bill4brickwork Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 hi i have just purchased a 1979 1500.the body is as good as restored virtually rust free the chassis looks sollid and rustfree,the car drives well very lively for a 32 year old car. the engine supposadly rebuilt also gearbox and diff.the problem is an oil leak.the mot had an advisory that there was leaking oil from the engine/gearbox and possibly diff.i have traced one oil leak to the head gasket rear of engine and not shure weather to try to re tighten down the head or possibly lift off the head and replace the gasket. is this a common thing has anybody come accross this before thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Moore Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Hi, and welcome to the forum.The easiest thing to try is to retorque the head. If that doesn't work then yes, off with it's head. But before you get too worried, check that the leak isn't actually from the fuel pump. It's quite common for the gasket between the pump and block to dribble - and it's easily replaced.Most Triumphs have a few minor oil leaks though, it's part if their charm. If they didn't leak and rattle when new, you went back to the dealer and he'd loosen a few bolts ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill4brickwork Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 hi the oil seems to be running from the rear corner of the head just above a bolt on the corner, and all the way down the block covering the gearbox when the car is driven.when the car is standing it will form a drip by the sump drain plug leaving a few drips on the floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT6 M Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 well if its coming frae there, then its no the head gasket, its the rocker box gasket.may well have been clipped on a rocker stud whent it was off some time.if it a cracked one then replace it, if just a scratch, either replace,or RTV it up.ohhh,M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill4brickwork Posted July 14, 2012 Author Share Posted July 14, 2012 hi sorry for the delay but have not been at home this week.took the rocker box cover off and found that the gasket was not sitting right at the rear of the head.rather than brake the gasket i have temorarily siliconed it on.will order a new gasket.i have possibly found another problem. the sump pan it looks like around the drain plug hole there is some sort of sealing compound and i have noticed the oil sump is very wet with oil.i will try and post a picture thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill4brickwork Posted July 14, 2012 Author Share Posted July 14, 2012 hopfully this is a photo of the sump plug hole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotoflex Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 How difficult is it to remove the sump from a Spitfire while the engine is in the car?You may be looking only at enjoying a pleasant, traditional leak until oil change time, then drain it, remove the sump, have the sump plug hole helicoiled, & replace the sump with a new gasket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill4brickwork Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 hi thanks for the reply. i have just been out in the car unfortunately the rear corner of the head gasket is defiantly leaking. i had dried everything off cleaned down the side of the engine,driven 5or 6 miles and have a stream of oil all down the side of the engine.rocker box gasket still dry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 6155 wrote:hi the oil seems to be running from the rear corner of the head just above a bolt on the corner, and all the way down the block covering the gearbox when the car is driven.when the car is standing it will form a drip by the sump drain plug leaving a few drips on the floor.Check this isn't just a rocker cover leak. Often the DPO will tighten and tighten that cover, which does no good at all. Check the cover is straight - place it ona flat surface and see if sheet of paper will slide under the edge or not, al around, Tweak it straight if not. Chekc that the cover nut holes are not depressed. Fit new gasket - glue it to the cover with blue hylomar, and fit it to the head dry. Tighten just over hand tight.Next, Do you have extrenal oil, line to the head? If so, check that the banjo in that corner of the head is not in too deep a recess, for the copper washers to make a seal.JohnIf you have, at the first opportunity,chuck that external line in the bin, See previous posts, search for "Ye Worke of Beelzebubbe" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill4brickwork Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 straightened up the cork gasket and glued it down with blue hylomar yesterday. when i took the car for a run 10 miles checked rocker box dry. from the head gasket line down floods of oil, cleaned it all again did another run 10 miles same again. oil can only be seen below head gasket line.i have not got an external oil feed to the head thanks for the comments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heraldcoupe Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 The oil feed to the rocker shaft is located at the back lefthand corner of the engine. This is a very common leak point between block and head, not a lot you can do about it without taking off the head. This is arguably the only place on the entire engine where gasket compound is a benefit, a smear of Blue Hylomar on the gasket around the hole will help prevent leakage. But until the head comes off for other reasons, I'd just live with it.Cheers,Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill4brickwork Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 thanks for the reply.i will try and run the car until the autumn then pull the head off i might be able to afford an unleaded conversion then. the problem at the moment is the underneath of the car is full of oil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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