Ariel.Club Forum

phil4 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 11:21 am For what it's worth, people have in the past tried to take their Atoms to local Honda dealers, and often it hasn't ended well. The lunchtime-grand prix has resulted in bent cars.

Spot on. Be very careful who looks after your Atom, see here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... crash.html

I believe Tom Hartley sold this car to 911Tom:

http://www.tomhartley.com/used/2009/ari ... sale-a1tom

I'd check it for water damage mind!

Fastlane wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 4:00 pm I'd check it for water damage mind!

Yeah phil4 makes sense, iv read elsewhere that you can take it to a honda dealer but they dont like touching them and only want to do the oil and filters, lets see what TDI North say when i take it in. Hopefully its not an engine and gearbox out job.

Yeah thats the one, looks a little different but its that one yeah, guessing it was you 911tom that changed the headlights too?

Fastlane wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 4:00 pm I'd check it for water damage mind!

i was worried when you put that then until i clicked the link haha.

Im going to try and attach some pics of where the leak is, let me know if its clear, if not il get a torch out and try and get some better pictures.

Hi Noel,

If the oil isn't flowing to that joint from elsewhere then I'm afraid it's coming from either the gearbox input shaft oil seal or the flywheel oil seal. Either way, with an Atom, it's engine out to replace. Here's hoping I'm completely wrong

Just found this post from 2016. It suggests 911tom had the leak sorted.

https://www.ariel.club/forum/viewtopic. ... al#p281540

Update: my mistake, that's the seal at the other end of the block

I would have thought Jon Seal would take responsibility for fixing any issues? He seems like a good guy.

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smokin wrote: ↑Sat Nov 03, 2018 11:22 am Hi Noel,

If the oil isn't flowing to that joint from elsewhere then I'm afraid it's coming from either the gearbox input shaft oil seal or the flywheel oil seal. Either way, with an Atom, it's engine out to replace. Here's hoping I'm completely wrong

Me too smokin, i had a tvr tuscan before this and the day i brought it home i had the exact same problem, an oil leak in the garage, i got lucky as it was a cross threaded bolt for draining the oul with that, i dont think this is going to be so simple.

I saw that he had that seal done on the invoices too, so its not the same seal then

Fastlane wrote: ↑Sat Nov 03, 2018 4:27 pm I would have thought Jon Seal would take responsibility for fixing any issues? He seems like a good guy.

Yeah fastline, iv talked to jon about it already and Hes not avoiding my calls are trying to get out of it or anything, i have to ring him on saturday when i get back from tdi north.

Il keep you all posted of the outcome.

Do atoms get stole often? Few of the neighbours have seen it now (maybe heard it first lol) and made comments about people may want to steal it, i cant imagine they are cars that tend to get stolen are they?

I noticed 911tom had different colour panels for it when he owned it, wheres the best place to buy these?

Also, the front reg plate sticker, do you all have one on? Do you think its a bad idea removing it? You think id get tugged for it? Only asking as im going to put a private reg on it and it will be easier to just get a back plate made.

Thanks for all the help guys.

Hi Noel, glad to hear Jon is on the case.

I don't think theft is much of an issue as most thieves wouldn't even know what it is to want to target it in the first place. Also, and I can't imagine there is much of a market for parts and I doubt it would take long for the local rozzers to spot you driving around in it if you had nicked it!

In terms of bonnets and air box covers - the factory will supply you with them (I believe they are around £600?) but they quite often appear on here too for around £250-300 I think. You can also get them wrapped pretty cheaply, as you can with the mudguards etc.

You will need a front reg. come MOT time, but quite a lot of people, me included, run without one at all other times. Even the stick on ones that the factory use for MOTs are not strictly legal anyway. There are quite a few threads on here about them. The rear plate is 11"x 8" by the way and you will need to make sure the bottom of it has some form of heat reflective tape otherwise the exhaust will melt it.

In regard to the MOT I had two MOTs done on my Atom prior to shipping it to Cyprus and the lack of a front plate was never commented on (or even mentioned!) but I had to fit the Catalyser each time.

FWIW there is a 'Club cat' that gets posted around the members as needed - search in the forum for who currently has it in his possession if you don't have one yourself and an MOT is looming.

