EH / EJ

1962-1965 / Sedan / Australia

All EH / EJ problems All workshop issues

Common Engine, Red Motor (149ci and 179ci)

Rear Main Seal Oil Leak

Symptoms

Oil drips from the bellhousing area. Oil accumulates on the underside of the engine and gearbox. Oil spots on the garage floor.

Cause

The Red Motor uses a two-piece rope-style rear main seal that hardens and shrinks over time. This seal design is inherently less effective than the lip seals used on modern engines. Every Red Motor with more than a few years on the clock will weep from the rear main to some degree.

Fix

Replacing the rear main seal requires either removing the engine or dropping the sump and rear main cap.

The seal itself is cheap ($20-40).

Labour is the expense, budget $500-800 at a workshop.

Many owners live with a slow rear main seal leak and just keep the oil topped up.

If the leak is significant (more than a spot on the ground overnight), it should be addressed.

Cost mentioned in fix

$20-40budget $500-800

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// More EH / EJ problems

Other known issues

Common Engine, Red Motor (149ci and 179ci)

Worn Valve Guides

Blue smoke on startup that clears after 30-60 seconds. May also smoke on overrun (deceleration after highway driving).

Common Engine, Red Motor (149ci and 179ci)

Carburettor Issues

Hard starting, rough idle, flat spots on acceleration, black smoke, poor fuel economy, fuel smell.

Common Engine, Red Motor (149ci and 179ci)

Cooling System Marginal in Traffic

Temperature gauge rises in slow traffic, particularly on hot days. May push coolant out the overflow.

Common Engine, Red Motor (149ci and 179ci)

Distributor Wear

Misfiring, erratic idle, timing drift, poor fuel economy, hard starting.

Minor Transmission

Second Gear Synchro Wear (3-Speed Manual)

Grinding or crunching when shifting into second gear, particularly on quick downshifts.

Minor Transmission

Column Shift Linkage Slop (3-Speed)

Vague, imprecise gear selection from the column-mounted lever.

View all 18 EH / EJ problems