Thread: A missing bolt?

I usually leave my wading plugs in and remove them every time I am servicing/checking the car

Originally Posted by gazby

I understand your point Frank, but 45 years in industry and working with engines, transmissions and such have shown me that sudden and "catastrophic failure" of seals in such shaft applications, (which is what I understand you are alluding to), is a fairly rare issue, it is more a gradual process.
Whereas, from experience and what I read in this forum failure of timing belts is a definite probability unless regularly replaced, rather than a possibility, with our without the aid of oil saturation.
I do not in any way discount the fact that a worn crank seal can and will most certainly over time cause the timing case or clutch to fill with oil, as I said I regularly check the situation and I would rather take my chance with the oil than the water/dirt/mud, it's a personal choice, and given our environment and road conditions here I am more comfortable operating the Disco's that way.
Because I don't like oil leaks of any kind, (I keep asking myself why I love pommy cars so much and have over the years owned many), if I remove the wading plugs and find oil, the offending seal/seals will be replaced, post haste. Gaz

Land Rover provided a drain hole so as leaking oil would not build up and destroy the timing belt, this is why the plug provided is called a wading plug, why would you risk destroying the engine by ignoring Land rover instructions to NOT fit the plug only when necessary. It wouldn't take a sudden and catastrophic failure of a crank snout seal, it would only require a small constant leak to bring the oil level up to the timing belt at the bottom side of the crank pulley.
I have done 3 timing belt changes on my 300TDi, with no wading plug in, second time the original seal had leaked and drained, as it is meant to through the plug hole, alerting me to the need for a new seal, did the belt and kit as well, there was no dust and more importantly no oil on or around the belt, which would not be the case if the plug had of been in, even if only for a week or two.
I have had nearly 50 years as a mechanic and I've found that in the majority of cases the manufacturer is right when they suggest something like this, Regards Frank.
P.S. Oil seals can have "Catastrophic failures" and it happens all too often, all it needs is for a PCV to block up or fail and oil seals will be popping all over the place, I never use the wading plugs Except at Rego inspection time, after which I remove them, I have never ever found dust/mud or water in the timing belt cover or the bellhousing. BUT I have seen a few too many timing belts turn to mush after soaking in oil and the corresponding damage to the valvetrain etc., to each his own, but Land Rover knew what they were doing when they provided a convenient drain hole, Regards (again) Frank.