Bob,
If you installed the square cork with sufficient gasket sealer I
doubt it is the source because, I would think there would be oil on
the rear plate outside of the bellhousing because the cork is
sandwiched in-between the plate and the rear main bearing cap. It
could be flowing over the top of the cork into the bellhousing if the
plate was cut too low but I think that would be unlikely too but the
design of the notch in the rear cap would make that hard too if there
is sufficient gasket sealer. I had this issue on my rear plate but it
never leaked until I fixed the rear plate to eliminate that potential
problem. I should have left well enough alone because I suspect my
rear plate is warped now.
I have a similar leak and it is coming from the rear plate through
the hole for the crank due to a failed gasket between the block and
plate. At least that is what I had previously and I suspect it
reoccurred. However, it does not always make it to the cotter pin
because it can leak between the plate and bellhousing. Oil can also
blow back from other sources and be hard to trace because there is so
little oil. Blow back oil usually follows a seam (but not always),
such as the one between the valve cover and head, the tappet cover
plates or from the back of the valve cover down the back of the head
and then down along the seam between the mounting plate and engine
block. I found one coming from the oil feed pipe on the distributor.
All of these leaks will find their way to the lowest point on the
engine which is the bottom of the bellhousing/ mounting plate.
Clean everything off as completely as you can, especially the seams.
Run the engine up to temperature and let it run until you see the
leak again. Then take a clean paper towel and start wiping the seams
and follow the oil path. There is also a cheap leak tracer kit you
can buy. A small amount of a chemical tracer is added to the oil.
After the leak is apparent a light pen (comes with the kit) is used
to make the oil fluoresce. You can't see the trace chemical without
the special light source. Harbor freight or Oreilly's might have the
kit. I have the light pen but not the chemical.
John
At 03:17 PM 3/3/2013 +0000, you wrote:
>Yeah, I know...
>
>Any ideas? Could the seam between the rear main bearing cap and
>block--with the undersized felt, cigarette-shaped plugs on either
>side--be the cause? We get a few drops on the floor after a 4-5 mile run.
>
>TIA,
>Bob
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