- whichever club member currently has it pays to have it posted or shipped to whoever needs it next for an MOT!

Id say Rear main crankshaft oil seal behind flywheel - colour of oil and location of oil leak - if it was gearbox oil it would tend to still be clean/have a golden colour. Not very common at all but have had a few type R's with same weeping of oil in that area. Thankfully both atoms that left my garage left in one piece
Our labour rate is £90ph+vat so TDI'S i'd say is quite reasonable.

Stew.

Stew, so it's the flywheel end that's considered rear? If so, looks like 911tom had that done a couple of years ago.

Yes Smokin.
The one behind the crank pulley/inside the timing chain cover is front (small) & the larger rear one behind flywheel. Not sure if the k20 has a large oil gallery plug/washer behind the flywheel - some Hondas do/some dont..its been so long since i had one out.
Could be a source if the rear main seal is ok. Who fitted the previous rear main seal? Factory?

Stew.

Fastlane wrote: ↑Sun Nov 04, 2018 3:39 pm In terms of bonnets and air box covers - the factory will supply you with them (I believe they are around £600?) but they quite often appear on here too for around £250-300 I think. You can also get them wrapped pretty cheaply, as you can with the mudguards etc.

awesome, i will keep my eye out for a them when they come on.

Fastlane wrote: ↑Sun Nov 04, 2018 3:39 pm You will need a front reg. come MOT time, but quite a lot of people, me included, run without one at all other times. Even the stick on ones that the factory use for MOTs are not strictly legal anyway. There are quite a few threads on here about them. The rear plate is 11"x 8" by the way and you will need to make sure the bottom of it has some form of heat reflective tape otherwise the exhaust will melt it.

ordered a new plate that size thanks, think im going to try my luck then and run it without a plate on the front.

autobackup wrote: ↑Sun Nov 04, 2018 6:17 pm FWIW there is a 'Club cat' that gets posted around the members as needed - search in the forum for who currently has it in his possession if you don't have one yourself and an MOT is looming.

- whichever club member currently has it pays to have it posted or shipped to whoever needs it next for an MOT!

thats good, i like it, its a good idea. is it better to get it a de cat then? does it make much difference? and wheres the best place to get one, i did a quick google and couldnt find any.

AtomMadStew wrote: ↑Mon Nov 05, 2018 8:14 am Id say Rear main crankshaft oil seal behind flywheel - colour of oil and location of oil leak - if it was gearbox oil it would tend to still be clean/have a golden colour. Not very common at all but have had a few type R's with same weeping of oil in that area. Thankfully both atoms that left my garage left in one piece
Our labour rate is £90ph+vat so TDI'S i'd say is quite reasonable.
Stew.

ok thanks for that stew, appreciate it, it goes in on saturday and they said they can diagnose it then and there so i will let you know what they say.

AtomMadStew wrote: ↑Mon Nov 05, 2018 5:41 pm Could be a source if the rear main seal is ok. Who fitted the previous rear main seal? Factory?

yeah stew, it was done at ariel in july 2016 along with a new clutch, which it says wasnt needed but changed while the engine was out.

thanks for the help. i will let you know how i get on, but my wishful thinking of it been a loose bolt looks slim haha.
the dog even loves the car

Awesome - dog looks well at home

Personally if rear main seal wasn't needed at time of changing clutch - i wouldnt have touched it.
Honda philosophy is - If its not broken - dont fix it.

You'll be fine with TDI
Just hope they dont relieve you of too much ££
Stew.

Noel wrote: ↑Wed Nov 07, 2018 6:36 am thats good, i like it, its a good idea. is it better to get it a de cat then? does it make much difference? and wheres the best place to get one, i did a quick google and couldnt find any.

The Decat part is a doddle. You just unbolt the cat section and remove. 6 bolts and 5 minutes and it's done.

What you do need though is a replacement catless pipe (aka cat bypass pipe, decat pipe etc). You could either get one made up if you know of a good local fabricator, or Ariel will sell you one (prices was about £135 many moons ago, so should still be around that). Pop that in, 6 bolts and another 5 minutes and you're done.

It's the easiest decat I've ever done on a car.