Club Night Forum – Failures and How to Avoid Them

Part 3 - LUBRICATION

• Oil and grease period when doing very low annual mileage - Oil and grease period when doing very low annual mileage Approx. 300 miles or maybe up to annually. Check rear axle oil more often - very critical. Oil: change every year irrespective of mileage. Grease fan spindle more regularly.
• How can you stop oil leaks from valve spring cover? Use a Cambridge tappet cover, which is solid alloy and much more rigid.
• Pneumatic grease gun recommended. Available on Amazon for about £39. Replace the chuck with one from your old manual grease gun.
• Recommendation: Fit new grease nipples as new guns won’t fit old nipples. Seven Workshop.
• Oil dripping out of grease gun? Release pressure when finished using.
• What type of grease to use to general chassis lubrication? General purpose or possibly graphite or LM grease.
• Steering box:  Should be oil lubricated but does have a grease nipple. Nipple can be removed to fill with oil, but it will leak out at the bottom of the steering column. Penrite steering box lubricant is good and doesn’t leak. If greased, don’t use too much.
• Recommendation: Apply a small amount of grease on the base of the distributor pinion gear and oil the shaft. Remove distributor and dynamo C-clip to gain access for greasing.
• Recommendation: Molyslip – much quieter in a crash gearbox with straight cut gears and back axle to stop them whining. Note: Molyslip is not suitable for use on synchromesh gearboxes.

• Phil Whitter (DA7C)