Puffing Billy

[iddy]

Hi,

After just finished fitting a new head gasket I took the car for a short spin of a mile or so, and when I got back to my drive everything seemed ok - no leaks or horible noises. In fact the engine seemed to be running smoother and quieter than before.
I let it idle for 5 minutes and then noticed quite a lot of white smoke coming from the exhaust. The radiater is still full and I can find no oil or water leaks anywhere.
I didn't disturb the carb or manifolds when removing the head, I just moved then out of the way.
Is this the head or new manifold gasket smoking, or something more serious?
Thanks in advance,
Idris

[brixtonmorris]

if its running fine it is probably ok, just burning off something as it warms up.
not sure what though. if it keeps on smoking then you may have somthing more serious going on.

[iddy]

Just an update.
I forgot to mention on the earlier post that the oil pressure is 50 lb at idle and goes up to 70 lb when I rev the engine. Oil level is still on max on dipstick and radiator is still full. I've had it idling for 20 minutes this morning and it's still puffing out white smoke.
It seems to be idling faster than before the head gaskt was fitted. All that's changed is a new head gasket, new exhaust gasket, radflush in the radiator and the head was skimmed before refitting. It was pointed out to me when I had the head skimmed that the valve colouring indicated that the mixture was too weak, but I haven't changed that yet.

I'm a little reluctant to drive it now incase I do some damage
Idris.

[simmitc]

Silly question, but you did torque the head down after the engine had warmed warmed up? Too rich a mixture can be indicated by black smoke, too weak a micture might just possibly produce some white smoke (or so I've read). I've always had the greatest difficulty in defining what is smoke, what is water vapour, and what colour they all are. Your oil pressure sounds fine; and the idle speed would have been adjusted previously for a worn engine. You've now improved the egnine, so it's bound to run a bit faster with the same settings.

[iddy]

Just got in from work
I torqued the head down after it had been of the car for a few weeks.
I'm going to have the torque wrench checked tomorrow on a gauge. I've also sending off for another head gasket - I think I must have done something wrong. Perhaps there's contamination of some kind on the gasket or mating surfaces.
Just one horrible thought - I could find no writing on the gasket to indicate which side up to put it, so I put it copper coloured side facing the head (the other side was silver in colour) is this right?

Cheers and thanks for the tips,

Idris.

[brixtonmorris]

copper face up is right.
could we be looking at a cracked head or worn piston rings.
i hope not
how are the valves and guides on the head. they will let oil in the combustion chamber.\
as simmitc says is it oil or steam?
.
dont want to be doom and gloom.

why did you change the head gasket in the first place?

[bmcecosse]

Take it out for a run to clear away any moisture gunge in the exhaust. You won't do any harm if it is running ok on all 4 - and there are no bubbles in the radiator - fill it almost to the brim to check.

[iddy]

why did you change the head gasket in the first place?

I had to take the head off because I snapped a stud for the thermo housing - it's a long sad story under the heading 'Studs' on the chat board.
The engine was fine before I took the head off. I will take it for a spin later and let you know what happens.

Thanks,

Idris.

[iddy]

Well, I've taken it for run of 3 or 4 miles and let it idle in the drive - no vast puffs of smoke, only smaller ones if I rev the engine. I think I'll take the wait and see option (although I've just sent off for a new gasket - this one is the recommended gasket instead of the gasket set I used ).
I've been told there's a classic car show at Tredegar House, Newport, South Wales in September, so I'm hoping to take my car there.
Off to work now

Cheers,
Idris.

[brixtonmorris]

great! things are beginning to sound better.
i would not rush into changing the gasket again just yet.

[Willie]

50 lbs pressure on tick over is miraculous!! 70 lbs running is above
specification ( if it is a 1098) and, due to the poor efficiency of the
rear main bearing oil return system you will make it more likely that
oil creeps into the bell housing. The pressure should be 60 lbs running and is controlled by the length of the spring in the 'oil pressure relief
valve'. This is the domed bolt adjacent to the top fixing bolt on the
starter motor which you have to move away to get a spanner on.
If you get excessive oil leakage into the clutch area then you may
wish to check the spring length later on. (in the workshop manual).

[bmcecosse]

Just stick with the 70 psi - it will be fine. Mine runs at 70/80 psi at decent revs and no leakage to be seen. The rear bearing tends to leak when the bearing shells are worn - and the pressure is low because it is all running out the worn bearings ! Mind you - I don't get 50 psi at idle ! I could, if i speeded up the idle.

[iddy]

Ref: the 50 Lb at idle - I mentioned earlier that the idling speed had increased since changing the head gasket. Do you think skimming the head and setting the tappets would do this? Prior to this work the tick over always seemed to be just about ticking over, if you know what I mean.
The problem is that I only managed to drive the car about 30 miles or so after I bought it, before the dreaded stud snapped when I changed the thermostat (which eventualy led to a new head gasket) so I didn't really have time to get a feel for the car, and never made a mental note of the oil pressure readings.
Anyway, I'm going to drive it a little further each day this week so I can get some confidence in it's reliability and also see if anything develops, or 'suck it and see' as they say in the trade!.
Off to ESM website now to buy one of their electrical service kits (10m100) and a set of leads.

[iddy]

Sorry, make that an ignition service kit

[bmcecosse]

How much was skimmed from the head ? If it was a significant amount then sure the idle will be different.

[iddy]

I thought the guy said nearly 2mm when I picked it up, but it didn't really mean anything to me at the time - but I just calculated 2mm to be 78 thou that seems a lot to me! I'm off to work soon, so I'll ask him again.
I haven't taken the car out this morning because it's piddling down, and I don't have too much confidence in it yet.
Btw I just recieved my new head gasket and it's marked top & front which the other one wasn't, so I assume it's a better make (and it also cost more).

Another question: Where do I tie a towrope on the Minor?

Idris.

[ColinP]

Idris,

I think the rear axle is fine for towing other people

If you are planning on being towed, I would suggest that you use one of the engine mountings. That will need some padding to prevent chafe.

If it's for more than a short distance, I'd really recommend towing "spectacles".

Colin

[bigginger]

A genuine question - do none of the 'civilian' models have any towing eyes?
Yours thickly,

[Cam]

No, we don't have towing eyes, but some people weld a hoop onto the bottom of the front of one of the chassis legs.

When I'm being towed, I loop the rope around the bottom wishbone arm, across the bottom of the engine and around the opposite side wishbone arm then loop them together at the front creating a kind of triangular shape out of the rope.

[bigginger]

Aha! Sounds like just about the best way. Don't, whatever you do, tie a rope to one of the tie bars - they bend....