Front Main? Oil leak

[Rich Johnson]

Ok, so My m37 has been sitting in the driveway for at least 4 years when I walked away from it for lack of money and interest, (priorities) I parked it because it needed a new radiator so bad I was in fear of loosing the motor and it leaked oil really bad out of the front.

I replaced the pan gasket twice thinking that was the problem but after doing the second with generous amounts of permatex and then still getting a leak I crawled under it and watched it while the engine was running. The oil came from in front of the pan. I could not see the front main due to the large crank pully and ox yoke motor mount but at the time I assumed it was the front main oil seal in the timing cover.

Now here I am 4 years later with a new radiator and I have the motor blocked on the oil pan sitting on the axle with the ox yoke and timing cover off.

After reviewing my situation and my memory, I did not find a nasty mess all over the pully/ timing cover and yoke.
The crank pully just had a light coat of oil and grime.
The ox yoke had a decent amount of grunge build up on the lower half facing the timing cover.
The timing cover had a good build up of oily grunge, but not what I expected to find considering the amount of the leak I experienced.

I am wondering, with the oil fling deflector inside the timing cover, can you really loose that much oil out of the front main oil seal?

Where I am leading with this question is, could I possibly be leaking oil from the plate behind the timing gears? The plate behind the gears that is against the block, had a passage at the very bottom that allows oil to return to the pan. I am wondering if oil is leaking down between the plate and the block at this pasage.

I cannot just pull this plate off right now, it is behind the gears, which I could pull, however there is a bolt coming out of the block backwards into this plate. I assume that it is only accessable from inside the block by removing the oil pan, which my engine is currently sitting on.

Those of you that have been through this engine before, what is the real chance that oil is leaking out between that plate behind the gears and the block, right in front of the oil pan?

ALso, I have been sand blasting the parts to paint to put back.
What are the stock colors for a 1965 B1 Ox yoke motor mount, timing cover, Crank pully and fan blade.

Regards all
Richard Johnson

[RMS]

I hate that timing cover plate bolt that is only accessible once the pan is removed. I was tempted to leave it out.

there is a gasket between the block and the plate. I would say yes that it could leak from there. you could check by pulling on the fording valve

if its less than 5 drips a minute its within spec

[T. Highway]

Hi Rich,

I'm glad to see that you are posting the question on this site. I did post a lengthy reply on the SS site about this same subject.

I would clean the area that you suspect is leaking, with carb cleaner and rags. Then I would use a funnel or pump oil can to get some engine oil into the timing chain drain galley and inspect the cleaned area to see where the oil leaks out. I have a feeling that you will be removing the pan again to seal it up better. I know this is not what you wanted to hear but sealing the ends of the oil pan is a little tricky.

If you have the OEM oil slinger in place and a badly worn pulley drive hub and seal, you will have seepage out the front of the timing chain cover. I would recommend cleaning up the hub and sealing a Redi-Sleeve to the hub since you have it out. Part # 99218

I will leave the question of "what color to paint the items" question up to the other guys because you will get several different answers back depending on what level of restoration you have done or are doing.

Welcome back to the site.

Bert