Rocker cover leak hassle :(. Reverse light switch + fog lights.

[poxxxy]

Hi guys, so oil keeps dripping onto my exhaust. I changed out the original cork gasket for a rubber one (although it seems a little big) and the bottom right just keeps on dripping.  Should I go back to a cork gasket!?

I also need to get my reverse and fog lights working,  no power at the connector of the reverse light so I need to try and locate the reverse light switch to see if it's even plugged in. Is it located in a very awquard position as I can't seem to see it very easily... so guessing it's not on the engine side!

No dash light for fogs comes on so is there a relay perhaps I need to look for?

Cheers!

[Rusty's Uncle]

Are you actually meaning the rocker box cover here? If so then I would check the base for flatness and that the top has not been deformed by over tightening . There should only be a very slight dip around the two stud holes.

[poxxxy]

Ooops yeah that's what I meant . did have it off and doesn't look too deformed... I think the heads side was pretty flat to by eye... but somethings not right... maybe I need to use way more sealant to assist . May end up buying another copper head gasket and putting the cc700 head I bought on sooner than i'd of liked though... hmmm. Damn oil leaks lol.

[Gadge]

If you don't end up using that cc700 head then give me a shout  I'll take it off you

[poxxxy]

I'll think about it , Might try running without a gasket tomorrow as I see bis13 said he had back in 2009... I wonder if he still runs this way. I'll also get a straight edge across the top of the cylinder head and the cam cover to check those... now I just need to get underneath the car to see if I can spot wiring for the reverse light switch!

Since patching up the exhaust and redoing the tappets/timing the car seems to be holding back/choking a little when revving and seems really quite flat... would the exhaust restrict the car that much to cause such issues?

I want it to rev like it did before I did all this maintenance work lol.

[Gadge]

If the exhaust is all sealed up i.e flat on the head and no holes then it shouldn't cause any flat spots. When I fitted my one on the first time it was blowing around the head as it wasn't sitting properly. It seemed to run fine just noisy however when I did sort it by fitting new gaskets it was quieter but it still ran the same making me think that it wouldn't make any difference.

Timing can cause flat spots though. As can a dodgy vacuum mechanism. Work your way back to the contacts starting from the plugs. Clean them up and gap them. Then check the leads for cracks. A cracked lead will arc and give a weak spark. Then check the condition of the points (look for pitting) then gap them. Once running check the timing and run it without the distributor cap on and see how big the arc is on the points. It should be small if it's big then you'll need a new condenser. Whist the caps still off check the vacuum advance is working by Erving the engine and seeing if the plates move inside the distributor. 

[Hazey-n-Marc]

Are you sure it is oil and not water from the inlet manifold?

[poxxxy]

Pretty sure it's oil Marc . Just took the rocker cover off again and bent the locating tabs back incase it was fouling. Cleaned it all up and sealed both sides of the gasket. Waiting for it to cure a little for now before I give it a try! I could of cleaned the exhaust gaskets up a little better to be honest but I think I need a nice stainless one made up before I play with the exhaust anymore .

[poxxxy]

Hmm it seems after looking at the spark plugs that the engine is running quite rich. Now why!?

[poxxxy]

Got the leak sorted now it seems, but car is definately running rich and poorly. Sparks were very weak and intermittent, seemed like it was running on 1 cylinder today. Spark plugs coated in carbon.

Got the multimeter out on the leads and seems like they might have breaks in them to me as I couldn't get a reading and if I did it was very very little. Any recommendations on where to pickup some replacements or will I have to go for another overseas order? . Seems halfords stopped stocking any ignition leads here so it put an end to today's fun. Also traced back the reverse wiring and tested the switch... all ok. In the first instance I ended up checking the wrong connector! Doh. Voltage as the bulb connector afterall.

I tried to read resistance across the coil but didn't manage to get a reading either... :S. Is that normal? Engine was running fine before really and its definitely sending something down the leads .

[Gadge]

I've seen leads turn up on eBay quite a lot failing that you can buy universal leads like for a classic mini if your really in a pickle

[poxxxy]

I'm not really in a pickle, just impatient!

BERU ZEF979
BOUGICORD BOU1250
INTERMOTOR 83051
MAGNETI MARELLI MSK600
STANDARD 83051
STANDARD OEF296
STANDARD OEK215
STANDARD OES312
LUC4072

Coupling Type DIN,Resistive Cable

They appear to be listed as ignition cables for the BIS... now I just need to find a motor factors that can get one cheap enough . Unless club126uk has Intermotor part buying access .

[Rusty's Uncle]

I have got a box of brand new Lucas Silicone Speedleads#15 here. If you tell me the length of your leads I will see if I have anything suitable 

[poxxxy]

I'm not even sure the oils coming from the cam cover anymore.  Took apart the leads and cut the ends off, getting a nice blue spark. Choke doesn't seem to work properly either on cold start. Pull it up and idle hunts for ages. Once warm it seems to work but smoke pouring out the exhaust.  Think I'm going to have to give up with her now. Gutting as the engine sounded sweet before I took the exhaust off and cleaned the oil filter out.

If anyone wants a bis project? 

[Gadge]

Don't be like that now just take a breather and come back to it later. When I rebuilt my engine I too was besieged with problems one of which was an oil leak from the rocker cover. I thought it was coming from the rocker gasket but it turned out to be coming from the two nuts that hold it on. There was no rubber washers between the metal washer and the rocker cover so oil was comming through and dripping down onto the exhaust giving the appearance of it leaking at the gasket.

Put the kettle on and open some biscuits  

P.s you maybe pulling the choke up too far. On mine you only have to pull it up a quarter way. If you unscrew the cable screw at the carb end and push the mechanism all the way over to the right then push the choke all the way down then retighten then that will reset the choke. To set the idle mix roughly screw the mixture screw all the way in (bottom of carb under the choke/accelerator mechanisms)  then unscrew it about 1 and an half to 2 turns. Start the car then once warm turn the choke of and turn the screw in untill it hunts then unscrew untill it picks it's revs back up again