I was doing all those last minute jobs getting ready for A&E and upon checking the oil I found the level a little high...... Now the Sherman does use a bit of oil but I've never known it to gain any!
I suspected fuel was getting past the fuel pump shaft seal into the sump and I was correct. I had a memory of the pump having a drain hole beyond the seal to stop this happening and when I checked it still had the transit plug in it! Mind you, the photos of the pump on the engine in the manual show it fitted too, so there you go!
This is all a result of fitting the electric pump to get over the problem of fuel evaporation it had suffered from under certain conditions. The electric pump is on the inlet side of the rotor pump so is obviously putting pressure on the seal it was not intended to bear.
Anyway, I removed the pump, fitted a new seal and refitted it with the drain hole open. It did not leak under test but I expect to have a problem sooner or later. I will take a blanking plate with me to replace the pump together with a selection of fittings to connect the fuel pipes together.
Long term is probably to fit a pressure regulator inline but that will have to wait.
Oil is currently draining ready for a refill tomorrow, all 8 gallons of it.
The scary thing is, I've drained 11 gallons of runny oil out........:embarrassed: