Oil leak - Easy clean sump tank?

[mont7]

I've been unsuccessfully chasing an oil leak in my Crossflow powered '72 Mallock 11b for quite some time. The short version is I finally took the car to someone who pulled the engine, found a pin hole in the steel pan and a fitting mismatch, resealed the pan (way better than I had), and thought I was all good. No leaks when just starting and running - which was true before I had this work done. First race and it's leaking like a sieve - again. But, no oil on the back of the flywheel, no drip line from the main seal area.

I've pulled the engine again, and decided that maybe it's a line leak, or a fitting leak, or the dry sump tank, which is placed behind the engine right in front of the firewall.

The tank is a two piece easy clean. My question is, how tight should the clamp be (I know, tight enough so it doesn't leak )? Sometimes over tightening can create a leak. I've ordered a new o-ring.

Thanks.

Steve

[Bob L.]

Reminds me of my March SV...redid engine, took to race...chased oil on engine every session..redid all I could on rocker cover, cam seal, etc. at race... finally had a tire go down, so decided I'd had enough... came home, still looking for leak...

BELEIVE I found issue... puke can was at front of engine bay, had put too much oil in dry sump tank.. excess oil doused engine... kept adding oil to tank at track......

Since: relocated the vent can to back of wing...(coat the guy closely behind, not my engine!) Took to chassis dyno to seek any oil leaks, didn't find... of course, not same dynamic conditions as on track, but closer than not...cheaper than dragging to race to test.

Appears my issue wasn't a mechanical deal, rather a layout and filling problem...or, so I hope...

Perhaps your issue is similar? Go to a chassis dyno?

Do make sure you have bottom end well vented....I've seen leaks from the drain back tube/hose on both pushrod and twin cam Ford engines... look at that area, well...

Bob L.

[Earley Motorsports]

My easy clean leaked also and I found the big O ring was cracked so I replaced that. It was a real beach to get the clamp back on with the new O ring but with a slightly longer draw bolt done up snug. I put new O rings in the drain and breather swivel fittings too but they still leak. Either weld them in place or add threaded fittings. Good luck.

[Offcamber1]

had the same problem on my RP24 (a.k.a. "The Valdez") years ago. After multiple rebuilds, new pan, new rocker cover, etc. someone tipped me off to check the scavenge side of the oil pump for clearences and scoring. Sure enough, it was junk, but the pressure side worked great. The excess oil in the sump was getting mauled and raising crankcase pressure.

replaced the pump and the problem went away. As long as you have the motor out, check the scavenge pump.

[mont7]

Offcamber - Interesting. When it wasn't scavenging, was there a particular place it was leaking due to the high pressure in the sump? I haven't had any oil in my overflow tank, which is coming off the valve cover.

And you checked it by measuring clearances, and visually? It's a front mount pump, FWIW.

[Offcamber1]

Offcamber - Interesting. When it wasn't scavenging, was there a particular place it was leaking due to the high pressure in the sump? I haven't had any oil in my overflow tank, which is coming off the valve cover.

And you checked it by measuring clearances, and visually? It's a front mount pump, FWIW.

And I mean Everywhere! So the motor was rebuilt several times, checking end gaps on the rings, valve guides, and so forth. It was really frustrating. I bought a new Titan cast pan (that wasn't it), a new cast rocker cover, tried multiple gasket kits. Front seals was definitely a weak point. I chased the problem for several years, but in fairness, it was not a pro built motor, one I put together myself. If Exxon wasn't my sponsor, then GUNK engine cleaner should have been!

When I thought about it, prior to the problem I had holed a piston going down the main straight at IRP and could not get safely parked until after turn 5, so I must have run a bunch of shards from the piston through the rest of the motor. IN retrospect, the problem made sense, but the oil pressure was always great so, what could be wrong, right?

When I pulled the pump apart the scavenge side was very obviously scored and the clearances where way, way beyond spec. If it is junk you'll know it. Front pumps are getting scarce if I'm not mistaken. I hope yours is ok and it is something else, but it is worth a look for sure.

Kip