rd Feb 2021 6:09am

Co1

Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3689

Spoke to mechanic today who remembered doing the clutch as it was only a few months back. He took picks of the crank seal and gearbox seal as there was nothing leaking from either. He changed the crank seal anyway as the whole thing was disassembled. His view is that it is coming from above and tracking around the bell housing. The vac pump seal is done and given how poor access is at the rear of the engine what else could it be?

It’s likely to get bloody expensive from now on it, so I’ll need to make a call about living with it or shelling out. In terms of oil lost, it’s not much. The dipstick has gone from the top mark to about 75% so more than enough in and it gets a service in March.

Last edited by Co1 on 24th Feb 2021 6:03am. Edited 1 time in total

23rd Feb 2021 7:04pm

Badger110

Member Since: 06 Feb 2018
Location: South hams
Posts: 1039

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Buckingham Blue

Mine has similar results and I've put it down to the crankseal to be changed at clutch/autobox decision.

I shall be watching this to see what you come up with

23rd Feb 2021 10:29pm

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