Leak at oil Tank

While driving on the freeway and finally getting some room to have fun, I noticed smoke in my mirrors. I asked my daughter to look behind us and confirm what my mirrors were showing me. She said nothing behind us. About a mile further down the road I saw oil specs on my rear window. I pulled off the next off ramp and stopped at a gas station. Smoke was really coming out of the engine compartment. I was concerned with fire. I opened the bonnet and found oil all over the engine bay on the drivers side starting from the oil tank back to the rear bumper. I am sure glad synthetic oil has a much higher flash point. I found the oil tank was full to the top and a lot of bubbles coming out. I removed three quarts of oil from the tank, hosed off the engine etc and everything seemed OK. Opened her up on the freeway and again the same thing, oil all over again. Checked the oil again. It was full to the top and bubbling again. Took out three more quarts. Cleaned off as best I could and found a manual spray car wash. Just before the car wash off ramp I opened her up a little. Got to the car wash, checked the oil tank and again full to the top and bubbles. Took three more quarts of oil out (Mobile 1). Washed the engine down and drove home keeping the RPM's down low. Got around the block from home and revved up first gear. Oil again coming out. Checked the oil tank level again. This time the oil level was in the normal operation range and not bubbling. Went indoors to think about what was happening and study manual schematics for the TR oil system. I was thinking some how maybe I had a bad hose or oil tank. Checked the cam cover hose clamps. Found they were a little loose on the drivers side. Checked the hose to the top of the oil tank from the cam area for both heads. Found the hose to tank clamp very loose. I snugged the clamp up. Cleaned the oil off again then drove around the block. No more oil getting all over the engine. Oil level was in the normal range. I drove the TR around having fun. No oil leak. My advice for all TR owners is check the oil tank hose clamp on the top of the oil tank. The hose clamp is very easy to get to and tighten. I read the owners manual on how to check the oil level. In bold letters the manual said "let idle and let the temperature come up to.... then turn off engine wait a few seconds then check level". That is the way I checked all my dry sump engines in the past but for some unknown reason I changed when I checked the TR oil level. I was checking the oil level cold in the tank before I started the engine for warm up cycle. I put too much oil in. Lessons learned.

 

No I did not just change my oil. Out of the blue the massive oil leak started all at once. From what I can tell my leak came from the oil tank top hose nipple area (clamp was really loose - hand tight only, I am surprised it did not leak sooner than it did) and I had way too much oil in the TR. I took out 9 quarts of oil (3 three quarts at a time after repeated checking on shut down). When I took off the oil cap I found the oil bubbling in the tank and full to the top cap. Now the oil level is normal when checked hot within 1 minute of shut down. I still have a little oil showing after high revs on the outside of the tank but I assume it is residual from all the oil that got all over the engine compartment. I ordered a new braided hose just in case there is a pin hole in the original hose. I hope my tank does not have a leak. The current hose appears to be ply-able still. I am concerned because recently the shop had to replace my alternator and the hose was right by it. They had to move the hose out of the way on the engine side to get the alternator out. It was a bummer because they changed my original alternator as part of P.M. servicing. I hope the tank nipple is O.K. My TR only has 9K miles now with approx 5 thousand miles since major engine out servicing at 4K. I told Stewart's to change the hoses if needed and they said the hoses were still in very good shape. The TR had almost 4,000 miles at the time of purchase in 2005 when we did the engine out major service that included alternator, clutch, transmission, A/C and differential updates. I have no milky color in my oil. My hose / clamps / etc. parts should show up Tuesday. I also will be receiving the F-car front license plate mount assembly for U.S. cars. I wonder if the oil tank can be taken out for inspection with the engine in the car? I hope my TR problem was just the loose hose clamp at the oil tank and too much oil. I hope your TR problem is not too serious. You know who knows a lot about TR's is Bill at G.T. Car Parts (623 780-2200). He might have suggestions. Greg