Oil Leak - Is it transmission or crank seal??

[minitransformation]

After much cleaning and running and looking, an annoying drip from my 998 auto mini (which always appears on the gear selector cover bolts) is actually running down the inside of the transmission end cover and out the bottom onto the gear selector cover.

I notice on the web there is a 'cap' which can be put over the end of the torque converter to seal this, but my question is whether it could be an engine crank seal (which this mod wouldn't solve) ?

All I can confirm is that with the engine running it doesn't leak and with a drive it does ! So - I think that the torque converter is guilty.

Can I remove the end cover and fit this 'cap' with the engine in the car??

Any other brilliant ideas to solve? Temporarily fitted a cloth wrap inside the gear selector cover to collect the drips !

Thanks.............

[minitransformation]

'Cap' thingy is on www.azmengineering.com/the-final-solution-to-stubborn-gearbox-oil-leaks-in-classic-bmc-a-series-engines


Auto Cap

[69hcode]

Mine was leaking at the torque converter seal. Not hard to change but you need the right puller to do it. 

[mikee]

I have the same problem. Can the torque converter be removed with the engine in the car? Is the main oil seal reasonably easy to replace?

Any help gratefully received...

Best wishes

Mike

[69hcode]

It can be removed in the car. I did it a couple times because I messed up the first seal. You really need the right puller though. The only hard part is getting to the engine mounts nuts under the converter housing. The torque converter is very tight on the crank and comes off with a loud bang. I doesn't move much just releases loud enough to make you jump. 

And make sure you only removed 3 bolts from the converter. All 6 and you may be in trouble. 

[Stu]

Ah yes  ...........  one must never remove the sacred six bolts of the torque convertor for to do so would bring the chaotic misalignment of the magic within !

[jockduck]

Its very important to install the new seal squarely and to the correct depth, I made a tool out of 3"/75mm square tube
Worked great and uses the converter centre bolt to drive the seal in.
Jock
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[mikee]

Aug 31, 2017 19:01:55 GMT Stu said:

Ah yes  ...........  one must never remove the sacred six bolts of the torque convertor for to do so would bring the chaotic misalignment of the magic within !

Ha! I liked that...

Is there just the one oil seal to be replaced, or more? It would obviously be best to replace everything possible while the torque converter is off.

Again, grateful for any further advice

Best wishes

Mike

[minitransformation]

Thanks for all the information, are we assuming that it is the crank seal or is there a seal on the T Conv?

Would the end cap thingy solve the T Conv leak but not the seal?

If so - it looks like all bolts have to be removed to fit it so this could be a problem.

As Mike says - let's have all the seal info while we are in there?? 

I'm thinking that you could run engine up without cover on and then the leak would be obvious? Any probs in doing this - apart from minding your pinkies.

Andrew

[mikee]

I am talking to Martin at MK as I would prefer the job to be done professionally - I don't fancy pulling everything apart and making a mess of it, especially as it will be fiddly to get to the torque converter and the seals while the engine is in the car.

Best wishes

Mike

[69hcode]

The only part I had trouble with was getting the nuts back on the engine mount. The rest was fairly easy but I am a mechanic by day. 

[minitransformation]

If you could post the way forward and where the seals are in the T Conv that would be really helpful !