Hitchcocks Forum

Noticed whilst setting up my carb yesterday that I have a small amount of oil around my spark plug. Any idea where this might be coming from?

Leak from rocker cover gasket

Beeza - do you have any Enfield tools, thinking of box spanner to remove clutch etc with a view to fitting a larger front tooth sprocket on a bike I am toying with buying. I think you are in Paisley if memory serves me right?

Sounds daft, but it looks like it's coming up through the spark plug thread. The only oil is all around the spark plug where it enters the head.

Pony.. that doesn't sound daft at all. Mine looks pretty much the same. I believe that a little of the fuel mix creeps up the thread on the plug when it's under compression, which is logical enough since the plug doesn't hermetically seal its own thread. Take out the plug, give the surface a wipe with a rag and put the plug back in place. Sleep easy, this is not a problem.

Cheers Exile will dream of tomorrow when I'm pulling out the PAV!

sorry can't help Sofi, I left Paisley April 1979 when I'd finished with the Shetland job. Now retired & based north Derbyshire. ... Actually I do not have any Enfield tools. .. Just the ones in my tool box plus any I've made rather than buy"special" tools at "special" prices. ... For the clutch I use a 1/2" drive socket, Much safer than a box/ tube spanner. Can't remember the size but someone will be along soon to tell us. Decent single sockets rather than sets are available from Halfrauds & most auto parts places have Draper tools that are good enough for the occasional use.

Mine has a weep around the plug and decompressor thread but not seeping.

Hi Pony: Try some Never-Seez on the thread, it might be enough to seal any microscopic gap in the thread.It will also prevent any corrosion between head and plug which could result in stripping the thread when removing the plug.

It could also be a porous casting, oil seeping through from the rocker area.