Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello All
My 1098 engine currently leaks oil from the tappet covers and the sump gaskets.The oil leak appears to be worse around the rear of the sump, I have read differing views on how to fit the 2 pieces of foam strip on the sump before bolting it up.How much do I leave these seals sitting above the sump to allow for a good seal when its tightened?..some say 1/8th inch,1/4 inch...?? I would really like to get this right first time, so anyone who has personal experience of this i would love to hear how its done...also any other tips on achieving an oiltight sump...do i use grease to help it..or a gasket goo type sealant - or fit it dry??

Many Thanks, Tony

The tappet cover can become distorted if tightened up too much
which leads to persistent leaking. They should also have a FIBRE
washer under the retaining bolts which is often not there? Even if
they are correctly fitted you can suffer leakage due to excessive
crankcase pressures so you should double check that your breather
tubes (one on the tappet cover and one on the rocker cover) are
clear. The rocker cover piping can clog up with mayonnaise so
it is worth blowing backwards from the air filter to see if you feel
resistance. The cork sump seals are a problem in that it is
easy to leave too much protruding so that some of the cork gets
pinched between the sump and the crankcase leading to a leak.
The official proceedure is to ensure that the corks are firmly
bedded down with approx 3/32" (2.4mm) protruding on each side.

I have read that you should leave 1/16" above the sump to allow for compression. If you grease the tops of the half gaskets you can then push them up onto the block before offering up the sump.

However, oil leaks from the rear of the sump area are usually due to wear in the rear crankshaft oil seal which is a metal scroll not a renewable rubber seal.