Pete Lewis Posted August 2, 2022 Report Share Posted August 2, 2022 no well a spanner or two but do wait till youre home you cant take the HT off and drive as what do you do with it ??? touring kit ............just a bottle of water and a pastie Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichTeaBiscuit Posted August 2, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2022 I was hoping to make the wife walk home and carry it but apparently that's wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanMi Posted August 2, 2022 Report Share Posted August 2, 2022 just 6 bolts with a 1/2 inch spanner, 2 in the top of the windscreen frame two on the back deck and 1 either side in the b-post through the tubes where the softop frame sits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichTeaBiscuit Posted August 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 Just got home with it, what a blast! The oil temp was around 3/4 on the gauge and the engine was smoking when I got home? Is this normal for a car that hasn't been driven for a while? It was about an hour drive. https://photos.app.goo.gl/r154NwFue81skmBA7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffds1360 Posted August 3, 2022 Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 Wow! That looks 'warm' ! Hopefully just some oil leakages getting burnt off. ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 3, 2022 Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 Did you mean the water temperature gauge at 3/4? If it didnt boil then the engine didnt get too hot (assuming that the cooling system is all as it should be) so the smoke looks like oil being burnt off from somewhere. Obviously thats not right so unless it was just spillage you need to be looking for a leak like rocker box gasket etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichTeaBiscuit Posted August 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 Yes sorry the water temperature gauge at 3/4. Is there a normal operating range? I will clean it up and have a good look and take it out again locally, I wonder if it's the head gasket.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffds1360 Posted August 3, 2022 Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 Unlikely. Performance would suffer. Wash it down with 'gunk' or similar. Scatter talcum powder all around. Have a drive and look for rivulets. Probably rocker gasket ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 3, 2022 Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 well the gauge will move around and it commonly seems to be from just below half up to 3/4 but of course theyre not accurate so really just an indication of a problem if they go out of their normal range. How was the car driving, was the engine pinking (rattling sound on acceleration) or did it run on when you turned off the ignition? It definitely shouldnt smoke like that so has anything on the engine been painted recently or a new exhaust manifold been installed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichTeaBiscuit Posted August 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 Engine seemed ok but it was the first time I've driven one so can't really tell you much. It did run on after I turned off the ignition though. Was wondering what that was... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichTeaBiscuit Posted August 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 Quick q - can I use WD40 to clear away the oil? I reckon it's the rocker cover as there is a bit of oil around the edge. Having a Google this could be a straight forward seal replacement I could do in the next few days. I have about 1/4 tank of fuel. Should I fill it with 99 octane to see if that helps with the engine run on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted August 3, 2022 Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 That smoke looks like oil contamination on the exhaust manifold. Mine does it when it's not been driven for a bit. However, I'd expect that to have cleared over the course of your journey, so it suggests there's a leak somewhere. The rocker cover isn't impossible - my GT6 has long had a tendency to dribble from there and collect on top of the manifold, but again, usually only smokes for a mile or so after a lay-up. The engine run-on is caused by local hot spots in the combustion chamber - often on or near the plugs - combined with low octane fuel. A tank full of 99 may help, tweaking on a tad more advance can also help, and leaning off the mixture often helps (being too rich encourages carbon deposits which retain heat, as well as making the mixture easier to ignite on the hot spot). Sometimes it takes a bit of driving for the change to have any effect. Sometimes you need to take the head off for a decoke, but let's leave that option for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 3, 2022 Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 Ive had run on when the engine gets hotter than normal and obviously the time of year can make it worse but also the condition of the radiator and the internal cleanliness of it and the block. Higher octane fuel should help... The oil will burn off or, if a leak, the smoke will continue and cleaning wont achieve much. However the good news is that a rocker box gasket change is very easy👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichTeaBiscuit Posted August 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 Billiant thank you for all your advice. I'm at the bottom of this hill with a steep learning curve. I got the roof off, sadly no hidden soft top in the back. I'll order one. Although I do wonder if I'd use a Tonneau cover more - hard to say yet. Good thing is I fell in love with it straight away - oil can leak all it likes, makes no difference! