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Gary,
=20
=20
It is my understanding that the hole and cotter pin date back to the =
Model T days, and was put there to keep the road dust/grit from causing =
the hole to plug up, and to keep the oil from getting trapped.
=20
=20
From: Healeys <healeys-bounces@autox.team.net> On Behalf Of Gary =
Anderson
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2021 1:35 PM
To: healeys@autox.team.net
Subject: [Healeys] On the subject of oil leaks and racing
=20
Many years ago, at a panel during a Healey West Coast Meet in Oregon, I =
took the opportunity to ask Geoff Healey about the issue of oil dripping =
out of the hole in the bottom of the bell housing when the car would =
come to a halt after driving a long distance.=20
He gave us the general story that that was actually an intentional =
design feature, with the reverse archimedes screw typically doing its =
job and slinging the oil back in the sump at the rear end of the crank =
shaft. Of course, when the car came to a halt, the oil pressure would =
reverse and some oil would seep into the bell housing. To deal with =
that, there is a hole in the bottom of the bellhousing so the oil =
doesn't pool up. To make sure the hole stays open, a cotter pin is =
placed in the hole, with the legs projecting out the bottom.
=20
But then he chuckled and told the following story. When he and Donald =
were raising street versions of the first Hundreds at Le Mans -- =
generally for the international publicity benefits -- they anticipated =
that the race stewards stationed as observers in each of the pits would =
notice the pool of oil where the car had been sitting when it came in =
for a pit stop, which would have been grounds for disqualification. So =
Roger Menadue fastened small pans, contoured to be fastened under the =
bell housing hole. During the race, the pans would be stuffed with =
diapers, and that would take care of catching the oil for several stops. =
During stops when the steward wasn't looking, a mechanic would pull of a =
filled pan and fasten on a new empty pan. Worked like a charm: no oil =
leaks in the pits and, as we know, the street-spec Healeys, complete =
with bumpers and grilles, finished the race in respectable fashion, =
garnering good publicity and giving rise to the optional "Le Mans kit" =
that was available from DMHCO.
=20
And that's the rest of the story.
=20
Gary Anderson
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link=3D"#0563C1" vlink=3D"#954F72" style=3D'word-wrap:break-word'><div =
class=3DWordSection1><p class=3DMsoNormal>Gary,<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>It is my =
understanding that the hole and cotter pin date back to the Model T =
days, and was put there to keep the road dust/grit from causing the hole =
to plug up, and to keep the oil from getting trapped.<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div =
style=3D'border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in =
0in 0in'><p class=3DMsoNormal><b>From:</b> Healeys =
<healeys-bounces@autox.team.net> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Gary =
Anderson<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, April 30, 2021 1:35 PM<br><b>To:</b> =
healeys@autox.team.net<br><b>Subject:</b> [Healeys] On the subject of =
oil leaks and racing<o:p></o:p></p></div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>Many =
years ago, at a panel during a Healey West Coast Meet in Oregon, I took =
the opportunity to ask Geoff Healey about the issue of oil dripping out =
of the hole in the bottom of the bell housing when the car would come to =
a halt after driving a long distance. <o:p></o:p></p><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>He gave us the general story that that was actually an =
intentional design feature, with the reverse archimedes screw typically =
doing its job and slinging the oil back in the sump at the rear end of =
the crank shaft. Of course, when the car came to a halt, the oil =
pressure would reverse and some oil would seep into the bell housing. To =
deal with that, there is a hole in the bottom of the bellhousing so the =
oil doesn't pool up. To make sure the hole stays open, a cotter pin is =
placed in the hole, with the legs projecting out the =
bottom.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>But then he chuckled and told the following story. =
When he and Donald were raising street versions of the first Hundreds at =
Le Mans -- generally for the international publicity benefits -- they =
anticipated that the race stewards stationed as observers in each of the =
pits would notice the pool of oil where the car had been sitting when it =
came in for a pit stop, which would have been grounds for =
disqualification. So Roger Menadue fastened small pans, contoured to be =
fastened under the bell housing hole. During the race, the pans would be =
stuffed with diapers, and that would take care of catching the oil for =
several stops. During stops when the steward wasn't looking, a mechanic =
would pull of a filled pan and fasten on a new empty pan. Worked like a =
charm: no oil leaks in the pits and, as we know, the street-spec =
Healeys, complete with bumpers and grilles, finished the race in =
respectable fashion, garnering good publicity and giving rise to the =
optional "Le Mans kit" that was available from =
DMHCO.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>And that's the rest of the =
story.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Gary =
Anderson<o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></body></html>
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