Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi there

Having collected my first Morris Minor this weekend, I am absolutely loving it!!

On the drive home I noticed that there was oil dripping onto the floor… not a trickle but several drips a minute.
Having got it home - ran perfectly, sounded fine I opened the filler cap and mayo type muck in the oil filler.. so I suspected the head gasket.

Upon speaking to the really nice guy I got it off it would appear the head gasket was done shortly before I had it. So I cleaned the mayo gunk off the filler, have retourqued the head bolts and popped in a bit more oil.

No drips without the engine running, I started it up and the drips started again. After a little drive the mayo has reappeared although not in a massive amount. I’m yet to gunk the engine clean and try and find exactly where the oils coming from but I wondered if anyone had any suggestions as to what it could be. I’ve popped a few pictures below but it seems to be coming from the manifold side of the engine, if not around the manifold area.

What would be the first sort of things I could be checking? My gut is saying it’s the head gasket but I don’t want to be blinkered into that when there’s other things I could be checking first.
Thanks in advance

Duncan

Tappet chest covers? The one by the exhaust clamp looks very oily.........

Clean the engine thoroughly to help pinpoint the source. Tappet covers are indeed prime suspects. Don't like the look of that sealant on the rocker cover gasket.

Yes that would be the first check, hopefully it’s not the head gasket, however if it was recently replaced it would indicate some previous issue which the gasket alone might not have sorted, I’m thinking perhaps block or head surfaces not flat. As mentioned check the cover, that may well be the answer. Good luck.

Thankyou all very much for your responses!!

Jo - I’ll get a picture of the rocker cover. I’m just getting to have a good look over things, but yes, I did wonder about the sealant.

Myoldjalopy and Les - I’ll definitely have a look at the tappet chest cover. Thankyou!! I’ll give it a good clean down and see if that gives me any more pointers but sitting here looking at the pictures now myself I do think the tappet cover looks particularly oily.

Thankyou all once again!! I’m sure I’ll be back with more conundrums but will definitely be back with an update.

Thanks

Duncan

The leak is from the tappet cover and it must be bad as it has washed the grime off the side of the block.
The cam follower aperture (tappet cover) cover seals fitted to your engine are of the early type and are made from cork.
https://www.morrisminorspares.com/engin ... 39-p830309
The heat from the engine cooks the seal, they then dry out and start to leak. Replace the fibre seals (Pt No 2K4959 (MOSS)) around the cover bolts whilst you have the covers off. Do not over tighten the holding bolts (2lbf ft is all that is required) as all that does is pull the centre of the cover towards the block and increases the possibility of repeat leaking.

Hi Phil

Thankyou very much for your reply!!

I’ll order a gasket now. The fibre washer on the bolts, are they just a standard fibre washer from any hardware shop or should I look for specific washers on the morris minor spares website.

Thanks
Duncan

Just in the middle of posting the link to Pt No: 2K4598.
Whilst you are ordering the gaskets I would order the fibre washers as well then you know that you have the right washers.
https://www.morrisminorspares.com/engin ... 58-p830400
I would replace both cover gaskets and fibre washers.

Haha. Thankyou very much Phil!!

I’ll get those ordered and set to work..

Thankyou very much!!!

Just a little update and question about this fix please.

Ordered new gaskets and fibre washers and whilst waiting for delivery gave the block a good gunking. All leaking from the rear tappet chest cover..

I’ve been reading a number of posts about changing the rocker cover gasket and it’s suggested that the cork gasket is glued with clear impact glue to the cover before refitting. Is this a common practice with cork gaskets and should I be doing it with the tappet chest cover gasket please??

I had assumed that a gasket did it’s job without the addition of any adhesives or grease but from the posts I’ve been reading it would appear I’m mistaken.

Thanks as always

Duncan

Cork gaskets dry out, shrink and leak. I always recommend that cork gaskets are in this case greased before fitting. The grease helps the cork stay supple and therefore more effective in keeping the oil inside the engine.

The point about glueing the gasket to the rocker cover is that you have to periodically remove the rocker cover to check/adjust the valve clearances and this keeps the gasket aligned with the cover whilst it is taken on/replaced. Being a largish gasket, it has a tendency to move about and get squished otherwise. The side facing the cylinder head is not glued, but greased - and this helps it come off without sticking and tearing.
You are not likely to periodically remove the smaller chest cover gaskets, so just grease them , as Phil says.

Perfect, thanks ‘myoldjalopy’..

I’m quite excited to get into the rocker cover as the silicon type muck around is intriguing me. That’ll be for another thread though I’m sure - when I get it off and am thinking crikey! Lol.

Thankyou all!!

Update - all done. The state of both gaskets was pretty poor but the bottom section of the rear gasket was completely gone. Bit of a pig to get to and line up the bolts while getting the cover and gasket to line up but got it done in the end. Thankyou all for your help! Quarter light windows and the surrounding rubbers next.

Good work, thanks for letting us know. We all like to hear what happens in the end