Chief Cockeye's Journal

. . . and did you install a new seal (on the front end of the crankshaft, behind the pulley), which is probably your worst oil leak.. . . and yes, there is another seal on the back of the crankshaft, which requires remove and replace the engine, and removal and replace the flywheel to get to the back seal.These are your primary oil leaks; but, an MG that doesn't drip a bit of oil either has a modern engine, or an empty crankcase.My current solution for my MGB is a modern GM 3.4L V6 (160 hp) with fuel injection, so my grandsons can try to wear out this 1977 MGB that I have already driven 79,000 miles

No, Roger, I did not replace the crankshaft seals & I know I probably should have. This engine (MGB 1800 cc, 5-main, 1975) is out of a 1959 MGA and has been setting in my barn for almost 35 years. I "THINK" those seals were replaced right before I got the engine in the early 1980's. I 'pickeled' the engine before I put it in the barn, & when I got it out this year & cleaned it up I noticed it had a SEVERE oil leak coming from around the front of the oil pan or bottom of the timing cover. Just cranking the engine w/o the plugs installed caused significant amounts of oil to literally pour out of the front of the engine in area where the oil pan & timing cover come together. On inspection, I found that the bottom two screws in the timing cover were oversized and threaded into the front plate, pushing against the engine block. This had the effect of pushing the front plate away from the engine block about 1/16 inch an allowed oil to pour out of that leak when I cranked the engine. (It was NOT froze up, th

Hmmmm..... Guess I didn't notice I had ran out of characters. Ha! Anyway, I was saying that the engine was not froze up, thanks to my amateur 'pickling' job I did when I put it in storage.If this engine don't work out, I'm considering a 'modern' engine/transmission - perhaps the GM or the 2 Litre Nissan SR20 EFI engine. I don't need the HP, just want something that don't require a lot of modification.