Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi Chaps,

I changed the oil in my Ital engined 4 door yesterday in an attempt to cure the oil leak from the sump plug and to give me peice of mind over the oil in the engine. I refilled the engine with Wilko 20W/50 oil and the oil level is about half way up the dipstick. When I opened the bonnet this morning to suss out the location for the pressure gauge, I noticed that oil had collected in the recess where the thermostat lives and has also run down the side of the head collecting in the spark plug holes. The rocker cover is tight, I can't move it when i try to rock it from side to side.

Can anyone shed any light on a possible cause of this problem? I can catagorically say that it isn't spilt oil from the oil change.

Regards

John

Sounds like the rocker cover gasket. Cheap and easy enough to replace.

It was a new gasket about a month ago

Hi,

When you fitted the rocker cover cover gasket, did you use Hylomar Blue, because I was told that you should not use Hylomer on cork gaskets!

Anyway I would check that the gasket did seat properly.

good luck

Roy.

There's no need for anything like that - fit it dry.

They do have a habit of being 'single use only', i.e. when you take the cover off a new gasket is needed as oil begins to seep through. Although you can use them again if you're careful.

Best plan is to glue the gasket to the cover - and dry fit to the head. It then comes off with the cover and rarely needs to be renewed.

As long as it's only a gasket problem that's ok. I think the gasket was fitted dry. It could be that I haven't tightened the rocker cover down tight enough when I retorqued the head down. I'm going to be fitting an oil pressure gauge this weekend to get a handle on the low oil pressure warning light, som watch this space

A low oil pressure on an Ital engine is pretty terminal.

Let's have the results please when you fit the gauge...

Oh cr*p!

Try the rubber gasket.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CLASSIC-MINI- ... 1c2b66dff9
Regards
Declan

There should also be rubber washers under the cover bolts.
I too stick the gasket to the cover and put grease or oil on the other surface to stop it adhering to the head.

I too stick the gasket to the cover and put grease or oil on the other surface to stop it adhering to the head

Definitely the best way to go.