Hey guys, after a short stint running the motor in, 45km-and hour total over 3 days, I developed a fast drip oil leak from the flywheel cover hole (the one with the split pin in it). It leaking fast and consitant with evidence the oil is being flicked up over the driveshaft etc and a reasonably large puddle once the car has stopped. From what I gather this may be a primsry gear oil seal.
The car is a fully reconditioned A+ motor with about 50km on the clock. It's only since I started to drive the car that it has started to be an issue. The clutch is not slipping at all.
Although I am guessing it's the primary gear oil seal I have read a little about pressure and breather holes that reduce pressure. As mentioned I have the A+ mother that has the crank case breather and the breather on the rocket cover.
Is there something else this could be other than the primsry gear oil seal? Just thought I would ask in case there is other problems that can cause oil to leak out the flywheel cover.

Certainly if there is oil from the clutch, it will need to be taken apart to be cleaned out an assessed. There's not a lot that can be done about that unfortunately even if the oil stopped tomorrow. The clutch assembly will need to be cleaned out.

Yes, over pressurization of the crankcase can cause issues, but if there is at least one breather open, then there will be little pressure if any at all, especially at the low revs you have been doing. Is the engine completely sealed up? Is there a lot of crankcase blow by pushing out the breather when opened?

The seal may also be in backwards, or there may be damage to the seal journal on the primary gear. You will need to get it out and have a look.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

it can come through the primary gear itself if the bushes are worn, but a fast leak is almost certainly the rear main seal, as Mick says, either a bad or damaged seal, worn journal.

There were some seals a few years ago that didn't have enough tension in the spring and didn't seal. A fix was to find the join in the spring, unscrew it and chop a few mm off

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

There are plenty of breathers, crank case, tappet cover and oil cap all would be realising the pressure build up.
I think it's the primary gear seal (main clutch seal).
I have been looking into how I may get this done but it seems the tools alone (flywheel puller etc) are going to set me back a few hundred dollars not to mention the time. Has any got an idea of how much it would cost just to get a mechanic to do it? I am pretty sure there is mini specialist in town which I will call tomorrow but just thought I would ask.

Mechanics will be $ per hour and seem worse than doctors these days....

Pullers etc.... The mini club has these sort of tools we loan out to members for this very reason.

If a A+ do you know if it is a verto clutch ... Or converted to the older style ?

Who did the rebuild? If only 50km then you would expect some warranty.

The the clutch is the Verto type and don't worry I am into the guy who rebuilt the motor, but it was rebuilt a few years ago and I have had it in storage for a while before putting it in. Due to this he is suggesting the seal shrunk from not being used. Maybe no help from him

yeah, not likely.. leaving it sitting like that while new (no oil film) might mean that the seal has even stuck to the crank and has ripped chunks of the centre out... but if you're polite about it, he might let you take the car to his workshop and use his tools to do the work yourself

I'm an amateur and I can do a clutch in about an hour, flywheel off and changing the seal isn't a lot more - you'd expect a proper mini mechanic would be able to fix it in 3 hours drive in-drive out with cuppas and phone calls...

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Just incase someone else wants to know it costs about $500

If you'd had it done by BMC or Leyland back in the day you would've been quoted 1.8 hours (998cc engine) or 2.4 hours (1275cc engine) labour for a clutch assembly overhaul, plus parts of course.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

That's gold. I ll let my mechanic know. Lol

lol, that should go down like a lead balloon..

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.