The search for oil tightness

[Steve kay]

Responses to your kind thoughts and helpful comments. Being a Ruby engine it is on rubber mountings. The fuel pump had a thorough overhaul when it was put on to the rebuilt engine and is oil tight, carefully  checked to be as true as possible when offered onto the side of the crankcase and before relying on gasket. The tin tappet cover is certainly not true, but I did not dare try to beat it flat and hoped that the silicone seal would work. I also try not to make things worse by overtightening, so rely on best finger tightness rather than attempt to get stilsons onto the knurled knobs.  As for whether it is dribbling out of the bottom of the valve chest or the block/crankcase joint, that will be a job for tomorrow, in the workshop closely observing. So far it has been a case of setting off with a clean and shiny crankcase and coming back to find oil leakage. So I'll just stand there watching to see whence it emerges. Unless it remains tight on the level and it will only leak coming up a Welsh hill, in which case I'll have to move to Lincolnshire.