3 more Oil Leaks!

[terryp]

Hello all, me again with the leaks.
Some advice is required (Again)
Leak 1 - A PO had made an elbow for the oil pressure gauge and oil was squirting out. This one easy if I can get the bit! Are there many types or just one?
Leak 2 - On the bottom of the fuel pump. The pump seems considerably smaller than the gasket (I presuming a new pump by QED circa 1990). The question is do I use any sealant type stuff with a new gasket/packer/gasket and what stuff would I use?
Leak 3 - Mystery leak from the top of the starter motor area, but the back of the engine is dry. Any ideas or it could be the fuel pump leak blowing backwards?

If I can cure these 3 I may be invited to park on peoples drives again!

Thanks
Terry

[terryp]

I been reading the archives and Leak 2 may not be the fuel pump it may be coming from the head/block rubber pipe. Can I change this from underneath with fuel pump and starter off rather than take off the carbs?

Thanks
Terry

[terryp]

I've removed the fuel pump now and can see and feel the pipe, its not hard and brittle its soft and spongy???????????????????????????????????????
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It feels if its the wrong sort of rubber having oil contamination????

[Craig Elliott]

They do go soft and spongy with age. I believe you can replace them with the head in situ - although you do need to carefully check that top and bottom ends have seated in the cylinder head/block properly. It's probably also a good idea to put some silicone sealer around the two ends.

Craig

[Spyder fan]

I really sympathise with you over all those oil leaks, I remember them well from my Lotus twincam days. The only solution is to dissasemble the offending parts, degrease then degrease again and then apply the most modern most flexible automotive sealant you can find and put it back together again, you may have to do this 2 or 3 times before you are happy.
The books and a few people in this newsgroup/network will tell you to use the original gaskets and blue hylomar etc etc. The unfortunate reality of the matter is that the old methods will work with brand new components only, your block, head, sump, front panels and all other oil sealing related parts will be over 40 years old and pitted, distorted or generally just not a good fit. Also the gasket kits you can get these days are not as good as the originals, thats an unfortunate fact with all pattern and so called original manufacturers parts for all classics these days.

I got my twincam down to 1 drip a week and counted myself to be fortunate and amongst an elite few.

But cheer up, your car is running and being used and oil incontinence doesn't normally preclude you from meeting other like minded enthusiasts in public.

Good Luck

Regards

[steveww]

You can refit the head to block rubber breather without taking the head off. I would go in via the carbs though. If you warm up the new rubber tube in boiling water first it will be more flexible to push in. Before fitting the new one trim any imperfections off the moulding, the "feathers" left over from the manufacturing process can cause it not to seal properly.

[terryp]

Thanks Steve
I think I'll do the fuel pump from underneath , change the oil pressure gauge pipe then leave the head drain for another day when the carbs are off , I think the O rings are coming to the end of their life anyway

Terry

[Robbie693]

I did the head to block tube recently so yes you can do it in situ but it was a bugger to get in - my thumbs ached all day afterwards! Definitely go from the top - I can't imagine how you would get the force I needed to get it in by laying under the car.

Steve's suggestion of warming the rubber up is good, but by the time i'd dried it and got the sealant on, it had cooled down again!

I used loctite copper silicone, still have a small leak but much better than before as I'd done the classic mistake when re-fitting the head of crushing the top of the tube as it wasn't inserted properly. Need to slap a bit more silicone on there to try and cure the leak completely. Carbs off again. Hoorah

[terryp]

This is getting ridiculous, having cleaned the area on Sunday , I checked today and there is quite a large drip coming from the little core plug that is on the underside of the head. The plug looks brand new. Now do I give it a little tap or dry and quickly smear with RTV? (The engine is sloping backwards as the car is up on axle stands under the front crossmember)