Crankcase Breather

[Mr. V]

I have just acquired a 1961 4-door with a '73 1275 Midget engine and box. It breathes through an HIF6 carb on an MG Metro manifold and exhausts through an lcb manifold.

The current breather set-up is through a tubular canister on the timing gear cover via a rubber tube into the carb. The oil filler cap is the old metal type.

-Am I right in assuming the dipstick needs a seal, and if so, what/how?
-Do I need to replace the old metal oil filler cap?
-Do I need a pcv in the tube? I presume without one I will be getting a variable air/fuel mixture under certain conditions. And if so, can I use the standard pcv? The car runs OK, if somewhat rich (which I hope to address soon).
-The breather in front of the filler cap is blocked off with what looks like a rubber tube covering a (possibly perforated?) capped-off steel tube. Is this a crude non-return valve and what purpose does it serve? Or is it just a way of blanking off the breather?

Ta.

[paul 300358]

Leave the dipstick alone.
The oil filler cap should be vented, it is available from ESM.
You don't need a pcv in the tube, the carb was designed so that one isn't needed.
You could look for a rocker cover that doesn't have a breather tube.