Blasted Land rovers.

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Originally Posted by Bigbjorn

Long ago, didn't Rover make bicycles and motor cycles? Rolls-Royce invented the oil leak and the British motor cycle industry perfected it.

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Actually, Rolls Royce first established their claim to fame by driving a car from London to Scotland and back, and then, to the amazement of contemporary motorists, parking it in their London showroom over a white sheet to demonstrate that there were no oil leaks (also no breakdowns on the trip). This in an era (1907) when many cars used total loss lubrication systems for their engines, and even the ones that did not used oil cups everywhere that needed to have oil added every trip (oil used went on the ground!), one example being the steering linkage on the Ford T.

I just take rags and degreaser. Park around the corner from the roady joint and give the car a really good clean underneath before the test.
Its got me past a few roadies like that.

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Originally Posted by JDNSW

Actually, Rolls Royce first established their claim to fame by driving a car from London to Scotland and back, and then, to the amazement of contemporary motorists, parking it in their London showroom over a white sheet to demonstrate that there were no oil leaks (also no breakdowns on the trip). This in an era (1907) when many cars used total loss lubrication systems for their engines, and even the ones that did not used oil cups everywhere that needed to have oil added every trip (oil used went on the ground!), one example being the steering linkage on the Ford T.

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Some old rolls had a 3rd pedal that you would pump every 6 months. There was a reservoir in the engine bay filled with 50 50 grease and oil. When you pump lines would run to all the greaseable parts like the leaf springs and re grease them to stop squeks. Pretty cool I think but like you say it ends up all over the roads!!

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Originally Posted by LRJim

Some old rolls had a 3rd pedal that you would pump every 6 months. There was a reservoir in the engine bay filled with 50 50 grease and oil. When you pump lines would run to all the greaseable parts like the leaf springs and re grease them to stop squeks. Pretty cool I think but like you say it ends up all over the roads!!

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That was the one and only "Silver Ghost" and specially prepared for the trial. Everybody with one calls theirs a "Silver Ghost" but are properly a 40/50. Whatever talent RR had with keeping oil in then they lost as far as my experience with their aero and industrial engines goes. A V12 in a restored pre-war Hawker Hart defied all attempts to get it oil tight, Merlins seemed to ooze oil from their pores, and the RR Eagle diesels (aside from being a very ordinary performer) leaked oil badly. My opinion of their B Series engines B40, B60, B80 was that they were rubbish.

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Originally Posted by LRJim

Some old rolls had a 3rd pedal that you would pump every 6 months. There was a reservoir in the engine bay filled with 50 50 grease and oil. When you pump lines would run to all the greaseable parts like the leaf springs and re grease them to stop squeks. Pretty cool I think but like you say it ends up all over the roads!!

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Lots of cars from the teens and twenties used oil and grease cups and numerous grease nipples. One shot grease systems like that one were about on the higher end stuff of the period. I remember an early twenties car a mate was given when we were teenagers. Can't remember the name but it was French and had a double bunger name. It was found in the hay shed at one of the big old sheep stations near Winton when the Lands Dept broke it up for ballot blocks. It had over 30 grease points and the owners book had survived. Some were to be greased every 500 miles or weekly. It had oil reservoirs on the centre bearings of the cantilever rear springs to be filled with 600W steam cylinder oil. Some of my family's trucks and service cars from the 30's & 40's were required ti be greased every 500 or 1000 miles and engine oil changed every 1000 miles, diff and gearbox oil changes every 5000 miles. Oil filters were rare and if fitted were usually a bypass filter. A bit of oil on the roads in the west was a bonus. Oil helped keep the dust down. Barely a bit of sealed road west of the dividing range then except for main streets of the small towns.

Yes, most cars before the post war period had numerous grease or oil points. Landrover in 1948 actually was unusually free of grease nipples - mainly due to the permanently lubricated tie rod ends, steering relay, swivels, and silentbloc shackle bushes. The contemporary Jeep had grease nipples in all of these places. According to an acquaintance of mine the would-be Austin replacement for the Landrover in military service had over a hundred, requiring greasing every 1000 miles. (He may have exaggerated slightly!

Some cars in the 1930s, including luxury US brands had a system that lubricated all the chassis points with a measured shot of oil from the engine lubrication system every time the engine started.

All this oil and grease, of course, eventually ended up on the road.


The concept that cars should not leak oil is relatively recent, perhaps 1980s. Of course, some have leaked oil more than others since the year dot.

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Originally Posted by DAMINK

I just take rags and degreaser. Park around the corner from the roady joint and give the car a really good clean underneath before the test.
Its got me past a few roadies like that.

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Hahaha, been doing that for a very long time too.....
Although I usually use brake cleaner. [emoji38]

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Originally Posted by rick130

Hahaha, been doing that for a very long time too.....
Although I usually use brake cleaner. [emoji38]

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Yes I agree, "Brake Cleaner" is the go!
If it's a roadworthy after a rebuild leave the oil (not the donk of course) out and trailer the vehicle in for the inspection.
If you have had reason to rebuild the diff's, transfer case, gearbox, swivels, etc. apply grease to all the components then
top up with oil when you get it home. ;)

Cheers, Mick.

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Originally Posted by mick88

Yes I agree, "Brake Cleaner" is the go!
If it's a roadworthy after a rebuild leave the oil (not the donk of course) out and trailer the vehicle in for the inspection.
If you have had reason to rebuild the diff's, transfer case, gearbox, swivels, etc. apply grease to all the components then
top up with oil when you get it home. ;)

Cheers, Mick.

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No oil in motor? In vic they take your car for a drive maybe elsewhere they don't?

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Originally Posted by LRJim

No oil in motor? In vic they take your car for a drive maybe elsewhere they don't?

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It did say "not the donk" ;)
I am in Vic. too.

Cheers, Mick.