328 Bellhousing Oil leak | FerrariChat

328 Bellhousing Oil leak

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by speeder37, Dec 31, 2003.

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  1. speeder37

    speeder37 Karting

    Nov 18, 2003
    96
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Matt
    Gentlemen
    The old girl(86 328 GTS) has developed an oil leak that is apparently seeping out of the lower vent area of the bellhousing. BTW, I have had a new clutch installed within the last one hundred miles. It is a fair amount of oil. It developed just today. Would the possible cause be a seal of some type. Hoe much would be involved in the remedy. The car has never had a leak of any type. I have got to beleive that the problem is associated to the clutch replacement.
    Any thoughts?
     
  2. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    25,040
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    (Assuming that by "oil" you mean engine oil and not gearbox oil) Replacing the Rear Main Crankshaft Seal would be part of a complete "clutch job" IMO so it's a tough one for the shop either way. If they did replace the rear main seal as part of the clutch work, it's now got a problem, or if they didn't replace the rear main seal, they did a quickie clutch job (so I hope the fee charged reflected that) -- was any itemization given regarding what was or wasn't replaced?
     
  3. KurtK328

    KurtK328 Formula Junior

    Mar 6, 2001
    347
    Villeneuve-Loubet, France
    Full Name:
    Kurt Kjelgaard
    Had the same problem on my 328 for a couple of thousand km's and eventually had to change the clutch due to oil contamination.
    Turned out to be leaking O-ring(s) between crank case and adapterplate,
    not the crankshaft seal.
    Had them as well as the clutch replaced - problem solved.
     
  4. speeder37

    speeder37 Karting

    Nov 18, 2003
    96
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Matt
    The invoice simply says replaced engine seals. There is no mentioning of which seals or o'rings. The leak is definitely engine oil. My guess is that someone owes me a repair due to their negligence. I seem to only have a problem with this car when it returns from the shop. Quite a phenomena.
     
  5. KurtK328

    KurtK328 Formula Junior

    Mar 6, 2001
    347
    Villeneuve-Loubet, France
    Full Name:
    Kurt Kjelgaard
    Sorry to hear that - first step must of course be to approach the shop and have them make your car oil leak free.
    Second step could be to find somebody else to work on your car.
     
  6. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    25,040
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    "My guess is that someone owes me a repair due to their negligence" -- with that documentation (and probably a ~$coupleK original price) I agree.
     
  7. Schatten

    Schatten F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Apr 3, 2001
    11,237
    Austin, TX
    Full Name:
    Randy
    one other thought on this 18 year old car - did you recently change it out with synthetic oil? that can cause the old grime to clean up and oil will pour out everywhere. it is doubtful, but I have to ask - or the shop could have done so. but what it seems to come down to is the rear main seal leaking.
     
  8. speeder37

    speeder37 Karting

    Nov 18, 2003
    96
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Matt
    Returned car to shop. O' ring was the problem. Shop ordered main seal and o'rings. Will be complete middle of next week. Shop was very good about repairing their problem without an issue.
    Really weird event. Ran into an F1 360 on 94 into Michigan. The driver showed great restraint and respect for the law. Too bad! Could have been fun.
     
  9. KurtK328

    KurtK328 Formula Junior

    Mar 6, 2001
    347
    Villeneuve-Loubet, France
    Full Name:
    Kurt Kjelgaard
    Sounds good - maybe you should stick with them after all?
    Happy New Year by the way
     
  10. speeder37

    speeder37 Karting

    Nov 18, 2003
    96
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Matt
    OK, Now I am ticked off! The car was finished today. I brought it home. It drove fine. Oil was leaking from the same place. I called the shop. I will leave them nameless at this point. They said that the seal must have moved or pulled in. I am not sure what they are talking about. They mentioned that they let the seal or o'ring set over night. Any ideas? This repair facility is 100 miles away. This a pain!
     
  11. Schatten

    Schatten F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Apr 3, 2001
    11,237
    Austin, TX
    Full Name:
    Randy
    seriously, what kind of oil was used on the change?
     
  12. speeder37

    speeder37 Karting

    Nov 18, 2003
    96
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Matt
    The car has always used Mobil 1 15w50.
     
  13. dhs-9

    dhs-9 Formula Junior

    Feb 6, 2004
    292
    Try 20w/50 My car leaked with 15w then went to higher visc and the leaking stopped
     
  14. 4re gt4

    4re gt4 Formula 3

    Apr 23, 2002
    2,279
    Roseburg, OR
    Full Name:
    Hans E. Hansen
    Schatten: You're WAY off base here. Zillions of us have switched to synthetic on older cars. It's widely recognized within the ENTIRE F-community to not be a problem. In fact, many/most synthetics have certain additives to soften seals just in case you have some older, hardened seals. I'm driving a 1975 vintage car that is completely dry using Mobil 1. It's not an issue. Quit trying to spread bad information. This is a horse that has been beat beyond death. Check the archives before speaking up!
     

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