Is it the TC?

[notamini]

In the 14 years I've owned my 1100 I have never seen the oil level increase from 'Full' to 2.5 cm above 'Full'. I left the car at the exact level for 'Full' as always and it sat for about 3 months. When I checked the oil, it was 2.5 cm above that line. I started and ran the engine until it reached full temp and checked the oil again. The level was nearly right on the Full line. There was also about 2 oz of oil on the floor.
The same thing happened again about 5 weeks later. This time I drove around the block and then checked the oil in the proper manner. It was down again but this time about 1 cm below the line. Again I had a pool of oil on the floor that spilled during warm up.

Is there not a check valve on the TC which is supposed to hold the oil from running out? If so, is it faulty and where is it?

[Wim Fournier]

Don't know if I'm right, but. The procedure for checking the oil level takes in account that there is going quite a lot oil into the torque converter. Because the thing is turning round with quite what speed, the centrifugal forces send the oil to the periferi of the converter. So there is a lot of oil sucked into the converter when it comes to life. When the car is rested for more than just a few hours, a great part of the oil that was collected in the converter during the last ride is draining back into the sump of the engine. This is -after weeks- so much oil that the surface of the oil in the sump gets above the underside of the crank. When the gasket on the crank is not that tight that it withstands spilling oil, you will find a puddle of oil beneeth the car.
As soon as you start the engine, oil is sucked into the converter and the level drops to 'normal'.
You can avoid the spilling by resting the car with the right front wheel on a higher level than the left wheel. So that the oil level doesn't reach the underside of the gasket on the crank.

[richard1]

Tarija and Santa Cruz, Bolivia

I Have assumed it is from the converter, too, as when I come back to the car after a few weeks, the level is high, but when I check it properly after 10 minutes stopped, it is right on.

[jockduck]

I have found drive shaft oil seals a more likely place to lose oil, if you jack up the front of the car you may get a surprise. The oil level would have to be extremely high to lose it out of a crank seal.
Oil is pumped into the T/C when the engine is running, the pressure is controlled by the low pressure valve. It is normal for T/Cs to drain down to the mid level when the engine stops, how fast it drains down depends on how good/bad the seals are and is not generally a problem.
Jock

[notamini]

So I think I can assume that the oil level is normal. The leak is from the oil canister seal. I've been told it is likely due to be changed.
Thanks for the help.

[richard1]

Tarija and Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Be careful with the oil canister. Do not torque it over 14 lbs. Unfortunately I did that once, and had to find a new one. There is about 175 psi of oil pressure in there, and you have to make sure you get out the old seal and seat the correct new one properly in the conical ring.

[notamini]

Thanks Richard. Does this apply to both canisters, the long thin one and the short fat one? Mine is the short fat one.

[richard1]

Tarija and Santa Cruz, Bolivia\

Not sure how many versions are out there. I'd call mine long and fat.

[notamini]

Look behind the starter. That big lump is the oil filter like mine.

[tonyerwood]

All the 1100's/1300's have the short fat filter and Mini's, Metro's the longer thinner one. Not sure what the Allegro's have ?

The draining of oil from the torque converter back into the sump seems to suggest an internal problem. I have not seen that even with a car that has stood for many months. There are several ways oil could leak from the torque converter:
1) There are rubber O ring seals each end of the pipe from the pipe chest. One of these could have hardened and cracked.
2) There is a non return valve in that pipe where it plugs into the pipe chest. That could be stuck open but unlikely.
3) The low pressure valve (on the outside below the torque converter) could be stuck open. But again unlikely.
4) The oil seal that runs on the converter output gear could have failed.

I can't at the moment think of any other ways oil could drain from the converter. Some of the above could also result in lower than normal (30psi) pressure in the torque converter while running. Looks like an engine out job (except for the low pressure valve) - sorry to be the bringer of bad news !

I can't find any reference in any BL documentation to a 1100 Austin America, I thought they were all 1300's ?

Tony,
Shetland UK.

[notamini]

The Austin America was born in 1968. That, to my knowledge, was the first year of the 1100 with the 1275 engine. The America was really neither the 1100 nor the 1300 unless you want to go by the engine size.

Do you believe that your item #1 is the most likely problem?

[tonyerwood]

In the UK, with the changes made at the end of 1967, i.e. new grill, new wheel rims, new front brakes and new rear lights, the "1100" was marketed as 1100 MkII (1098 engine 48bhp manual 56bhp automatic) and the 1300 (1275 engine 60bhp manual and automatic) for the Austin and Morris ranges. From 1968 on the MG, Riley, Wolseley and Vanden Plas variants (and later Austin & Morris 1300GT) were all "1300's" i.e. 1275 engines (65bhp Woseley & Vanden Plas or 70bhp Riley, MG and GT or 60bhp automatic). The Austin America was viewed as an Austin 1300 made for the American market with LHD, some cosmetic changes and emission control equipment and lighting required for the American market and some with Air Con). So, thus my confusion when you said yours was an 1100.

I think the leak back into the sump/gearbox could be any of those I listed, plus I forgot the outlet pipe from the torque converter that goes to the low pressure valve also has O  ring seals each end. The only one that can be checked in situ is the low pressure valve. If you take that off, all the oil in the sump/gearbox will come out togther with about half the oil in the torque converter. The piston in the valve should be in the closed position, it only opens when the oil pressure in the torque converter approaches 30psi. You will need a new gasket when refitting that valve.

Everything else will require dismantling the gearbox and given the pain of that it would probably be worth replacing all the rubber seals and the clutch plates and brake bands (oh and given the age of your gearbox, replace the idler gear bearings - my 1971 Wosleley 1300 got through a few of those!). The JPat master service kit includes all the seals/gaskets and clutch plates but not the brake bands or idler gear bearings. If I lived closer, I would come and help you.

Tony
Shetland UK.

[notamini]

Tony. If I had the money, I'd bring you across the pond for a week to work with me on it. But alas I do not.

[firept]

Hi just to give my few penny's worth (not much I know!)
First question what has changed, work been done, any thing changed on the engine gearbox no matter how little? Always been taught to look at this first because if it had been OK then it should still be OK.
If nothing has been done then I would be inclined to look at the low pressure valve first as per Tony's good idea / advice. Its in the flow from the TC and dumps pressure to the sump, you will need a new gasket and it will empty the oil from the sump so drain it down first. the gasket is a simple paper type so can easily be made either by tapping using a plastic ball hammer or if you know someone with a laser cutter it can be cut from gasket paper probably cheap enough from Jpat. 

[tonyerwood]

Yes, I think that's the first thing to do.

Beyond that, well I think it depends on how quickly the torque converter is draining down. If it takes weeks, then it's probably ok to continue to drive it. But, if it takes only a few hours say, then whatever is leaking will probably be leaking a lot more when there is 30psi pressure there. One possible problem then is that the efficiency of the torque converter maybe reduced if there is insufficient pressure inside it, but you will notice the higher than normal increase in engine revs for example when going up hill. Another possible problem could be overheating within the torque converter if there isn't sufficient flow of oil through it, but that depends on where the leak is.

I have the BL workshop manual here (from many years ago when I had a 1971 Wolseley 1300 auto, sadly long since gone to the great scrapyard in the sky) and I can scan any sections needed to pdf file.

Tony Erwood,
Shetland, UK.

[notamini]

Thanks Firept and Tony. I've been driving it and the oil sometimes drains about 8 hours and other times almost twice that. Performance is not noticeably different. The engine oil pressure might be taking longer to come down from 78 psi cold to 45 psi hot and sometimes it never goes below 50 psi hot, I'm not that certain.