oily rags
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oily rags
I have a 68 1100 saloon and recently it has started to paint the passenger side of the engine bay with oil from somewhere. If anyone has an idea where this maybe coming from please reply!! you can email me at clerigo001@hotmail.com thanks and happy motoring!
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Willie
- Minor Legend
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oil
Not enough information! which part of the engine bay precisely?
how high up does it go. It should be simple to trace the source
of an engine leak by cleaning off the affected area and then
noting where the new leak starts from
Willie
how high up does it go. It should be simple to trace the source
of an engine leak by cleaning off the affected area and then
noting where the new leak starts from
Willie
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newagetraveller
- Minor Fan
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The following assumes that there are no holes in your engine and that the problem is a straightforward one!!
My 1968 Minor engine has two breather pipes which let oil fumes out.
The first one comes off the push rod cover at the side of the engine and points downwards.
The second one comes off the rocker cover on the top of the engine and a rubber hose connects it to the air filter housing. Fumes emitted through this breather are fed back to the engine.
These two outlets are connected together within the engine. Both do the same job and one of them is superfluous.
The inside of the rocker cover usually gets coated with a yellowish 'mayonnaise' due to water vapour condensing on it and this often tends to fill up the rubber hose as well.
My guess would be that now the weather is turning colder more 'mayonnaise' is being produced and it has blocked the rubber hose. Oil fumes produced in the engine which used to go out via the rubber hose to the oil filter are now coming out through the first breather pipe at the side and are being deposited inside the engine compartment.
Firstly I would pull off the rubber hose and see if it is indeed blocked. If this is the case then clean it out thoroughly and also clean the inside of the rocker cover. Hopefully this will solve the problem.
Secondly I would consider sticking a cork up the first breather tube. It will still look nice but will no nasty oil fumes will come out of it as they will be escaping from the second breather. With the first breather blocked the pressure produced in the engine due to the oil fumes should mean that the rubber hose is much less likely to be completely blocked by 'mayonnaise' again.
My 1968 Minor engine has two breather pipes which let oil fumes out.
The first one comes off the push rod cover at the side of the engine and points downwards.
The second one comes off the rocker cover on the top of the engine and a rubber hose connects it to the air filter housing. Fumes emitted through this breather are fed back to the engine.
These two outlets are connected together within the engine. Both do the same job and one of them is superfluous.
The inside of the rocker cover usually gets coated with a yellowish 'mayonnaise' due to water vapour condensing on it and this often tends to fill up the rubber hose as well.
My guess would be that now the weather is turning colder more 'mayonnaise' is being produced and it has blocked the rubber hose. Oil fumes produced in the engine which used to go out via the rubber hose to the oil filter are now coming out through the first breather pipe at the side and are being deposited inside the engine compartment.
Firstly I would pull off the rubber hose and see if it is indeed blocked. If this is the case then clean it out thoroughly and also clean the inside of the rocker cover. Hopefully this will solve the problem.
Secondly I would consider sticking a cork up the first breather tube. It will still look nice but will no nasty oil fumes will come out of it as they will be escaping from the second breather. With the first breather blocked the pressure produced in the engine due to the oil fumes should mean that the rubber hose is much less likely to be completely blocked by 'mayonnaise' again.
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Cam
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If is is fresh (engine) oil, that has not been contaminated as newagetraveller suggests, and it has travelled the distance to the N/S inner wing then it is probably at considerable pressure.
As Willie suggests, clean everything down, then have a look with a good inspection lamp and hover your hand over obvious places such as the sump to block joint, tappet covers, etc.
If it is towards the front of the engine bay then look at the front timing chain cover seal, and especially the crank pully seal, as your fanbelt may be spraying a drip around the place.
Cam.
As Willie suggests, clean everything down, then have a look with a good inspection lamp and hover your hand over obvious places such as the sump to block joint, tappet covers, etc.
If it is towards the front of the engine bay then look at the front timing chain cover seal, and especially the crank pully seal, as your fanbelt may be spraying a drip around the place.
Cam.
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Willie
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breathing
Newage... I do not agree with you that you have two breather
outlets on your engine. The top one is the outlet, the one down
on the tappet cover is the INLET and should not be plugged up!
Your suggestion about the top outlet being mayonaised up is
a good one...I'm gonna check mine!!
Willie
outlets on your engine. The top one is the outlet, the one down
on the tappet cover is the INLET and should not be plugged up!
Your suggestion about the top outlet being mayonaised up is
a good one...I'm gonna check mine!!
