Manual steering box inner column oil seal replacement

[jonesdl]

I appear to an oil leak from my manual starring box lower column oil seal on the box it's self. My question is has anybody replaced this with the steering box in place, as it looks possible but tight or does the steering box need to come out.
I recently went through the S Type and changed all the oils and topped up the steering box at the same time and thought after a run the Flexolite spin on oil filter modification was leaking but it turned out to be the oil seal from the column shaft out of the steering box.
The Jaguar is currently away having the Webaso roof refurbished and new top fitted which is going well no problems found when dismantled. In fact the company who are doing the work now actually fitted the Webaso in 1965 when based in London by George Camp his son now Steve Camp is doing the refurbishment and refitting.
I was hoping the car would be ready this week but same old story they are so busy and have around 35 cars in at present the Webaso roofs are making a come back a couple of new Jaguars booked for them after Christmas.
Regards
Dave J.

[cass3958]

Winter time and all the classic Jaguars are getting serviced and repaired for Spring and Summer hence the waiting list.

I have not refurbed the steering box either in situ or out so I cannot help you with your question but I was told once why the steering box seal leaks. When fitting the seal it has to slide over the teeth of the splines at the bottom of the steering column. It is obviously a tight fit when it is slid over the splines causing very small cuts in the rubber. When new they are not noticed but as the rubber deteriorates over time the cuts in the seal open up and the oil leaks out under pressure. The way to avoid this I have been told is to wrap the splines in cling film or PTFE tape when you slide the seal on with lots of grease. Once the seal is on you can remove the cling film and hopefully you should not get leaks in the future.

[jonesdl]

Thanks Rob, I assumed it started leaking due to the car standing for 40 years in a garage in 1976 after the clutch failed and began to move again 2016 and possibly the seal had suffered accordingly. I have looked at doing without taking the box out hence the question, but wondered if due to rapping the splines before fitting the seal it would prove to difficult. Your reasoning makes sense, I would have thought the Jaguar factory would have used some sort of sleeve to prevent seal damage ?.
Dave J.

[cass3958]

I would have thought the Jaguar factory would have used some sort of sleeve to prevent seal damage ?.

Possibly but then again they might not have thought about it as it only occurs later in the cars life and you might also have a car which has already had a steering box rebuild but this was not carried out correctly when the seal was fitted.

[Glyn Ruck]

Dave ~ you really have to take the box out to replace the input shaft seal. Seals were factory fitted with a protective sleeve but Rob's method with tape on spline or similar works just fine.

Take off the drop arm. Undo the steering column UJ clamp, undo mounting bolts & the box is relatively easy to remove.

[jonesdl]

Thanks for that Glyn, I didn't want to make an easy job hard so I thought perhaps somebody has done this job without removing the box but if has to so be it. It all looks original to me I do not believe its been out before so plenty of plus gas on all the bolts. Not a bad idea anyway I can clean all the old oil out and refresh accordingly.
I am expecting more oil leaks as the miles pile on will just keep an eye on all the various seals front to back.
Cheers
Dave J.

[vaultsman]

Hi Dave,

Probably too late to be of use, but there's a bit of info here, halway down the page, from when I rebuilt the box.

http://www.jagstyperegister.com/forum_n ... 4&start=30


I found this write up useful:

http://jaguar240.blogspot.com/2011/02/steering-box.html

Stan

[jonesdl]

Many thanks Stan for the links giving this information, it will be very handy for when I get round to sorting the steering box leak out. I only managed to get the car back on 23/12 from having the Webasto sunroof re-furbished, another 2 week job that run into 7 weeks due excessive workload at the Trimming Company.
I am glad you responded Stan,I have another posting to follow that you may be able to help me with regarding the fitting of rear seat belts that you helped me with originally.
Regards
Dave J.

[vaultsman]

No problem Dave,

The link to the input seal on my original post no longer works, as the ebay item's expired.

It's available again here:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/W11207525R21 ... 3414398079

For reference, it's a nitrile rotary lip seal, W11207525R21 with sizes 0.7500x1.1250x0.2500"


The O ring link still works.

Stan