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Old Dec 3, 2025 | 08:18 PM
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Are shovel cases known for leaking where the two halves join together? Early 80's to be specific.
 
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Old Dec 4, 2025 | 01:48 AM
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From: Niles Canyon Ca.
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Case seem is weeping it’s time to look hard at motor mounts and do the setup process to check things. Motor mounts out or need shimming will work the case halves right up to heads & and upper mount to frame.
 
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Old Dec 4, 2025 | 02:08 PM
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I do not know if mine are leaking, being parked there are not any drips from that area. Just wondering if it is a common thing or not. Since I am going to be pulling the transmission maybe I should pull the engine and do a reseal on that also? If I split the cases to reseal them then I should rebuild the whole thing. I do not have the tools so I would have to send at least the flywheels out. I do not know of any one in the Knoxville TN area to do the work and I am not keen on shipping the numbered cases if they need work.

I will go through the engine mount process before pulling it from the frame.
 
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Old Dec 4, 2025 | 02:18 PM
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From: la la land jerzey
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If you empty it the cases for inspection then yes yamma bond 4 to seal them - removing and a re install can and does re adjust its location and that can and does cause a case leak
 
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Old Dec 5, 2025 | 11:07 AM
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This was a good question. Thanks. I have my engine on the bench and the only thing I haven't done is split the cases and reseal them. I've been thinking about it so I should probably do that then.
 
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Old Dec 5, 2025 | 04:22 PM
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From: la la land jerzey
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If you empty the right case the 1/2ss will separate and you dont need a puller for the sprocket shaft side it just makes it a bit of a pain to clean up the debris that gets in the left side with the flywheels removing the old sealant that has hardened - you will see what i mean
 
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Old Dec 5, 2025 | 05:04 PM
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Originally Posted by johnjzjz
If you empty the right case the 1/2ss will separate and you dont need a puller for the sprocket shaft side it just makes it a bit of a pain to clean up the debris that gets in the left side with the flywheels removing the old sealant that has hardened - you will see what i mean
This actually what I was thinking of doing but maybe taking the sprocket side apart to be able to visually inspect the bearings. But then there is the connecting rod bearings that I cannot see without taking the flywheels apart, I do not have a truing stand. I guess if everything looks real good on the right case internals I may be more comfortable with doing the non visual tests on the connecting rods. I don't like doing things twice but I have replaced parts before that did not really need it but did it because "while I was in there". I have not had any issues with total rebuilds though.
 
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Old Dec 5, 2025 | 06:44 PM
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From: la la land jerzey
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Connection rod test is easy - the front rod is the test while together hold the front rod in two fingers no piston and pin and see if it has movement when trying to twist it - yea pistons can be still on but you get wrist pin movement as well - just a slight bit of movement is fine but if it can be - felllike it rotates then a disassembly is the deal - the bearing rollers edges are worn and the piston is twisting in the bore - at some point it can be heard doing that with stock exhaust its a odd sound actually - - special tooling that wont crack the cases is needed to do the sprocket bearing off and again on and the seal uses a special installer as the side tin is very thin and not happy being hit crooked
 
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Old Dec 6, 2025 | 05:26 PM
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Originally Posted by johnjzjz
Connection rod test is easy - the front rod is the test while together hold the front rod in two fingers no piston and pin and see if it has movement when trying to twist it - yea pistons can be still on but you get wrist pin movement as well - just a slight bit of movement is fine but if it can be - felllike it rotates then a disassembly is the deal - the bearing rollers edges are worn and the piston is twisting in the bore - at some point it can be heard doing that with stock exhaust its a odd sound actually - - special tooling that wont crack the cases is needed to do the sprocket bearing off and again on and the seal uses a special installer as the side tin is very thin and not happy being hit crooked
I agree with the special tooling and I may be able to make my own for the sprocket bearing. What are you using for base gaskets, I have some James but I see that Cometic makes some fiber ones.
 
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Old Dec 6, 2025 | 06:32 PM
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From: la la land jerzey
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I use cometic head gaskets and originals type paper base gaskets and i spray them with hylomar both sides and let them dry sort of over a week or so then install with out cast off - cork top and bottom and a rubber in the center of three pushrod tubes front exhaust i save the squashed bottom corks and add it to a new and old cork front exhaust center found that to be the answer - never bought into the backwards main seal - oil pump they sell auto transmission assembly lube for gaskets and thrust washers i use that in pump gearing and gaskets - its usually a blue color sort of sticky and blends with any oil using 40 years - any oil plug or fitting and the O rings rocker boxes - case studs and nuts and if using washers both sides acid brush the excess w/ spirts away from the visual and as a block half’s seal yammabond 4 - rocker boxes i use the right stuff black paint it with gloves and fingers both sides and mineral spirts and a rag / acid brush to remove excess after install - available Walmart Home Depot mine any way but the exhaust same stuff in gray does not say right stuff but same company pipe to pipe and the header gaskets - re install the engine and trans but only loose on the bolts 5 trans and 4 motor no top mount on then install the inner primary with bearings and back seal NO o ring tap around motor trans rubber hammer till all the bolts and in so no gaps inner primary then tighten all of it motor trans and the primary is in its home setting the location of the other two - undo the inner and remove then re install and see if it pops in place if yes your in if not start over but 99 percent of the time doing it like that your good dont forget the front o ring - then do everything else - head bolts wet with WD40 and the washers and the base nuts and washers they with tighten closer to each other
 
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