18 replies to this topic

[jackx998]

Noticed a leak today, I'm quite certain that it's coming from the flywheel housing. I had a close inspection and I noticed there is a bolt missing from the bottom of the flywheel housing itself. I had removed one bolt from the housing just to see if I could get one in there but the hole is in a right awkward place and there`s not enough room to get a bolt in, let alone a spanner =/

I'm not sure how I can get a bolt in there, am I going to have to remove the whole block just to get one single bolt in?

I shall get some pictures up tomorrow if that'll help.

Thanks in advance

Jack.

[Cooperman]

Are you sure it's a missing bolt and not a dowel hole?
When oil leaks from the flywheel housing it often comes out of the hole with the jiggle pin in right underneath the housing. If it's coming from there then it's the famous primary gear oil seal, known also as the 'red seal' which has gone. You have to remove the clutch cover and flywheel to gain access to remove and re-fit the red seal.

[jackx998]

I'm fairly certain that there is a missing bolt, I did however notice the jiggle pin had some oil around it too. I will double check in the morning and take a few pictures of what im dealing with.

[Cooperman]

You need to clean it all around that area then run it to see where the leak is. Then we'll be better able to advise you.

[brad-the-bear]

by the sounds of it
someone has probably replaced the clutch with the engine in and not put one of the bolts back... i don't blame them... many swear words have been shed on the infamous "awkward bolt"

[jackx998]

Will do :)

Thanks dude

[tiger99]

I am puzzled, because the only bolts on the oil-filled part of the casing, the transfer case, have plenty of spanner room, and it is possible to get at the bolts in situ. There is also a dowel hole, as Cooperman says.

The only bolt which is inaccessible is one of the lower bolts on the clutch cover, and with patience, and jacking the engine with the mount unbolted, it can be fitted, even with my big hands, although many people leave it out without ill effect as there are 7 other bolts. But if you have oil at that particular bolt hole, you have a very big problem with oil leakage, although still quite easy to fix, and would have massive clutch slip and other symptoms.

[jackx998]

Took a couple of crappy snaps, thought I might as well.

I'm not sure if the leak is coming from a different location and just running down.

Jiggle pin and missing bolt or dowel hole maybe?



Sorry for being such a noob but thanks for the input guys, really appreciate it :)

Edited by jackx998, 24 November 2012 - 12:27 AM.

[Guess-Works.com]

Yes it is a missing bolt, but as suggested above, it's not really a big issue, I've seen many minis which come to me with that missing for the exact reason that someone has remove the clutch cover, either to change the clutch or engine mount and not bothered to put is back in, which with a little patience is not that difficult, and there is no possible path for oil to come out of that hole. The oil is dripping down from the jiggle pin, so points to a rear seal issue.

Also I notice that that the forward gearbox steady is not fitted, check to see if your front subframe has the bracket and if so, I'd suggest fitting one, stops a lot of rock in the engine.

[tiger99]

Yes, as we thought, the usual missing bolt, and nothing at all to do with the leak. As I said, you do need patience and a bit of fiddling about to get that bolt in, so it is best left alone until you have the engine out for some reason. If you want a replacement bolt for when it is more accessible, it is a 5/16" UNC thread, not UNF like most bolts on the Mini, because it is screwing into relatively soft alloy. You can get the required length by taking out one of the other identical bolts and measuring it, under the head of course.

Some people lighten their front subframe by drilling fairly large holes in the side members. If done properly, combined with seam welding all the joints to add strength, it is structurally ok and has the potentially useful side effect of providing a crumple zone in the event of a front impact, which may save your feet, as otherwise the toeboard and floor tend to be pushed back, or the subframe may come through the floor. There will be pictures on the rebuild threads somewhere of a lightened subframe. Why I mention it here is that, with careful positioning of the lightening holes, you could have an access hole for the awkward bolt.

Your transfer case gasket looks fairly new, so I assume it has been off relatively recently, possibly for transfer gear maintenance? If it was not refitted using the correct procedure, and/or a new "red" seal was not fitted, it would explain the leak from the jiggle pin hole. The correct procedure is nothing exotic, you just either use the special tool, a tapered sleeve, over the primary gear splines and shoulder, or wrap them with a layer of smooth tape, to protect the seal lips from sharp edges while fitting.

[jackx998]

I shall get this sorted! Thank you for your help guys :)

[jackx998]

Thought I should add that the gearbox is a metro turbo.

The guy who I bought it from did all the work himself, so your probably right tiger99, I'm going have to invest in the right tools for this job.

Could anyone point me in the right direction on where I can find the correct red seal?

[tiger99]

Item 6 in the diargam linked to below, and available by the appropriate part number (2 types, injection and carburetor engines) from any Mini spares supplier.

http://www.somerford...age=page&id=144

[Cooperman]

Just one point if removing the transfer casing, if I may. The transfer case gasket is of exact thickness. If too thin it can easily cause the transfer gear to bind-up as the required end float on the transfer gear is controlled by the gasket thickness. The standard 'pink' gaskets are usually fine, but I've had problems, as have others, with the grey coloured cheapie ones.
The safe way to do the job is to remove the 'red' seal, then re-fit the reansfer case without the new rad seal fitted. Bolt up the transfer case to the correct torque and make sure that there is still a bit of end float on the transfer gear. You can just see and feel it. Then finally fit the red seal using the correct tool.

[Guess-Works.com]

I doubt the idler on that engine is shimmed correctly anyway, as it seems to have rather a lot of RTV oozing out of the union along with the gasket... and I'm not sure how you measure the thickness of compressed gasket goop !