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Hi there - My Cooper is so close to being finished - but have an oil leak I just don't seem to be able to solve.

I am running Cooper S Driveshaft outputs with Hardy Spicer joints. I have oil leaking out the seal around the gearbox output. I have replaced the seal and have fitted a NOS union (the bit that goes into the gearbox). However I think I need to replace the bronze bush in the output flange - theory is that the bush is worn and the circular movement in the gearbox output union is allowing oil to weep past the seal - make sense!?!?

Can you buy new Bronze Bushes? If not - does anyone have any NOS ones they would be willing to sell? Or finally failing that does anyone have an output flange for the radiator side of the engine with a good bronze bush.

Many thanks

Mark

Minispares sell the new bushes, but they will have to be reamed to size.

Many thanks for this - I will ring them in the morning - I had been told that they didn't make them for the Cooper S specific output flanges.

Many thanks

Mark

I've just had a look on their site and it appears the bushes are out of stock. Give Minispares North a ring, sometimes they have items in stock that aren't on the main website.

I'd buy the entire side cover. Easy and cheap.

Have you fitted the sealing ring underneath the centre bolt and washer to prevent oil leaks ?

I couldn't get any 22G420 flanges when I built my car and didn't want the different shaped rod change flanges. I used some standard covers and got them machined out to take the larger S bushes.

Before anyone comments, I know that there isn't a lot of material on a standard flange compared to an S flange once machined to take the S bush and seal, but 9 years and about 7000 miles later, I've had no problems and no oil leaks.

Andrew1967 wrote: I used some standard covers and got them machined out to take the larger S bushes.

Before anyone comments, I know that there isn't a lot of material on a standard flange compared to an S flange once machined to take the S bush and seal, but 9 years and about 7000 miles later, I've had no problems and no oil leaks.

That's good to know Andrew, I've thought of doing that before but never got around to it. I did buy some S ones from Minispares within the last year though.

Thanks all for the advice and suggestions. Ive spoken to Mini Spares North today and have one winging its way to me

Yeah - have fitted the rubber washer behind the big bolt as well as the small half moon washers.

Hope with a bit more work and reaming the bearing to size the job will be complete.

Next job it to fit the Radford centre consul Ive just had delivered from Steve B

Are these cars ever classed as finished!!!!!

Thanks again

Mark

Andrew1967 wrote:Have you fitted the sealing ring underneath the centre bolt and washer to prevent oil leaks ?

I couldn't get any 22G420 flanges when I built my car and didn't want the different shaped rod change flanges. I used some standard covers and got them machined out to take the larger S bushes.

Before anyone comments, I know that there isn't a lot of material on a standard flange compared to an S flange once machined to take the S bush and seal, but 9 years and about 7000 miles later, I've had no problems and no oil leaks.

I've done a few of these. I go through the covers as some as cast different with more meat in them (I'd say for S sized bushes and seals) but only fitted with the smaller bushes. I can see that you'd be able to do the same with the 'smaller' castings, but I'd be worried they'd be a wee bit thin, then again, you've not had trouble in 9 years / 7000 miles!

Good to know!