Serious Oil Leak - Front of Crankcase

[ClassicJagMan]

Being a new and enthusiastic owner of a LHD 1969 S2 2+2 I hope all you good peeps out there will put up with all my forthcoming posts for help and advice.

To start with, I have a serious oil leak that continuously (and quite rapidly) drips down off the center of the front of the crankcase cover, coming from directly below the main pulley, when the engine is running.
Apart from the obvious front crankshaft seal, is the 4.2 engine prone to leaking anywhere else from the front? I ask that because there seems to be quite a bit of oil evident higher up the block, from around the water pump area (I know that sounds a bit daft!) or maybe the crankcase breather housing and it is just running down the front of the engine block to make it look as though the main crankshaft seal has gone.

Any ideas/serious suggestions greatfully received.

Many thanks.

[Moeregaard]

A failed front main seal will allow oil to escape in a big way. Jaguar addressed this during XJ-6 production by specifying a silicone/Teflon seal. I fitted one to my early 4.2 FHC and never looked back.

[chrisfell]

The XK engine can (will) leak from:
the cam covers;
the breather;
the head gasket around the timing chain case;
the timing chain case to block;
the crank oil seal;
the sump gasket.

Oil can also leak from the oil filter head; the bypass return pipe (which can perish causing catastrophic oil loss).

Many of these leaks can be due to poor assembly, some due to age.
For example, the breather bolts are secured in aluminium threads. These can become brittle after 50 years and strip. They'll need to be helicoiled, but will then serve for another fifty years.

I've let my engine dribble for all the fourteen years I've owned it. Sure it leaves marks when it stops. Sure oil gets everywhere underneath. Sure is can dribble onto the exhaust causing blue smoke to rise through the bonnet louvres and a pungent smell. But it also keeps rust away from the underside. As a new onwer you may not yet know this is Jaguar's 'un-patented rust prevention system'!

Some years ago someone tried to market an oil drip catch system which bolted to one end of the engine. It had a small sump, with an anti-surge baffle, and a drain plug. Not seen it recently.

[mgcjag]

Hi Andy...the first thing to do is give the area a good clean and get rid of as much of the mess as possible..my preference is white spirit in a hand squirt type sprayer...a large piece of cardboard undermeath will catch most...get a long thin brush and rags in there and clean it.........now you will have a better idea where its comming from.....a prime leak point are the studs on the front of the engine that go up into the head....also the breather..take it off and make sure the wire mesh is fitted the protruding side into the head.......i stoped what i thought was quite a lot of oil by stuffing blue paper towel into the gaps in the mountings up in that front area.....also the timing pointer on the sump, oil can leak out of the bolts that hold it to the sump....something else that works and will probably get laughed at is to tie loosely behing the crank damper a piece of cloth, it will catch oil running down and it wont get sprayed all over by the crank spinning.....i know it works, i use it...PS..any you comming diwn to Bicester on Sunday

[ClassicJagMan]

Many thanks Mark, Chris and Steve, you have all been most helpful.
Steve, unfortunately I won't be at Bicester this time, maybe next year when the E-type is all up and running nicely.
Thanks again to all of you for the advice/tips.

[Bertson]

Dear All,

the leackage could come from the front crankshaft sealing, which has a design problem. The lip could be worn and between the woodruff key and the slot is too much space, so that oil could leak out....

The oil will be spread around by the crankshaft pulley everywhere...

The Upgrade Kit from SNG Barrat has two sealing lips ones made of Teflon. But use it only with the upgrade bushing/sleeve in connection with the needed o-Ring, also from SNG !

The new bushing/sleeve has no slot!!!

Attention the o-Ring is not shown in all drawings of the upgrade kit, ask for this o-ring!!!

Could be replaced by dismantling the oil pan and torsions bars, remove only the old bushing/sleeve which protect the crankshaft against abrasion.

Than the old sealing could be removed by throwing down and than forward.

I tested it, works really good.

Greatings Bertson

[Hugo]

Any fluid leaks will (obviously) drip off the lowest point of the engine, and this can really throw you. I would get a gallon of brake cleaner and a squirter gun and clean everything down thoroughly on the front of the engine so you can see what's going on. I've even seen a drip coming off the bellhousing of a BMW that started way higher up and at the front of the engine.

[cactusman]

Can't add to the oil leak bit but another good cleaner is the "big wipes" (rtm) spay solution. No idea what is in it (doubtless a trade secret) but it is great for cleaning hands and also good for loosening greasy grime while seeming not to affect paint ....