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SP250 Front crankshaft leak

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sumptners
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2016 9:20 pm

SP250 Front crankshaft leak

Post by sumptners »

All of a sudden am having an oil leak from the front crankshaft / timing cover. It was fine yesterday but started leaking straight away on start up today. Is it likely to be a stuck oil pressure relief valve?
Many thanks.

Ian Slade
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Re: SP250 Front crankshaft leak

Post by Ian Slade »

It really depends where it's leaking, if at the crankshaft and the engine is a standard SP engine it is possible that the shroud the crank scroll sits in has worn away due to the timing cover not being installed correctly. The engine has always had a tendency to drip at the crank if heavy breaking takes place at low engine rpm this can be increased by parking forward on a hill, if it is not a standard engine it can be a failure in the modification of the front oil seal system or just a failed gasket but very unlikely to be caused by a stuck relief valve the timing cover is free flow to the sump.
Owner since the 70's, Genghis is slightly to my left.

sumptners
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2016 9:20 pm

Re: SP250 Front crankshaft leak

Post by sumptners »

Thank you Ian

That is interesting. The previous day the car was parked in my drive nose down for some time. It was then driven 100 ft. or so and left in my garage . When started and moved the following day I noticed the leak from the timing cover behind the pulley. I suppose that oil could have leaked on to the rear of the pulley/damper and sprayed off the following day although I didn’t notice the leak after it was started when parked nose down.

Sydsmith
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Re: SP250 Front crankshaft leak

Post by Sydsmith »

I did post a reply but it seems to have got lost, but for what it worth I had a similar problem some years ago and it turned out to be oil leaking from the near side rocker cover finding its way down the front of the engine and running out below the crank pully.

I solved it u fitting 10mm "O" ring material super glued into the groove in the cover (some covers dont have the groove) its been 100% secure ever since. Just a thought. Syd

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NevilleW
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Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:54 am
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Re: SP250 Front crankshaft leak

Post by NevilleW »

sumptners wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 9:28 am Thank you Ian

That is interesting. The previous day the car was parked in my drive nose down for some time. It was then driven 100 ft. or so and left in my garage . When started and moved the following day I noticed the leak from the timing cover behind the pulley. I suppose that oil could have leaked on to the rear of the pulley/damper and sprayed off the following day although I didn’t notice the leak after it was started when parked nose down.
If the slope was reasonably steep and the sump up to full mark or slightly over, there is nothing to stop oil from dribbling out of the front scroll seal.
Without the engine running there is no movement of the threaded scroll to wind the oil back into the motor. Not one of Mr Turners better engine design innovations ... :cry:

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