4107 Rear Main Seal

[norena of white]

Can anyone tell me if you have to remove the oil pan to replace the rear main seal on a Perkins 4107?

[a64pilot]

I can't, but maybe my post will bump this up so it gets seen.

Trying to remember but I think the few times I've replaced a rear main in different engines, it also required removal of the rear bearing cap too, seal being a two piece affair

[Lepke]

The rear main seal is in a separate housing that is in two halves. After you install the new seal in each of the two halves the halves should be lubed with a graphite grease and then placed around the crank end and screwed together. Before I bolt the seal housing to the engine I use some silicone to seal between the housing and the block/rear main bearing cap. Otherwise you will get some seepage.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Lepke

The rear main seal is in a separate housing that is in two halves. After you install the new seal in each of the two halves the halves should be lubed with a graphite grease and then placed around the crank end and screwed together. Before I bolt the seal housing to the engine I use some silicone to seal between the housing and the block/rear main bearing cap. Otherwise you will get some seepage.

And, once you have done all of that, in short order you'll still get seepage around the rear seal. It is in the nature of the beast, and frankly, virtually all British motors, Perkins, MG, Austin, Triumph, and even RR. They all leak oil. Fortunately, most often, not enough to be a problem, just an inconvenience. Our engine leaks, makes a mess in the pan (collected with oil absorbent pads) and yet only needs a minor fillup infrequently between oil changes. A little seepage goes a l-o-n-g way. A few shots of WD40 into the pan makes clean up a snap, however.

FWIW...

[Lepke]

No you don't have to remove the pan. It seals on the main bearing cap.

Sorry, forgot original question.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

And, once you have done all of that, in short order you'll still get seepage around the rear seal. It is in the nature of the beast, and frankly, virtually all British motors, Perkins, MG, Austin, Triumph, and even RR. They all leak oil. Fortunately, most often, not enough to be a problem, just an inconvenience. Our engine leaks, makes a mess in the pan (collected with oil absorbent pads) and yet only needs a minor fillup infrequently between oil changes. A little seepage goes a l-o-n-g way. A few shots of WD40 into the pan makes clean up a snap, however.

FWIW...

This history leads to the knowledge that the reason that the UK has never been a leader in computer development is that they could not work out a way to make them leak oil... or so I have been told!

Jim

[tdoster]

The good old days. Check for small drip at the packing and small drip from aft end of the old Perkins. If there was no drip, I might worry.


To answer your question. No, the pan does not have to come off.

[tdoster]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

This history leads to the knowledge that the reason that the UK has never been a leader in computer development is that they could not work out a way to make them leak oil... or so I have been told!

Jim

Also if you have ever owned any of the old British cars with the Stromberg Carbs you might remember going to the filling station and asking them to fill the oil in the carbs and check the fuel.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by tdoster

Also if you have ever owned any of the old British cars with the Stromberg Carbs you might remember going to the filling station and asking them to fill the oil in the carbs and check the fuel.

Strombergs on Brit cars? I sure don't remember that! Could you be thinking of SU's?

Now I do remember Stromberg 97's on my first flathead powered street roadster... nice, simple, inexpensive carbs they were, too!

Jim

[tdoster]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Strombergs on Brit cars? I sure don't remember that! Could you be thinking of SU's?

Now I do remember Stromberg 97's on my first flathead powered street roadster... nice, simple, inexpensive carbs they were, too!

Jim

Absolutely positive. Zenith Stromberg a British Company. Have 2 and a manifold still in the garage from my old Triumph. The reason old Jags still on the road have been converted to Chevy powertrains.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by tdoster

Absolutely positive. Zenith Stromberg a British Company. Have 2 and a manifold still in the garage from my old Triumph. The reason old Jags still on the road have been converted to Chevy powertrains.

that's pretty convincing! Wonder if there is a relationship between Zenith Stromberg and the US Strombergs? It was a long time ago, but I remember being pretty proud of my first two carb manifold!

Jim

[olaf hart]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Strombergs on Brit cars? I sure don't remember that! Could you be thinking of SU's?

Now I do remember Stromberg 97's on my first flathead powered street roadster... nice, simple, inexpensive carbs they were, too!

Jim

My old Range Rover had them too, but only one of the two leaked oil.

Don't forget British motorcycles all leaked as well, silastic was originally gods gift to owners of British bikes.

[a64pilot]

Pretty sure my old MG was a Stromberg too, unscrew the little cap on the top of the CV diaphragm and put a few cc's of oil in it, pretty sure it was meant to dampen the slide on the carb, but never noticed any running differences when the oil ran out, it should have led to an unstable idle at least.

I liked the Midget, it was a fun little car and actually pretty reliable, yes it needed attention, but was easy to fix. I thought the Armstrong shocks to be pretty smart too, wonder why that never caught on?

It was in Americus Ga that I truly became to understand why Lucas was the prince of darkness though, I was dragging a knee through a very high speed turn at night on a Triumph Bonneville when the headlight got real bright, then a blue flash and darkness. By pure luck I remembered the turn, it's radius and where I was in it and came to a safe stop, because I couldn't see a thing.
The rectifier had let go at high RPM, dumping everything the generator could make into the electrical system, blowing the headlight.

[norena of white]

thanks for the advice and i guess some things are better left alone. But i will keep an eye on it for now.

[donradcliffe]

You don't HAVE to drop the oil pan to replace the rear seal, but you need to understand that the cork oil pan gasket is the #2 most likely place your 4107 will leak oil.