Stag finds a new home in Australia

[Stocky]

I took the car back for re-inspection today. I had hoped for good news but it decided to be incontinent and dribbled a little oil, so it failed again. The left turn indicator also decided not to self-cancel, which odd as it always used to.
The oil seems to be running down the right hand side of the engine and ends up on the oil pump, exhaust pipe just as it runs horizontally and also on the auto transmission cover. I can't see where it is coming from so I'll have to clean down the engine and use some talc, I suppose.
Any tips on where to look? I'm thinking oil pressure switch, cam cover...anywhere else?

[Rubce]

Try replacing/resealing the half moon rubber seals at the rear of both cylinder heads just beneath the cam covers.

Regards

Bruce

[Stocky]

Thanks Bruce

[davidf]

They expect it to not leak oil ??????
Possible solutions - how long do they run the engine for - can you take it for a test with no oil in the engine? Otherwise - re-patriate !!

Blows away any thoughts of ever taking my Stag to Australia.

Final thought, as I said to my MoT tester:
'That is not an oil leak, that is Triumph's patent under-body anti-corrosion system.'

[Stocky]

That was my first thought too, it's an old car, of course it dribbles a bit, but they do seem anal about it here so I must play by the rules (but only until it passes, as there is no annual testing process here so what happens afterwards will never be known...daft really).

[malc4d]

When mine was in SWITZERLAND l had the same problem. Only way was trying to stop the leaks first then a damm good under wash before l went and laying under it with a rag (along with many other owners...lol), giving it one last oil wipe down before the test. Telling them that if it didn't leak oil then it had none, didn't help my case.....

[pagan]

They expect it to not leak oil ??????
Possible solutions - how long do they run the engine for - can you take it for a test with no oil in the engine? Otherwise - re-patriate !!

Blows away any thoughts of ever taking my Stag to Australia.

Final thought, as I said to my MoT tester:
'That is not an oil leak, that is Triumph's patent under-body anti-corrosion system.'

Morris drivers used to call it "The External Lubrication System"
Come think of it,,,,, or was that British Leyland

[pagan]

That was my first thought too, it's an old car, of course it dribbles a bit, but they do seem anal about it here so I must play by the rules (but only until it passes, as there is no annual testing process here so what happens afterwards will never be known...daft really).

Try tightening the cam covers.
Mine had a small leak/seepage under the cam covers.
Did get a half moon for replacement and cam cover gaskets, but the cam cover screws were a bit loose.
Tightened them up, no problem.

In NSW we get annual inspections on cars over 5 years old.
Queensland didn't do annual inspection IIRC, but the do do random spot inspection.

[Stocky]

I had a look this afternoon.
The half-moons are fine, no seepage. However, the right cam cover gasket was compromised, a clear area of oil soakage right through the gasket compared to the rest which was dry around the edges. There was some oil on the top of the exhaust manifold which can only have gotten there by dribbling down the head. The lip of the head at that point has been damaged in the past by the look of it, there is a chunk of metal missing. There is enough flat surface remaining to effect a good seal, I think.
As I will have to order parts on line, I will also replace the oil pump and transfer housing O rings as a matter of course. Whilst I'm there, I'll also fit an oil pressure gauge; I need something to feed my Stag paranoia!
In WA there is no annual inspection; the car can get a "yellow ticket" by the Police (requiring an inspection) if they deem it unsafe or unfit, so as long as I drive carefully and don't attract attention...
Thanks for your ideas and I will report back.

[Stocky]

Woo hoo! Finally I have the all important "pass" certificate and I can now licence the car and use it. I have the biggest grin in WA right now.
It has been quite a saga (for me anyway), and at times I thought it may rival Tanya or Nick in their endevours...
I decided to renew the oil pump and transfer housing O rings, as well as the cam gaskets that were clearly leaky. As anyone who has an auto and needs to remove the transfer housing & pump will know the exhaust down pipe has to come off...this has not been done in a long time...studs shear...can't remove them in situ so remove manifold...still can't remove the studs which are almost flush with the manfold...find local Triumph specialist who has a spare manifold with 1 normal stud, 1 3/8" bolt through the manifold and then turned down to 5/16" and one new stainless bolt...refit and fortunately gas tight...O rings installed and transfer housing & pump refitted (primed with Vasoline and system spun up with a drill through the distributor hole)...looks good so restart car...oil leak worse than before! Clearly coming from the right cam gasket so replaced again...dry this time but still oil pooling above the pump so probably from the transfer housing.
At this point I gave up and booked it in to the local specialist. He noticed that there was a baffle loose in a silencer box (it was a real b****r to remove the downpipe from the middle section...large persuader needed which shook loose a baffle in the silencer which is noisy enough to attract the attention of an examiner and trigger a fail). He managed to get a new set of centre pipes from the Brothers and couriered over in 3 days which I thought was great service (at a price, of course, but no hold up at Aussie Customs which makes a change).
Finally finished today and it took all of 30 seconds to pass the inspection (they only check the failure points from last time if the recheck is within 30 days).
I am very relieved. I plan to get some "private" plates that match one of the UK registrations it once had, as this is etched into the windows as a security feature.
As a bonus, I also installed an oil pressure gauge that remains very steady just below 50psi cold idle and around 35psi hot.
Wine tours here I come (for the food, of course!).

[DJT]

Great stuff! I can imagine the size of that grin. Enjoy your new life, complete with the coolest car in the neighbourhood

[pagan]

Good to hear it finally passed..

beware the celebrations... RBT

[davidf]

Great news - just been working on 3 oil leaks on mine - pressure switch, pump 'O' rings, and filter bowl bolt seal (did the transfer housing 'O' rings last year, and stupidly did not do the pump at the same time). Hopefully will have fixed them - will finish off the work in a day or so.

"Wine tours here I come (for the food, of course!)."

My daughter and son-in-law (who live in Greenwood) can recommend some great wineries around Margaret River. Would be a great trip with a Stag.