The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Lovely weather this weekend so it was time to yank the engine and gearbox complete with snapped clutch pivot arm. Of course that means that I've found stuff that it would be stupid not to do whilst the engine is out.

The back of the engine is pretty black with old engine oil, but oddly the bell housing just has a small smear at the bottom, and it was hard to tell if it was engine or gearbox oil, my sense of smell pretty shot after two days of my head stuck under the bonnet. There did look to be a bit of residue at the back of the box, hard to tell really. So I'm thinking that it maybe be wise to replace the rear crankshaft seal, and immediately hit the issue of if I would need a seal, or the seal and housing, confused by that one, any advice?

Thought I was being smart by buying a new clutch plate in advance, but as luck would have it my existing one looked to be almost new, pah!

Ah, one last thing (think I'm Columbo here...) another of those whilst the engine is out jobs was to replace the steering rack mounts, and yet again as luck would have it they seemed quite hard rather than the soggy mess I was expecting considering everything was swimming in old engine oil, but the question is which way do the rubber bits go, as in the bottom cill or lip, I'm assuming they both face outwards? The Triumph ROM only shows one side. I did make a mental note when taking out the old ones, and then had a cup of tea...

Rack mounts are obvious and poly is the way to go. Daft not to do them with the lump out as poly doesnt absorb oil and turn to goo.
Dont loose the slotted plate on the near side one.

Change the box front seal and the crank seal while out. Be careful with spring tension on some supposedly NOS rear crank seals.
Why pay for a mounting plate you dont need? The old one knocks out and the new one in in a few minutes with suitable flat bits of wood.
Dont forget the bolts through the sump pan if you dont take the sump off, which is again easilly doable with it all out, but then where
do you stop?

Jonners

Cheers Jonners, though which way does that leg on the rubber go?

I know what you mean about where do you stop, I've already made a long list of things to do whilst the engine is out that I wasn't planning on doing, exhaust downpipe is looking a bit thin with a hole at the join, deal with some of the under bonnet rust, might as well do the clutch slave seals, and now the engine oil seal. Danger is that the poor thing spends months on axle stands as I find just one more thing to do!

The rack mountings have a ridge on the base that goes under the corresponding plate on the rack, so face outwards.

Definitely do the downpipe and I use studs and nuts on the top two fittings. Steel bolts into the manifold is a recipe
for grief. If you also use a stud on the bottom one it can make it all but impossible to remove the downpipe with the engine in place.

Jonners

Raf, I'd recommend the Super Flex rack bushes. To replace the crankshaft rear oil seal, you can either replace just the seal or you can remove the housing (don't forget the 2 bolts at the bottom that go through the sump!) but you will need a new gasket for the housing.

Thanks again Jonners, common sense pointed to that being the correct orientation, but I'd rather be sure. Quite agree about the downpipe, though I can't find a reasonable priced stainless steel one, the RB one I've read is not recommended, and if I was spending that much money then I might as well get the Jigsaw one, but I bet that won't match up with RB exhaust system! I feel a wanted ad coming along.

That's my bush choice validated then, thanks Dave! I've been buying bits and pieces over the past 6 or so months when I can afford it, which has included the front and rear bush kits from Chris Witor/Superflex, so as and when the opportunity comes I can replace them all gradually. All down to this forum, I read what others have come across and try and think ahead. I'll just get a crankshaft seal and gasket then, still puzzled why they sell the complete housing though!

Just discovered that http://www.oilsealuk.co.uk/ are in the next town, see if they can supply a quality replacement.

Cheers for the help!

I bought my crankshaft rear oil seal and housing gasket from S&S when I bought the driveplate from them last November. It made sense to replace the rear oil seal while I had access to it. I wish I'd replaced the oil pump O rings when I had the engine out.

You can replace the oil pump o-rings with the engine in situ on an 1850.
Easy? Nooooooo, but it can be done.

I'm full headlong into project scope creep as it is, so in for a penny, in for an O ring! Are the O rings failing a common'ish thing then? If so it looks like a 5 minute job at the minute that it would be rude not to do if so.

Could not find myself a Payen NB093 out there, so I bought a compatible seal from the Oil Seal UK chap nearby that's branded NAK, hopefully that's one of the good brands!

Personally, and only my opinion (be careful with these) if it's not leaking then it's not broke............

Is it an automotive seal suitable for the revs and does it have the little oil return grooves? I would not fit just a seal in the right size but make sure it is suitable. There's nothing wrong with the aftermarket ones just the spring.

Jeroen

soe8m wrote:Is it an automotive seal suitable for the revs and does it have the little oil return grooves? I would not fit just a seal in the right size but make sure it is suitable. There's nothing wrong with the aftermarket ones just the spring.

Jeroen

The supplier was very friendly, and specialises in oil seals for classics. It turned up today in the post, as though he's only about 5 miles away I had to have it posted for all of my transport options have issues at the moment except for my boat! It's quite a substantial thing, heavier than I was expecting.

I think these lines on the lip are what you mean Jeroen?

Indeed...

Do compare the spring in that one with the one in your old seal....

Jonners