Thanks for the tips Bill. It didn't have a new cam fitted so I didn't need to bed that in so for the first 50km or so I didn't take it much over 2500rpm and took it up a few hilly bits (not real steep) to make the motor work a bit but didn't let it lug. Varied speeds from around town to up to about 40 on the speedo. Pretty much normal driving as you say.

After that, I've driven it a bit around town as I would normally will and out on the open road, I've been varying speeds and got it up to a bit under 4000 rpm for a minute or so but most of the time running between say 2000 and 3200. On gradual rises, I accelerate a bit to make it work a little without sinking the boot in and labouring it. Don't sit on one speed for too long. Lucky living in the bush with some quiet roads to cruise around on.

Hello,
I have the BMC parts book that covers all the engines.
There aren't any small bore engines that vent downwards straight from the cover.
All models ie 850 ,997, 998 &1100 show all venting upwards first and then downwards.
There are variations of breathers for the engines and two different styles for the 850.
Part# AYG46 & AYG117
Regards,
Glen

That's good info Glen - thanks.
My covers are the same as Soldars and I assumed that because the car was original when I got it, the cover plates were like that from day 1 with the pipe pointing down.
It makes miles more sense to have them venting upwards as the oil wouldn't get blown out.

Another bloke in town here has a early 1965 850 with sliding windows and next time I catch up with him I'll check out what he's got. His is totally stock standard and the motor hasn't been out so it should be as it left the factory.

Cheers, Rocky

My pleasure Rocky,
Could you turn the cover 180 and then make something like the 997 engines had ??
Glen

Glen - as far as I can tell, if I turn it 180 the vent pipe will foul against the extractor pipe coming out of No 1. Bit hard to judge where the pipe would be looking down from on top.
The vent pipe is on a bit of an angle as you can see in this pic and at the moment, it points to somewhere between 5 and 6 o'clock. Turned 180, it would be around 11 o'clock roughly which I reckon would just about be in line with the extractors.
What I was initially thinking was that the pipe needs to be in around the 10 o'clock position in order to clear the extractors and then the hose to the air filter would run just above the bottom radiator hose.

Now that I've seen your pic of the 997 one, I'll see if there's enough room between the extractor pipe and inlet manifold on No 1 end of the motor to fit something similar.

Given I'm running non standard manifolds, I might have to make something up to suit.

This morning I cut the end off the pipe on the metal air filter housing where the hose from the breather on the rocker cover connects onto to give it full flow. The original hole was only around 1/8" and I had drilled it out a bit but thought I'd cut the end off and give it the maximum size. I figure it can't hurt and will give a bit more breather capacity up top which might help the side cover breather.

Appreciate your help.

Rocky

I just went out to the shed and raided our bog stock original '63 850 engine that I swapped out from our car back in '83.

Yes it's the downward pointing breather. As can be seen in the pic the crude baffle on the inside could lend itself very well to letting oil through!

I remember back in the day the engine was always bloody oily at the back...

_________________
Cheers,
Rod.
______________________________
'63 Morris 850 (Old Secondhand CAR)

Yep I'm wrong, so much for parts books especially when I delved into the engine bin here.
Got one myself and also a 997 one which you can have Rocky if you want to go down that track.

Thanks for the very generous offer Glen. Had trouble getting internet access yesterday.
I asked a bloke I know if he had any the other day and he reckons he might have something I can use and I'm heading up there today to see what he's got.

I'll see how I go and let you know how I get on.

Rocky

I've also seen the pipe on the tappet cover crimped down to a very small hole, presumably to minimise oil output.

_________________
the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page
66 Mini Minor sponsored by http://www.lifeonthehedge.com.au/ The Dog Harness Specialists
It was a pleasure ausmini. I'll miss all you misfits and reprobates

Well I managed to get a selection of breathers and hopefully one of them will do the job.
Interesting you mentioned the crimping mickmini. In the box of covers I saw today, there were at least half a dozen that had their ends crimped shut.

I'll clean up the covers and try with the one with the cannister on it and see how that clears the extractors.

My current covers are the ones that use the cork gasket and the bit where the bolt goes through is raised away from the block.

The cannister one uses a different rubber gasket and the bolt hole is hollowed in towards the block so I'll need to get a shorter bolt. Looks like I'll also need to get a cup washer - part 12A1177 and a grommet - 12A1176 - to go with my rubber gasket - 12A1175. I'll grab a shorter bolt locally. As far as I can find out, the bolt is a 5/16" x 1 1/4"UNF.

What sort of gasket sealant should I use on the rubber gasket? The bloke I got the bits from uses an orange Loctite one but I'm not sure of the number. Maybe it's Loctite 518? Given fitting it looks like a fiddly job, I'd like to use something that gives me the best chance of no leaks.

Cheers, Rocky

happy to be educated otherwise but I don't think I'd use any sealant at all - the rubber gasket should be enough on it's own. If I was going to use something I think I'd use an RTV silicone...

_________________
did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Thanks Simon. I've never fitted one before so all new to me.
I was using aviation gasket stuff on the cork rocker cover gasket - just on the surfaces on the rocker cover itself and the side of the gasket that goes against it and leaving the side that goes onto the head without any sealant and found the gasket slipped around a bit. The workshop I took it to for a tune up and wheel alignment uses contact adhesive to glue the gasket onto the rocker cover so it stays in the right position and then no sealant between the gasket and the head.

I used the rtv sealant when I put the heater tap on the head. It doesn't leak.

RTV is great. Clean surfaces and good gaskets won't give you any trouble, but a smear of RTV is never going to hurt.

_________________
SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

I have always had trouble aligning the bolt for the covers when the engine is in the car and extractors etc still fitted.

Last time I decided to put a threaded rod (bolt with the head cut off) into the engine then put the cover on and washer and a nut. Much easier and so far no leaks even though the rubber ring is on a threaded section.

Anything to make life easier as I get older and less tolerant.

Agree with ozmini about fitting the oil trap cover with engine in the car. Fitting the engine without that cover improves clearance, but it seems difficult to line up the screw and hold the plate in position. Try your workshop's method of gluing the gasket to the cover but not to the block. That works with the rocker cover gasket and lets you R&R the rocker cover many times. Might be another case of getting the torque in the 'Goldilocks zone'.

The vent spouts that are crimped are not completely closed. There is a set small gap at a few thou of an inch - can't remember exactly. Nor can I remember what set-up they were meant for.