Oil Leaks

[ventana]

Group;
I have been reading and searching the posts in this forum for the last several days. They are very informative and packed full of information.
I have stone stock 1974, 2.7 Coupe and before my wife and I inherited the car, got it running and brought it here to Iowa, it sat unused for fifteen years. It now runs great but leaks oil like a sieve.
With parts and information supplied by our host I finally conquered the oil pouring from the valve covers. They are dry at last. The next big flow is coming from somewhere in the front of the engine and dripping down onto the diver's side heat exchanger. It's a substantial leak and gets worse when the engine is running and hot. I am planning on pulling the engine after the 4th of July (time and job will not permit sooner).
I suspect the crank seal is leaking so I am planning on replacing that, the oil breather gasket, oil thermostat "O" ring, oil cooler seals and pressure sender "O" ring. Any others I should be concerned with? I would perfer to do what's necessary "while I'm in there".
Other questions: Can the front crank seal be installed without pulling the cam housings? Are the rather expensive tools used to install the front and rear crank seals necessary to install them safely? They are kinda spendy for a one-time use but I'm pulling the engine, doing this work myself so if there is no other alternative I'll spend what it takes to do it right. Let me know.
Thanks;
Ventana

[Eagledriver]

Most common leak at the front of the engine is the oil pressure sender. I'd replace that for sure. The main seals on the crankshaft can be replaced without special tools. The pully needs to come off the crankshaft at the rear of the car and the seal pried out carefully to avoid damage to the housing and the crankshaft surface. The new seal can be tapped in with a hammer carefully and in a circular even way. You don't need to drive it in past the housing. Flush or just outside is OK. Same at the rear. I wouldn't replace these however if they aren't leaking.

-Andy

[Eagledriver]

You can also hammer on a suitable sized socket or pipe to drive in the seals. Just be careful to not distort the metal inside the seals.

[Jason 74 911]

I have a 74 with a stock 2.7 that had been sitting for about 5 years. It too leaked like a sieve. I replaced every seal recommeded and it still leaked. It turned out to be the the rocker arm shafts. Some were loose enough to push out with my fingers. Install the RSR inner seals, part # 99-0579-052-M260.

[bertj]

Jason,

How hard is it to replace the rocker arm seals?

Do you have to dis-assemble the heads or can it be done by removing the valve covers?

Thanks,

Bert

[Jason 74 911]

Hi Bert,

I replaced most of mine with the engine in the car. You can get to them by pulling the calve covers. However, it was not easy and I couldn't get them all. It would have been much easier to do it with the engine out or at least a partial engine drop.

The ends of the rocker shafts should be dry when you pull the calve covers. If they are dry I wouldn't worry. If they are leaking, check to make sure they are tight and aligned properly.

The rocker shafts with the seals on my 2.7 are now leak free.

[bertj]

Thank you Jason. I think I will drop the engine to make it easier.

[ventana]

Jason;
I truly don't understand that entire rocker shaft seal bit. Each individual rocker shaft on which the valve rocker sits is held in place by a 5mm pinch bolt, an expansion sleeve and an 8mm expansion nut on the other end. If the rocker shaft is leaking oil would not the excess oil simply collect under the valve covers and drain back into the block via the oil return tubes? What am I missing here? When you say they were loose enough to push out with your fingers do you mean they were loose and moved out of the housing after you removed the pinch bolt and expansion nut? Where was your engine leaking after you replaced all the other seals and before replacing the rocker shaft seals?
Since I'm pulling the engine I guess I go the extra step and install these seals as well and adjust the valves at the same time.
Thanks;
Ventana

[Eagledriver]

The area on the outside of the rocker shafts is open to the outside not the inside of the engine.

-Andy

[ventana]

Eagledriver;
I guess I'm still having a difficult time grasping what you are describing. Many thanks though. I'm confident I'll fully understand it all after I've pulled my engine and replaced the shaft seals.

Ventana

[Jason 74 911]

Check out this forum. It has pictures which will help.

Rocker%20Shaft%20Oil%20Leak]Rocker Shaft Oil Leak Forum

[david482]

I have a 70E that sat for over 12 years and after I got it running the oil poured out. It turned out, at least the big leak, to be the oil cooler. I sent it off to Pacific and sure enough it was shot. I have replaed it and am putting enough back on to start it up again and see what happens.

[ventana]

Jason;
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you;
I now get it. A single picture is worth a thousand words. In fact I'm going to pull the driver's side valve covers tomorrow and check the rocker bolts. I'll let you know what I find.

Ventana