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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sugar Land TX (Houston)
Posts: 40
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Heat Exchanger Fire - Help find oil leak
Took my 72 911T out on the road for her first spin in 23 years. I had forgotten the way she felt and handled but soon remembered the pleasure. I had been unable to locate a slow oil leak above the left heat exchanger so I brought the fire extinguisher along. Oil temp was at 210F after a few minutes and it was a hot day here in Texas near 100F. Each time I made a hard turn a small puff of blue oil smoke blew in through the vent on the dashboard. I assumed that the oil leak was dripping onto an exhaust tube near the seam on the heat exchanger. However, this had happened a couple of times while I was nursing the engine back to health so it did not surprise me. I was puzzled as the heater vent was closed and I never noticed any smoke from beneath the car. After about 15 miles of driving I stopped at a red light and noticed a burning smell that had to be me. Pulled in after noticing a garden hose at a roadside Jiffy Lube. She was burning somewhere and the new left SS heat exchanger was black to sight from the outside. A very small amount of smoke was in the engine compartment and the heat was intense. I did an adrenalin dash to the garden hose and misted her down slowly. Had her towed home and removed the exchanger and to find a carbon residue from an internal heat exchanger fire.
Now I need to find the oil leak so I don’t re-live the fire episode again. I replaced the valve cover gaskets very recently. I previously cleaned inspected the oil pressure sending unit and Oil pressure valve and don’t see any leaks there. I pulled the front engine sheet metal and removed the MFI pump drive sprocket from the left camshaft. I am assuming that there is a leak in the oil seal on the end of the camshaft (where the sprocket attaches…found a drop or two of fresh oil there). Can this seal be replaced without too much trouble? Assume I could pull the old one out and press in a new one with a little patience and TLC. Any one done this or know if it can be done? In Wayne’s 101 projects book there is reference made to leaks beneath the MFI pump. Can the MFI pump be removed without dropping the engine? If so, what type of gasket or seal is in place there? O ring or paper gasket material? One other possibility is the rubber gasket seals on the oil cooler. Any secrets or tricks to determining where the leak is coming from? I was previously unable to determine the leak source after cleaning everything up and using an inspection mirror. Any of you Pelicans got any advice on this?
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72 911 T (becoming a 2.7 9.3:1 EFI w Motec) |
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08-19-2005, 06:08 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Marysville Wa.
Posts: 22,491
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i wonder how oil could get inside an SSI exchanger. they have a really tight fit around all the pipes. you could probably pour oil on them and none would get inside.
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https://www.instagram.com/johnwalker8704 8009 103rd pl ne Marysville Wa 98270 206 637 4071 |
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08-19-2005, 06:32 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sugar Land TX (Houston)
Posts: 40
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Quote:
i wonder how oil could get inside an SSI exchanger. they have a really tight fit around all the pipes. you could probably pour oil on them and none would get inside. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A very good point John! I just looked them over again and I would agree they are tight. perhaps oil or something got in there somehow. You ever heard of the blue smoke puffs through the dash vents while making a turn?... with the vents (new vents) closed? I am puzzled.
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72 911 T (becoming a 2.7 9.3:1 EFI w Motec) |
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08-19-2005, 06:55 PM
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