I have a '85 HE that has a serious oil drip, only when running. It falls from the corner of the sump immediately forward of the oil filter. I was able to snake my Harbor Freight inspection camera into that area, and the bottom end of the small drain hose on the filter/relief casting is dripping with oil (although there is oil in a lot of other places, this is easily the worst).

Is this a common leak point? Based on my experiences with everything else on this car that is made of rubber, it wouldn't surprise me.

And if I were to change those two little hoses, how do I get to them? I can barely see them. Would it help to unbolt the rack and drop it down a few inches?

 

It might be a number of things, but two likely candidates are:
The flexible part of the so called oil question mark pipe, and/or
the O ring that seals the horizontal surface of the oil filter casting where it bolts onto the sandwich plate. This is the join in the casting bolted down roughly level with the bottom clip on the question mark pipe.
Both are in the photo.


Or, of course, the sump gasket has given up in that area!
Greg

 

OOPS.

Those hoses, being British Non-Metalic items, have failed, and the warranty has expired.

So you have to do them, as apposed to some apprentice in a Dealership.

On RHD cars they are doable from under the car, and PURELY by feel, with the oil filter removed.

On LHD, good luck. Rack out the way would be the minimum, maybe engine out. I seriously doubt from the top would even be a giggle, even with the air cleaner assembly out. The exhaust manifolds will still be in the way.

Then the catch, as my memory catches up, you probably got CATS, OH BOY, we no got them until 1988.

Um, did I mention, engine out??.

They are simple oil hose of 6mm (1/4"), and about 40mm long each, and about $3.

 

Hmm. Based on the relative oiliness of the components, I'm leaning toward it probably being the lower hose of the question mark pipe. Ugh. I'll try dropping the rack - If I can just wedge my hand in there, I might be able to do it by feel.