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichTeaBiscuit Posted August 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 Cleaned up and went for a drive. Filled up with Shell V Power and the car turned off better this time, only one cycle with run on. Started smoking again though, got another video. Lots of hissing. I am not sure what I could hear also but I wonder if it was water boiling just after I turned the engine off. https://photos.app.goo.gl/S6vFaEnkmuxnGEhH9 Some bubbling from this area, could it be the source of the leak or just reacting to heat? https://photos.app.goo.gl/yoGwLWhzvCvrgwE88 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted August 3, 2022 Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 Well, that video looks like an external head gasket leak I’m afraid. It would be worth checking the torque of the head as you might get lucky and that’ll sort it. What’s your coolant level like? On hoods and tonneau, check your insurance, it’s common for insurance to be invalid if the car is parked without the soft top up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichTeaBiscuit Posted August 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 Thanks, I'll check all those tomorrow. https://www.raceltd.com/ are quite close to me so may be a good port of call Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichTeaBiscuit Posted August 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 Is there any reading material or books anyone could recommend that would help me learn about the mk2 or any general engine stuff that would be useful? I have long... long periods at work with not much happening so it would be great to use the time learning something I could use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted August 3, 2022 Report Share Posted August 3, 2022 I have the same/similar Lucas light mounted in the rear of my Vitesse Convertible but it's wired simultanueously as an independent light and as a door courtesy light ie come on with the doors opening and off when shutting. It has 3 connections inside two separate supplies and an earth. I have an aftermarket accessory timer somewhere which would keep it on for 15 sec after doors are shut, should put that on the door circuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanMi Posted August 4, 2022 Report Share Posted August 4, 2022 That looks like a water leak rather than oil, smell should tell you but it looks like steam so that and the bubbling from the joint between engine and head (looks too thin for oil and looks like it has caused a bit of corrosion) would suggest head gasket problems. Fortunately pretty easy to replace (though worth checking the head for flatness when off). You could try just torqueing the head nuts, you might get lucky. oil leaks at the rear of the engine will be one of 3 things 1. rocker box gasket (dead easy fix), 2. leak from the oil channel to the rocker via head gasket ( very common and often ignored but new head gasket). 3. the aluminium pushrod tubes (near spark plugs) and an absolute pig to fix ( Ihave never 100% succeeded so just ignore the slight weep) Oh well shame the roof wasn't there. You will need the soft top cover, the 3 stiffeners that I linked to earlier and a bar that sits in a pocket in the roof and clips into the deck clips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichTeaBiscuit Posted August 4, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2022 Thanks for the replies. This morning when everything had cooled down I filled the rad with 2.5L of water. Seems a lot. I will drive down to a workshop where they said they will take a look. Won't be able to fit in a new head gasket until sept though. Seems like a job I could do myself, lots of videos online. Is there a paper/electronic manual you'd recommend that would be a better guide? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanMi Posted August 4, 2022 Report Share Posted August 4, 2022 but also check all of the heater hoses in that area for tightness and splits, as it could be that simple. It shouldn't use 2.5l in a years motoring so there is clearly a water leak. Plus have a look at the oil, does it look like mayonnaise, which would indicate that water is getting into the oil (poss head gasket or a crack in the cylinder head itself) a little on the oil cap is ok but not if it is on the dipstick. If the oil looks like mayonnaise don't run it as it could cause more damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichTeaBiscuit Posted August 4, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2022 Thanks again. Hopefully it's that simple! Oil looks ok. Still translucent, I've looked at head gasket failure oil photos online and doesn't seem to look like that. https://photos.app.goo.gl/MHkDrLktwDbmDquk6 Underside of oil filler cap is black and looks normal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 4, 2022 Report Share Posted August 4, 2022 I think I can see the edge of the copper head gasket in your previous photo and it looks suspiciously new. I think it may have been changed recently and wonder if the head has been retorqued as its supposed to be after a few hundred miles... If you do go down the route of changing it the engine and head surfaces must be checked for flatness and damage to avoid further failures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted August 4, 2022 Report Share Posted August 4, 2022 11 hours ago, RichTeaBiscuit said: Is there any reading material or books anyone could recommend that would help me learn about the mk2 or any general engine stuff that would be useful? I have long... long periods at work with not much happening so it would be great to use the time learning something I could use. Apart from Haynes , second hand EBay is fine as it will get grubby . The AA Book of the Car is a great intro to how our classics work https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/m-a-i-technical-ed-jacobson/aa-book-of-the-car/9780903356213? Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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