Cork! No, not the place.....

[Ricky]

How does one go about expanding a piece of cork? I'm talking about the u shaped piece of cork that meets the crankshaft in the sump of my R series engine, i've no idea if it the same in other cars! It is made of the same stuff as most rocker cover gaskets, but it seems to shrink rather well with age, and this is no exception! Is it a simple case of soaking it overnight or will I need to steam it?

Thanks for your help :)

[D87 SMW]

Originally posted by Ricky
Is it a simple case of soaking it overnight?


Yes. :)

[Ricky]

Fair enough, but if i add too much water will it break up? This is a pretty important seal, I don't want to knacker it cos the motor factors just "happened" to have this in stock and they didnt think they'd be able to get another.......!

[D87 SMW]

Originally posted by Ricky
Fair enough, but if i add too much water will it break up?

Errrr, what water? Soak it in oil! :laugh:

[Ricky]

See, I shouldnt be let near cars, I am actually a danger to the automotive industry! Oil you say? ive got a choice of vegetable oil or good old fashioned 20/50 (well its £2.76 a gallon asda stuff that I use for my Escort!) Which would you say s better?

[D87 SMW]

Originally posted by Ricky
See, I shouldnt be let near cars, I am actually a danger to the automotive industry! Oil you say? ive got a choice of vegetable oil or good old fashioned 20/50 (well its £2.76 a gallon asda stuff that I use for my Escort!) Which would you say s better?

Oh, if you used it in an Escort, I'd say use veggy oil! :laugh:

Just kidding, use your £2.76 Asda stuff.

[Ricky]

Ok, shes in soaking now, i'll let you know how it gets on......

Thanks for the advice :)

The only reason I use that in the escort is cos it burns so much of it!!!!:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Ford Escort 1.3 - 47.1mpg at a steady 56mph, and a pint of oil every 250 miles!!

[tony]

well it lest it runs and 250 miles a pint is good for a escourt:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[e692wtt]

I use Duckhams Q20w/50 in my Monty 1.6L (S-series engine, 134,000 miles) and get 600 miles to a pint on an average mileage of mebbe 6000 a year, ie short runs of 4 miles each way twice every working day. On the recent 'M-Car Rally' some of us did, Monty smoked like a terminal banger for the first 20 miles, then just a few whiffs of oil smoke for the rest. On a run, he uses very little oil at all, on a 750 mile round trip to London the oil didn't move on the dipstick from beginning to end.

The Duckhams Q now comes in a plastic can as opposed to a metal tin, and after the latest oil change there is a lot more smoke. Basically, fork out £10 a gallon for a fairly-decent, thick 20w/50 oil if your car is an oil burner like Monty. Mind you, he's burnt/leaked a pint of oil every 600 miles for the last 7 years and 60,000 miles, no deterioration at all... Oil and oil filter changes every 6,000 miles with a quality oil will arrest engine deterioration, I firmly believe. Every 3,000 miles for the oil change interval is even better. Use a quality oil, not the Asda stuff unless you change the oil every 2 or 3,000 miles absolute tops. Oil is a lot cheaper than a new engine...

[Ricky]

Don't worry, I wouldn't put the asda recycled gunk in the Maestro, for that I crack out the Havoline Premium 15/40, although i'm toying with the idea of testing the Havoline Extra 10/40........
The asda gunk is strictly reserved for my Escort. I only got it cheap, so I can't really complain, but it's starting to turn into a race against time to fix the maestro before the escort packs up!! Still, if i can sell it on for more than I got it for (which shouldnt be hard!) i'll be laughing..... :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
To be honest its now when i think about it I really regret writing off my peugeot, oh to have the luxuries of no oil consumption, a fifth gear, a rev counter, and a heater that actually has some heat!! Can't wait for the maestro to be finished!!!!!!

[e692wtt]

Glad to read you're serious about your choice of oil for the Maestro!