I'd say a breather would be a worthwhile investment.When was it last changed James?

Its never been changed, its 22 year old. About to order one,
also when i opend it a bit of steam poored outthis morning, (after a one mile trip to buy oil to top 'er up!

james has the car been on very short journeys that dont allow the engine to fully heat up?

is the a creamy brownish white deposit on the lid of the filler when you open it?

was it not just a bit of fumes coming out?

if the cars been getting good and hot and there is mayo on the lid then it points to something not being well with the rings or bores

if you just went for the short trip and its usually none of the above dont worry 'bout it

Sean

i normally dont go for short trips, but i had run out of oil, so went to gas station to buy some more as i had none at home, and filled 'er up and a bit of steem poored out. there used to be the mayanaize stuff on the inside of the lid, but it takes ages to build up, as in talking like a few months, when i first got car i wiped it away and it came back straight away, then did an oil change etc and not so bad since then, but there was a tiny tiny amoount today,
i very rarely go for short journeys, normally about 10 miles at a time
ordered a new one though, went for the pattern one as roys out of stock of the other, and cant afford either really so had to speak to mother

it all sounds like the timing may be a bit advanced, fumes, mayo, oil leaks etc can be a symptom of advanced ignition even if its not pinking

does it ever run on after you turn it off?

sean

yes it does, occasionally, not so often tho, it used to about once a week but hasnt for a while,
my friend set the timing up, he marked it before taking the points box off to do points (helped me do it, well i watched while he taught me how to repalce points) put it back, and put it in the same position, ran it, had a little fiddle, and said he was happy, but could it of moved?
the cars only done 40,000 so rings shouldnt be ducked yet
ill go witht he advanced timing one, are those strobe thingys any good, never seen one before, although mr haynes manual says you can use a lightbulb, but i prefer using a proper tool

doesnt sound the most scientific


what you need to do is follow haynes and peg the flywheel

set the gap first

take both leads off the coil and connect the lamp between them

peg in the flywheel and mark a line or a tooth on the flywheel and one just on the upper left stud of the bell housing so you can see when the two lines meet again use tippex pen or a whith touch up pen

then with marks aligned turn the points box till the light just goes out, turn the engine a full turn and watch the marks and the light it should go out again when the marks line up.

if you find the light goes out before your marks lign up its too advanced if, after its retarded

now youll probably find that when timed perfectly to the peg the engine pinks, runs on and gets hot, thats because modern petrol is not what it used to be( and the points and advance are worn)

time it so the light goes out at the tooth after your paint mark and run it for a bit looking out for running on or crackling noises from the fan when you select 4th at 40mph and floor it

any of the above then set points to 1 1/2 tooth etc etc

as the camshaft which tuns the points operates at 1/2 crank speed when your mate marked the points 1 degree error of the points box= 2 degrees of timing error
and that may have been enough to over advance it. plus you see the plastic bit thats pushed by the cam? that wears quite quickly in the first few hundred miles as it beds in to the cam as it wears it closes the gap and effectivley advances the ignition.

take time and learn to set your own points using the bulb and listening to what your engine does before you spend any more of your mums money on confusing stuff like a strobe

Sean

ps still need the new breather...probably

New breather ordered. . Well thats in valuable advice, with regards to fly wheel, do you mean mark ir by starter?
Ill work the rest out. Thanks

Ps checked oil this mo, was half way between full and empty, so lost half between the marks if that makes sense wheres it going?!?!!!!!! No blue smoke though.... And drips on garage floor, but that much?!?!

Build up of mayanoise shit also. But engine hasnt run on for a while. I floored at 40mph luke said and seeme absolutly fine. Going to do timing, hopefully thats all it is. ?

Edit. Better do timing befre flooing it at 40!