Willie
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Cam
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Both breathers are neccesary, and you should not plug either of them up.
If you are getting the amount of emulsified oil sufficient to block the breather tubes completely, then it sounds as if something is a bit wrong.
I know that during winter (damp) conditions emulsion can be produced but this is usually slight.
A lot of emulsion usually is an indicator of a dodgy head gasket, as water from the cooling system is getting into the oil (and probably visa versa). It might be an idea to check in the radiator for a film of oil!!
I have replaced the conventional breather system on my engine with two K&N engine breathers which seem to allow better breathing than the original system. But this means that the air ports on the carb and filter have to be blocked off otherwise the carb will lean out and the air filter will not do it's job.
Cam.
If you are getting the amount of emulsified oil sufficient to block the breather tubes completely, then it sounds as if something is a bit wrong.
I know that during winter (damp) conditions emulsion can be produced but this is usually slight.
A lot of emulsion usually is an indicator of a dodgy head gasket, as water from the cooling system is getting into the oil (and probably visa versa). It might be an idea to check in the radiator for a film of oil!!
I have replaced the conventional breather system on my engine with two K&N engine breathers which seem to allow better breathing than the original system. But this means that the air ports on the carb and filter have to be blocked off otherwise the carb will lean out and the air filter will not do it's job.
Cam.
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newagetraveller
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The 8 pushrods in your engine pass through 8 passageways which go through the cylinder head and through the block.
The passageways are much wider than the stems of the pushrods.
The breather in the top of the rocker cover gives access to the top of these passageways.
The breather in the cover on the side of the engine gives access to the bottom of these passageways.
Hence the two breathers are connected to each other inside the engine.
If you don't believe me take an engine apart and have a look!!!
If they are not both doing the same jobs how do you account for the fact that you sometimes come across engines with no breather on the rocker cover and some with no breather on either side cover?
The passageways are much wider than the stems of the pushrods.
The breather in the top of the rocker cover gives access to the top of these passageways.
The breather in the cover on the side of the engine gives access to the bottom of these passageways.
Hence the two breathers are connected to each other inside the engine.
If you don't believe me take an engine apart and have a look!!!
If they are not both doing the same jobs how do you account for the fact that you sometimes come across engines with no breather on the rocker cover and some with no breather on either side cover?
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Willie
- Minor Legend
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breathers
The top OUTLET breather goes to the air filter, it sucks fumes
produced by the engine...those fumes must be replaced by air,
hence the INLET pipe on the lower tappet cover. If it is blocked
up the only place that air can be sucked from is from the sump
and down the cylinder bores..not recommended.
Willie
produced by the engine...those fumes must be replaced by air,
hence the INLET pipe on the lower tappet cover. If it is blocked
up the only place that air can be sucked from is from the sump
and down the cylinder bores..not recommended.
Willie
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Cam
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Newage,
Whoah!!!!
A common modification is to modify the mechanical fuel pump take off for an extra breather (still internally connected).
In fact David Vizard developed a breather evecuation system for his race engines using suction (similar in principle to what Willie states), and it helped to produce a little more power due to the reduction in pressure.
If you are still in doubt and do not believe me then I suggest that you read the section on engine breathing in David Vizard's book "Tuning BL's A-Series Engine".
I hope this serves to clarify my position.
Cam.
Whoah!!!!
Yep. Totally agree.The 8 pushrods in your engine pass through 8 passageways which go through the cylinder head and through the block.
The passageways are much wider than the stems of the pushrods.
The breather in the top of the rocker cover gives access to the top of these passageways.
The breather in the cover on the side of the engine gives access to the bottom of these passageways.
Hence the two breathers are connected to each other inside the engine.
I have, on many occasions, 848cc, 998cc, 1098cc, 1275cc, 1293cc and 1380cc.If you don't believe me take an engine apart and have a look!!!
They ARE doing the same jobs, but some engines (higher powered versions) need more breathing than others, which is why on smaller engines there are less breathers, and on tuned engines there are usually three or more.If they are not both doing the same jobs how do you account for the fact that you sometimes come across engines with no breather on the rocker cover and some with no breather on either side cover?
A common modification is to modify the mechanical fuel pump take off for an extra breather (still internally connected).
In fact David Vizard developed a breather evecuation system for his race engines using suction (similar in principle to what Willie states), and it helped to produce a little more power due to the reduction in pressure.
If you are still in doubt and do not believe me then I suggest that you read the section on engine breathing in David Vizard's book "Tuning BL's A-Series Engine".
I hope this serves to clarify my position.
Cam.