Oil leak diagnosis...

[1955cj5]

I've been slowly preparing to pull the engine, planning to pull the pan and clean it, and just see how everything looks...

One of my big concerns was the ever-present oil leak. Last night after a short trip i let it sit with a clean drip pan and a cup under the flywheel housing drain.

No oil out of the drain but oil off the casting where the bolts are...hmmm

This morning there was oil in the cup and apparent drainage from the drain hole...more hmmm

So having read somewhere that a rear main oil leak can be diagnosed by looking at the flywheel for residue, I took the access cover off and cleaned everything up....

Flywheel looked dry...hmmm

main cap looked good, if not dry it wasn't dripping wet....

Beginning to suspect the cam...I cleaned that area and it does not look like there is even a gasket in there...

I ran it some and watched and sure enough oil beginning to accumulate at the block/housing seam...

So at least I'm pleased that my rear main isn't leaking like a sieve..

Still need to pull the engine to replace that gasket though...and at the same time I'll either replace or re-adjust the pressure plate(recommendations?), replace the clutch disc and the pilot bearing and throw-out bearing.

I might even replace the front transmission bearing and the main shaft pilot bearing....I still plan to replace the 4-speed with a 3-speed so I don't want to spend a fortune on the 4-speed at present...nor do I want to pull it out...because if i do I probably won't be able to stop myself from rebuilding it and replacing all the clutch and clutch/brake pedal shafts etc..

Randy

[Tom Wesenberg]

Be sure to mark the flywheel, pressure plate, and crank, so they mate up the same when reassembled.

Be sure you don't turn the engine upside down on the stand to remove the oil pan. You want all the junk to stay in the pan.

[1955cj5]

Thanks Tom,

So would you say it would be better to re-use the old pressure plate for balance purposes rather than getting a rebuilt replacement?

I haven't really decided which way to go on the pressure plate...

[CarlG]

However you do it, the flywheel and pressure plate need to be balanced together as a unit. Match mark them and make sure that after the clutch disk is installed and in the car the match marks line up.

[1955cj5]

Is balancing something that a machine shop would do?

I know I had the crank and flywheel balanced when I had the jeep motor rebuilt....I suppose they use the same machine for flywheels?

[Tom Wesenberg]

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I thought it was only being taken out to replace a gasket.
If the motor ran smooth I wouldn't change the pressure plate or have it balanced again.

[1955cj5]

I'm pretty sure that anything that was done to this A in the past was not done with any sort of accuracy in mind, just "make it work"....I doubt the flywheel/pressure was ever balanced when the 4-speed was installed......it's ok up to about 40 mph and then there is noticeable vibration..

I'll look into getting it balanced. Sure couldn't hurt...