QuestionQUESTION: My Triumph had external oil leaks around oil way between head cylinder and block, that feeds the rocker gear at the rear offside corner. After plan the block and the cylinder head and replace gasket the engine had the same oil leak. We changed another time the the gasket and we have the same problem. Which is the solution?
ANSWER: Hi Alfred,
Many Spitfires get the engine changed over the years so you need to look at the block at the edge of the cylinder bores to see if it is "fly cut" on the top edge. If it is fly cut, carefully examine the head gasket to see that the ring around the cylinder bore is thicker than the rest of the gasket and note which way the extra thickness is. That thicker ring must fit down into the fly cut around the bore of each cylinder. If however, the top of the block is not fly cut you must not use the gasket that has the thick ring around the bores.
Another possible is that who ever resurfaced your block did not know to cut the "Fly Cut" deeper also when they surfaced the top of the block and you ended up with a shallow fly cut and now the thick ring of the head gasket is holding the head up and allowing the oil to leak out at the transfer port.
One more possible is that you have a flat top block with no fly cut and you are trying to use a "fly cut" head gasket on it thus holding the head up.
Howard
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QUESTION: Howard,
Thank you for your answer. If the block is not "fly cut" can I find a gasket for it? Where?
Regards,
Alfred
ANSWER: Your best chance is to first look at your block to see what you need instead of looking for gaskets when you don't even know what you are looking for. When you know what is needed and see if that is your problem, then try Moss Motors. They have a web site and toll free number to call and explain your problem. But remove the head first and look at what I told you to, and then call them to see if they can supply the correct gasket (if that is what is wrong).
Howard
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QUESTION: Howard,
Thanks to your answers I have realized that the engine of my Spitfire mk3 should be one non-recessed cylinder bores. The first time, the mechanic puts the correct gasket for flat blocks (I remember that the board did not have the small tag that have the Rimmerbros gasket for recessed cylinder bores). The second time he put the wrong gasket for recessed cylinder bores (It has the small tag). In both cases we have the same oil leak. Now I have ordered several gasket for flat block (ones of them are Payen). When I will have the gaskets, the mechanic will take off the head cylinder, but I am afraid that we will not solve the problem. Can I block the oil feed hole to the rocker gear and carry the oil through the external kit for increased lubrication to the rocker gear? It will be enough?I have read this oil leaks are one common problem of Spitfires.
Thank you very much,
Alfred
AnswerI have seen the kits added to Spitfires but never used one myself but everyone in the business says they are good. I didn't look to see if they block off the original supply or not but the looks of the external feed looks large enough to do the job by itself. You can tell easily by just running the engine at idle with the valve cover off and see if enough oil is reaching all of the rockers. If they are getting enough at idle they will get plenty at speed. The dual overhead cam external feed line for all of the Jaguars up to the 87 4.2 XJ-6 looks the same size, and it feeds all of the cam bearings and valves just fine.
But no company would go into production of a external oil feed kit unless there was a large demand for a correction of a problem. I know that if it were mine I would not hesitate to put the kit on my engine.
Howard
