A puzzle

[Geoff Love]

Can anyone suggest an answer to this please? Twice in the past six months I have towed my TC on an open trailer a distance of about 100 miles through towns at town speeds and on the highways up to 70 m.p.h.. The trailer is not only an open one, but is fabricated with perforated metal tracks, with an open centre line and is a close coupled twin axle 4 wheel type. This car has been entirely restored and has the Phil Marino rear axle conversions. The first time the OAT was in the lower 40sF and today it was about 82F. Both times, upon reaching my destination, I have discovered a considerable amount of liquid on the bottom of the rear right road wheel and an oily patch about the size of a dinner plate on the trailer. The first time, the whole of the inside of the wing was plastered as well. It is oil, not brake fluid, and looks as if it is rear axle differential oil, not engine or gearbox oil. Is it possible that the configuration of the trailer and the airflow around the rear axle may be causing some sort of localised low pressure area, with the result that oil is being sucked out, possibly from the breather? If so, why is the oil being deposited only on the rear right wheel and not all over the rear of the car? Could it be that a localised area of high pressure is being generated forcing the oil to be squeezed through the oil seal on that side? I can find no measurable drop in the oil level of the axle or the gearbox or the engine. I am assuming the amount of oil lost may only be low, but I have no way of guestimating the amount which may have gone into thin air. However, I am left with the fact that there has been on both occasions a large sticky coating of oil where it shouldn't be. Since the car was restored, it has been driven only two hundred miles, and during that period, has shown no sign whatsoever of dropping oil onto the garage floor. Would anyone care to suggest a reason? Geoff Love

[Mark McCombs]

My stab at this would be related to the angle at which the car goes up the ramps when loading...How steep is it? Is it steep enough that the diff oil would spill back and leak out one side, perhaps as that seal is not quite as good as the other side, and not designed to hold a large amount, just the splash amount when driving? Hey Bob Grunau, are you out there? What do you think? Regards, Mark TC8126

----- Original Message ----- From: "Geoff Love" engconn@losch.net> To: "MG TABC" mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2001 10:53 PM Subject: [mg-tabc] A puzzle > Can anyone suggest an answer to this please? > > Twice in the past six months I have towed my TC on an open trailer a > distance of about 100 miles through towns at town speeds and on the > highways up to 70 m.p.h.. The trailer is not only an open one, but is > fabricated with perforated metal tracks, with an open centre line and is > a close coupled twin axle 4 wheel type. This car has been entirely > restored and has the Phil Marino rear axle conversions. > > The first time the OAT was in the lower 40sF and today it was about 82F. > > Both times, upon reaching my destination, I have discovered a > considerable amount of liquid on the bottom of the rear right road wheel > and an oily patch about the size of a dinner plate on the trailer. The > first time, the whole of the inside of the wing was plastered as well. > It is oil, not brake fluid, and looks as if it is rear axle differential > oil, not engine or gearbox oil. > > Is it possible that the configuration of the trailer and the airflow > around the rear axle may be causing some sort of localised low pressure > area, with the result that oil is being sucked out, possibly from the > breather? If so, why is the oil being deposited only on the rear right > wheel and not all over the rear of the car? Could it be that a > localised area of high pressure is being generated forcing the oil to be > squeezed through the oil seal on that side? > > I can find no measurable drop in the oil level of the axle or the > gearbox or the engine. I am assuming the amount of oil lost may only be > low, but I have no way of guestimating the amount which may have gone > into thin air. However, I am left with the fact that there has been on > both occasions a large sticky coating of oil where it shouldn't be. > > Since the car was restored, it has been driven only two hundred miles, > and during that period, has shown no sign whatsoever of dropping oil > onto the garage floor. > > Would anyone care to suggest a reason? > > Geoff Love > > > > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > >

[Frank O_ The Mountain]

In a message dated 8/29/01 4:54:08 PM Pacific Daylight Time, engconn@losch.net writes: > Geoff, does it smell like diff oil? is it running down your spokes? soaking your brake shoes?? Terry

[alan@somex.freeserve.co.uk]

Have you checked your shockabsorber for loss of oil? Alan Webster TA 3239

--- In mg-tabc@y..., Geoff Love wrote: > Can anyone suggest an answer to this please? > > Twice in the past six months I have towed my TC on an open trailer a > distance of about 100 miles through towns at town speeds and on the > highways up to 70 m.p.h.. The trailer is not only an open one, but is > fabricated with perforated metal tracks, with an open centre line and is > a close coupled twin axle 4 wheel type. This car has been entirely > restored and has the Phil Marino rear axle conversions. > > The first time the OAT was in the lower 40sF and today it was about 82F. > > Both times, upon reaching my destination, I have discovered a > considerable amount of liquid on the bottom of the rear right road wheel > and an oily patch about the size of a dinner plate on the trailer. The > first time, the whole of the inside of the wing was plastered as well. > It is oil, not brake fluid, and looks as if it is rear axle differential > oil, not engine or gearbox oil. > > Is it possible that the configuration of the trailer and the airflow > around the rear axle may be causing some sort of localised low pressure > area, with the result that oil is being sucked out, possibly from the > breather? If so, why is the oil being deposited only on the rear right > wheel and not all over the rear of the car? Could it be that a > localised area of high pressure is being generated forcing the oil to be > squeezed through the oil seal on that side? > > I can find no measurable drop in the oil level of the axle or the > gearbox or the engine. I am assuming the amount of oil lost may only be > low, but I have no way of guestimating the amount which may have gone > into thin air. However, I am left with the fact that there has been on > both occasions a large sticky coating of oil where it shouldn't be. > > Since the car was restored, it has been driven only two hundred miles, > and during that period, has shown no sign whatsoever of dropping oil > onto the garage floor. > > Would anyone care to suggest a reason? > > Geoff Love