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Re: Diagnosis

To: "Chris Chandler" <barak@voyager.net>
Subject: Re: Diagnosis
From: Barney Gaylord <barneymg@ntsource.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 04:03:42 -0500
At 09:31 PM 6/9/02 -0400, Chris Chandler wrote:
>I appear to have some sort of gasket leak, .....
>Here's a pic http://my.voyager.net/~barak/MG/DSCN0503.JPG

So your 1970 MGB has a 1967 vintage engine.  Whos idea was it to hang the 
altermator with a short top mounting bolt without using a rear 
bracket?  Some significant risk of breaking something from the vibration 
that way.  Just a thought.

>I've replaced the valve cover gasket, so I don't think it's coming from 
>there, although since it was more than a year ago, I suppose it could be.

Yeah, that looks like a leak from the valve cover gasket, slowly weeping 
down and getting baked onto the side of the cylinder head.

>But if it's the cylinder or head gasket, why would the side of the engine 
>be dirty.  Wouldn't the stuff like the alternator and the oil cannister be 
>all crudded up? ....

Nah.  It's a slow leak that just wets the side of the head, and sometimes 
the side of the engine block below the head.  Not enough oil there at ony 
one time to be blowing around in the breeze.  It might otherwise be some 
leakage coming from the oil filler cap, but that's usually a little more 
oil and not so evenly spread out, and also more obviously wetting the top 
of the valve cover.  My bet is a leaky valve cover gasket caused by a 
not-so flat flange on the cover.  The fix is a cheap gasket, but it may 
take a little work to get it installed properly not to leak.  Check here 
for a way to straighten the valve cover flange.
http://www.ntsource.com/~barneymg/mgtech/engine/vc101.htm

Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude
http://users.ntsource.com/~barneymg

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