wow i cant spell when on my phone, forgot to mention, just after posting this, before i set off on my way, i checked the oil again, the engine was cold, had been left 1.5 hours, and it was at the top mark, wtf?!

surely?

look at the post time i wasnt on my second coffee yet

yes it advances the timing as it wears

Sxx

It's worth checking the points cam and advance weights on an older engine. Relatively cheap and easy to replace, and they do wear out.

James Im gettin confused with the constantly changing symptoms,
ok your going to do no harm in setting the points and getting the timing spot on

however now oil consumption is alarming level and the occasional mayo is now a build up in a short while

do the timing when you can then lets see where it goes from that.

if the oil consumption is that high and your gettiong mayo even with the engine getting hot we may have a more serious problem with this engine

Head gasket...

water pump

ah no, you did actually write that it will advance as it wears, but surely worn heel = shrinking points gap = retarded ignition?

No im only posting what i find to make it clearer, i am pretty sure the timing isnt spot on, as it was done by sound of enine not by rod, so timing i will do soon,
i cant imagine (well hope not) that the engine is fucked, as it shouldnt be at 40.000 miles, also just to make clear, when i checjed oil this mo, no oil, when i checked in afternoon, after hour and half it sitting there, it was cold, tons of oil... Maybe the morning one was a duff reading, bu it had still dropped a tiny bit either way.
How ling a rod do i need and will a headlamp bulb be suitable?

James,
I wouldn't let that mate near your engine again, if his idea of 'timing' it involves twiddling the points box around whilst he listens to the engine.

That's a shortcut to a ducked engine, regardless of whether it's done 4,000 miles or 140,000...

ken