Auto Gossip

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31753, 9 August 1968, Page 9

Auto Gossip

by

A.J.P.

Leakage Hands up the motorist whose car has done more than 25,000 miles but does not leak any oil? You are a lucky man. Just about every car I know which has done more than this mileage leaks engineoil to some extent. Many cars which have covered considerably less leak just as badly. It may not show up between oil-changes, for once it hits the ground a little oil goes a long way, but it certainly shows up on a friend’s white concrete drive. Well Coated About nine out of 10 cars must leak oil—if you doubt it, have a look round one of the city car-parks. Every bay has a generous coating at the forward.end, and usually some at the back from leaking differentials, rear-engined cars, and people who park their cars ready for a fast departure. A similar manifestation is apparent in parking-meter bays and private garages. Alarm, Despondency Most of us do not notice the leaks until we park on a friend's drive and he spots the stain. Then comes alarm and despondency with thoughts of expensive repairs. The leak is rarely easy to find for oil can drip off an engine and run along a chassis member for some distance before dropping to the floor, or the sheet of newspaper you have cunningly put under the car so you can trace the leak. If you are lucky, of course, it turns out to be a worn gasket on the sump plug or seepage from under a loose tappet cover, but it is rarely as simple. What To Do Oil can leak from almost anywhere—faulty timing-chain cover gasket, or faulty sump gasket, or tappet-cover gasket, a badly-fitted oil filter, condensation from an engine breather, leaking rear main bearing, leaking front main bearing. You can spend a lot of money trying to fix oil leaks, and get nowhere. So what, is one to do? A sound answer, I thought, from one mechanic: “If you can’t find the leak and Ute oil loss is not enough to require sump topping-up, put a drip-tray on your garage floor, keep an eye on it from time to time, and otherwise forget it.” And do not park on any white concrete drives. Quote of the Week “To rush up to every traffic situation and brake at the very last minute . . . violates the prime rule of all normal road driving, which is that you must always keep a little something in hand because it is not a kid’s game you’re playing—you are in control of around a ton of metal which can crush a pedestrian into mince very, very easily indeed.”—R. Thoresby in the “Motor” on last-minute braking.

A NEW V 8 Peugeot with a 2.6-litre engine is expected to be announced in France next year.