Locating oil leak 243431 10hp

[donmoore1904]

Latest stupid question. I recently acquired one of these motors, with a heavy coating of oil/dirt all over the bottom half of the motor, and on the flat shroud on the magneto side (I have the outer cover off to adjust the timing). There was originally a similar coating up top on the first 4 fins of the cylinder (going down from the head joint), which I cleaned previously and reseated the head (there was evidence up top the gasket had been leaking). The darned motor must have been leaking in several places. When I ran the motor, once stopped it leaked oil on the floor. Since it is covered in grime, I couldn't tell where it is coming from. I am using brake cleaner to get it off. My strategy is to clean the rest of the motor best I can, put her back in and hope to see it get damp somewhere. I am wondering exactly how many places this thing can leak. Front/rear oil seals (covers caked with grime) Bottom reservoir gasket (caked with grime) Governor arm port (I see dampness around this, grime cleaned off previously) Cylinder head joint (looks dry) Drain/fill openings (covered with grime) Have I missed anything? Anyone solve a similar problem? If I have to replace the crankshaft seals, are they straightforward? Is it as simple as removing the round cover and prying the seal out? What if the leak is at the governor arm shaft? I don't have a bench setup for this, so it will be back on the tractor to run it. Thus, I will be removing it again. I can take the shroud back off easily to check the magneto side. I was spoiled with my other 243431 - it doesn't leak at all and runs fantastic. I have improved the operation of this one so far, and the timing was off a bit so it should be even better. But I'd like to get it to stop leaking. Thanks!

[RayS]

You can remove the seal without removing the cover. I have used a sheet metal screw. Just screw into seal and pull it out or a screw driver and pry it out. Could be leaking at the breather assembly as well.

[rm]

i"ve used a dent puller, to remove the seals.

[dentwizz]

I use a combination of the above method. There is a Sears/craftsman tool called an "O-ring puller" that looks like an awl with a funky 90 degre-ish bend and rounded tip. Puncture the seal in 2 places with the screw, then insert said tool and pry. Nice thing is the round end won't scratch the bore or shaft. Do you know what the consumption rate of the oil is? If it isn't that significant I would possibly count it as a rust inhibitor:D

[donmoore1904]

OK goys, thanks for the responses. Since everyone went for the seals, I am guessing that is a common source to leak. In the meantime, I did what I should have before posting - cleaned the gunk off. I see now that as advised, the PTO seal is visible (I don't have the flywheel off to see the other). In addition, it is visibly sitting at an angle :O It has a bronze appearance. I will proceed to try to get it out. I first thought of knocking it straight, but I don't know that would achive anything. Don't know how long it has been that way. I feel like Homer Simpson worked on this thing - there are signs of maintenance, but none appears to have been done properly. Thanks for the advice. Oh, I did get it timed dead on. With my other motor, that made a big difference (duh).

[donmoore1904]

I tapped the seal in to fully seat it, put the motor back in and ran it for 15 minutes. No leak. Go figure. I'm not convinced yet. I am planning to sell this motor - this may be as far as I go. It looks good cleaned up though.

[HubbardRA]

The coating over most of a cast iron motor can come from seepage through the pores in the cast iron. The oil will get into the pores inside the engine when the engine is hot. As the engine cools and shrinks back to shape the oil in the pores and small cavities inside the cast iron builds pressure and gets pushed farther within the material. After years of heating up and cooling down the oil will eventually start to ooze out the outside of the casting and pick up dirt to make the coating that shows up on the engine. A friend of mine paints the inside of every engine he rebuilds to plug the pores where the oil enters and slow down the wicking through the castings.