Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi all,

I gather a few people have this issue so I wonder whether those with a lot of experience could shed some light ..

I have a 1098 traveller which runs ok, but the oil is like mayonnaise. Argh! blown head gasket !
But i's losing no water. Weeks go by and the water level doesn't drop. I have had blown head gasket before on this car a few times (suspect warped head, soon to be skiimed/replaced). It could be that it is blown, but only between the oil and water passage- I'd still expect to lose some water though.

However as I mentioned it's not losing any water.

A local expert says it's probably6 just that most of my journeys are quite short - 7 miles to work, and it doesn't get hot enough to evaporate the condensed water from inside the crank.

However the oil is really quite horribly creamy now like melted ice cream to the extent that it's blocked the breather pipe and caused oil (lots!) to be thrust from the rear of the crank onto the clutch. Fun. The engine's out of the car now for some refurb so I have the oppoertunity to clean it out properly (this is how I found the breather vent thingy to be clogged up), but I wondered whether it's just going to clog up again owing to this ambient mayonnaise thing. Or it could be salad cream .. not sure.

Can anyone offer their thoughts ?

Is the oil (on the dipstick) cloudy or is it just on the cap (inside the rocker cover)?

So far as I can see the dipstick oil is ok - not cloudy, or only very slightly. The mayonnaiseyness is in the oil filler, and on the rockers , all over the inside of the rocker box cover, and in the breather pipe from cover to carb.

if your not loseing water ,then dont worry ,the engine oil is not getting hot enough to evaporate off the water that the engine produces during combustion.take it for a good long run and the mayo should go ,its just the cold weather .

That's it -clear all the crud away and clear the breathers. Fit an 88 deg stat and give it a GOOD HARD RUN at least once a week!

You mean .. I HAVE to run my moggy to keep it in trim?
Oh well if I must ..!



ta folks

take the fan off,if your only doing short trips.its caused mainly by cold air on the rocker cover.I remember reading something not sure if it was moggy related,but suggested making a deflector to fit at the front of the rocker cover to deflect the air away fromt it to help prevent mayo.

Good crankcase ventilation is the answer- and a good hot engine......