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2 OCTOBER 1969 Vol 131 I{o 384i2

I

Idiot ChLt Ard.tln Edtor

A..Ltanr Edtot Ixhr{cd Edrot tportr 34tor

AIt gdltor ta.tur.. fdtot

PETER OARXIEi LEOT{ARD AY?Oil SruanT rt.ADof, cEOFFREY P. )lOWAeO, I Sc{Eng), ACG t rrratES rnll^tD LIOIIEL BUNRTLL MANTIi LEWI'

EdrtorLl illd.rd ldtor t.lEt erar Otio. s!.ou Contdb$or.

EdhorLl Olr.ctor

WARREN ALLPORT MARTIN OWERS MICHAET SCARLETT DAVID THOMAS

EDWANO EVIS HAROLD HOLT, AMIMI. AMA€T RONAID BARKER ROGER HUNTINGTON, ASAE (Delrcit,) EOIN YOUNG /Spor, H. il. PR|AULX, MAE MAURICE A. SiIITH, OFC

MAIN FEATURES

TWO-CAR TEST: FORD ZODIAC AIIID VAUXHALL

CRESTA DE LUXE ROGEE HUilTINGTON ON THE 1970 GABS

FROM DETROIT AUTOTEST: HILLMAI{ GT IUEW CARS: ASTON MARTIN DBS-VB

VAUXHALL VX 4/9O AUSTII{-MORRIS 13OO GT AUSTII{ 1800 MK lls JENSEN INTERCEPTOR HILTMAN GT

II{]{ES IRELAND'S AOUATIC MABATHOII

DE 1.A ROUTE MASERATI MOMET{TS OF GLORY TOUR DE FRATCE REPORT

PAGE

2

10 16 21 25 20 27 nx,

30 33 tr5

REGU1AR ITEMS DISCOil I[ ECTED JOTTI TTGS TECH]IICAL TOPICS THE SPORT STRAIGHT FROM THE GRID IIEWS AI{D VIEWS TRADE ATD II{DUSTRY CORRESPONDETTCE

14 30 41 49 6t 5:l V'

NEXT WEEK'S ISSUE FEATURES:

AUTOGAR'S "BIG FOUR" SHOW NUMBERS 56

Publi.hcd by ILIFFE TRANSPORT PUBLICATIONS LTO., Oomt Hou&. Sttmto.d Slo.t. Lordoh S.E.l. flebphone: 01-928 3333, felcArtar: Trlcrj Aut6ri lliltopcs 26'137 London). BaANCH OFFICES: Cmntry. 8-10 Corporotlqn Staat {fal6pho@: Cq.dtry 25210); Eirmlngh€m,40? Lynton Hdso, Wslsall Bdd. Elrminghrm, 22bfalcphood:O21 Eirchfold 4838). lTal6x: llillagos, Slrmlnghrm 338080). Mrrchrd.,, Suth8m Houe. T.lbd Ro.d, stEtford. Manchostor M32 OPE. lfol.ghonc: 06l-872 42tl). Ghrgfr, 2'3 Clrimod G.rdons. Gllroow C.3. lTclepho@: O/11"332 3792: 04l'322 80081. Bdilol, 1! Elmd6l. R@d, Brisrol SlTclgpho\e:8rL!o121491.2,/3).SutBctipliohrtlag:H@9. 1yr.r fg 1 5s; Ovorsas. I y..r fg lse. 3 yocts t22 5e; USA ond Camda, I yrlr i22, 3 yrlB $56, Chenge of add6ss-plea* not6 rhat i@r M6la nolico l! requlnd logethor with thc @turn of a wrepgcr bosring rhe old rddr6ss. F6girt6rcd ot tho Gsmrul Pcl Otfc. !t . Nswrprpor. Socond clo$ pnulogps suthorit.d 6t Naw Yo.t! N.Y. C IPC guslm6r PEo Lid. 1969. P€rmi6ris ro oprcduca illugt.alioB lnd ,ena@rt& in thia r@.ul en bg grtriad mly undtr w.itron agr.oogor. Sriaf onrlcls or comnant mly bo mcdt wlih ds acl,rcwladCam6nr.

SEEPAGE CAN ANY of us claim to have a clean garage flooror a drive that has not been stained by oil leaks from sump, gearbox or final drive? lt is perhaps one of the least pleasant accompaniments of the car that wherever it has stood it leaves its trademark-along kerbsides, in laybys and, least desirable of all, on the approaches to traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. At these critical points the oil softens the road sudace, producing a slippery mixture at the very places where maximum grip may be needed under heavy braking for an emergency stop. ln each of our Long-Term Assessments we ask the professionals who check the cars for us to report on oil leaks. As often as not, they say "Oil leaks reasonableno action required".

It seems to us that no oil leak is acceptable. There is no technical reason why oil can not be contained within the various mechanical units. ln the Vintage days, designers relied on the use of oil-return scrolls, or Acme threads, which could continue to operate only when the component was rotating-and owners of Vintage cars know to their cost that parking on hills or on steep cambers can result in considerable leakage into brake-drums or clutch. But t[e use of spring-garter oil seals-universal for a number of years-should have prevented all leaks where shafts emerge from casings.

So far as the latest engines are concerned, we now have positive crankcase ventilation-as a consequence of which no crankcase fumes are discharged into the atmosphere; an efficient installation of this sort shouH result in a completely leak-free engine. Where gaskets are used on face-joints, it is merely a question of proper detail d€sign

-a sufficient number of retaining studs, for example- the use of suitable sealing materials and, in particular. careful assembly. Overtightening of pressed rocker covers and sumps may distort theYn locally and cause leaks.

It is significant that the degree of leakage can vary quite considerably between what are ostensibly identicat cars, suggesting that the trouble is owed to slipshod assembly-and that the remedy lies not so much in the hands of the designers as those who make, and subsequently who service, our cars.