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A friend is finishing a Kirkham Cobra for someone. Everything was shipped from California to Michigan. The motor and trans were already bolted together.
He puts the assembly into the chassis. bolts everything on and starts the car. After about 2 minutes, there's a puddle on the floor.He talks to the engine builder in Cali and they decide it must be the cam plug or one of the galley plugs isn't tight.
He asks me if I'll help him pull the trans and fix the problem, so we have it all out in about 1/2 hr. Unfortunately the back of the block is bone dry. Since it only leaks when it's running, I say it has to be the rear main.
I pull the pan, girdle and rear cap. As soon as I pull it off I can see the problem. The bottom half of the seal is in backwards.
My buddy calls the builder back and I can hear him say" I've been doing this for 30 years, I guess it was bound to happen." He also says to check the thickness of the seal across the lip. It needs to be over .300. Well guess what, ours is about .280.
Got a new seal Friday. I'll put it back together on Monday.
I've never done that before, but I probably will now. I guess it pays to pay attention.
He puts the assembly into the chassis. bolts everything on and starts the car. After about 2 minutes, there's a puddle on the floor.He talks to the engine builder in Cali and they decide it must be the cam plug or one of the galley plugs isn't tight.
He asks me if I'll help him pull the trans and fix the problem, so we have it all out in about 1/2 hr. Unfortunately the back of the block is bone dry. Since it only leaks when it's running, I say it has to be the rear main.
I pull the pan, girdle and rear cap. As soon as I pull it off I can see the problem. The bottom half of the seal is in backwards.
My buddy calls the builder back and I can hear him say" I've been doing this for 30 years, I guess it was bound to happen." He also says to check the thickness of the seal across the lip. It needs to be over .300. Well guess what, ours is about .280.
Got a new seal Friday. I'll put it back together on Monday.
I've never done that before, but I probably will now. I guess it pays to pay attention.