Engine Oil/Filter: I check the oil daily and change the oil and filter every spring and every 3000 miles or 3 months during the driving season.
Gear Box Oil: I check it weekly and replace it every spring and every 3000 miles during the driving season.
Rear Axle Oil: I check it monthly and replace it every spring and every 3000 miles during the driving season.
Carberetor Dampers: I check the oil level weekly and top it up, as necessary, with SU Carberetor Oil (Moss # 220-225) during the driving season.
Distributor: I service the distributor every spring and every 3000 miles during the driving season.
Points, Condenser, Rotor & Distributor Cap: I check them every spring and every 3000 miles during driving season and replace, as required; Timing - Check after fitting new points or if distributor has been disturbed.
Spark Plugs: I check every spring and every 3000 miles during driving season and replace annually, as required.
Front Suspension: I grease the upper and lower swivel pins and the tie rod ends every spring and every 3000 miles during the driving season using 4 strokes of Esso Alvania EP2 grease.
Tappet Adjustment: I adjust to 0.13" cold every spring and every 3000 miles, as required. (I figure that after 38 years there has to be at least 0.002" of wear on the rocker arms.)
Safety Note: When working on your car, make sure that you take the appropriate measures to ensure the car is stable, especially when you are working under it. Many manuals recommend that you disconnect the battery to avoid any accidental starting of the car. Dispose of waste materials and oil in a responsible manner. Your local garage will likely handle this for you.
Drive the car up onto a set of portable ramps and chock the rear wheels.
Check to ensure that the car is secure and is not going to move.
Locate the oil pan drain plug which is found on the right rear of the oil pan. Place a container under plug to collect the old oil. Using a 3/4" wrench or socket, gently loosen the drain plug. Slowly undo the plug, making sure that the copper washer is removed with the plug so it is not lost in the dirty oil. (Just before the plug is completely unscrewed, a small drop of oil will start to ooze out, a useful indication that the rest is about to follow quickly).
Once all the oil has drained out, replace the plug and copper washer.
Next remove the oil filter. It is located three quarters of the way down the right hand side of the engine, towards the front. I have installed a spin-on oil filter adapter obtained from Moss Motors (#235-940). Although not original equipment, it makes for a much cleaner and simpler filter change operation. It is removed quite easily with a 3" oil filter wrench available from most auto parts stores. Moss calls for a Fram PH3600 filter, however I use either a Kralinator L38 or WIX 51374 filter (both have internal relief valves).
Fill the new filter three quaters full with fresh Castrol 20W50 engine oil and lightly smear fresh oil on the rubber sealing ring. Screw the filter back on until it is snug. Hand tighten a further 1/2 to 3/4 turn. Note: A recent ShadeTree Mechanics episode identified a magnetic strip that fits onto the exterior of the filter and apparently binds to, and holds, any metal fragments floating around while the oil is circulating. I'm going to try it out and I'll change this text if (i) I can find the appliance and (ii) it works.
Unscrew the oil filler cap on the top of the valve cover and add 4.5 litres of fresh Castrol 20W50.
Remove the chocks and push the car back on to level ground. If you disconnected the battery, reconnect it now.
Disconnect the ignition lead running from the coil to the distributor, at the coil.
Turn the engine over until oil pressure registers on your oil pressure guage.
Check the oil level and top up as necessary.
Reconnect the ignition lead to the coil and start the engine.
While the engine is running, check to see that there are no oil leaks and that the oil pressure is steady.
With the car on level ground, locate the inspection hole, under the carpet flap located on the right side of the transmission tunnel towards the engine. There is a large rubber grommet over the hole which must be removed to access the transmission dipstick.
Extend your fingers straight down into the hole and you will feel the top of the transmission dipstick. Pull this out, wipe clean, replace and check levels. If the oil level is low, top-up by adding fresh engine oil (Castrol 20W50). This has to be done through the inspection hole, using a funnel extending into the transmission.
Raise the front end by driving up onto a set of portable ramps and chock the rear wheels.
Check to ensure that the car is secure and is not going to move.
Place a container under the drain plug found at the bottom of the gearbox. Using a 3/4" wrench, loosen and remove the drain plug and allow oil to drain.
Replace drain plug and add approximately 2.2 litres of engine oil (Castrol 20W50). Again, this has to be done through the inspection hole, using a funnel extending into the transmission.
Remove the chocks and push the car back on to level ground. If you disconnected the battery, reconnect it now.
Check the oil level and top up as required.
Make sure the car is level. Loosen the filler plug, located half way up the back side of the axle casing by using a 1/2" ratchet. If no oil comes out then top-up by adding Castrol EP90. The correct level is obtained when a slight trickle of oil emerges from the filler plug hole.
Once the correct level is obtained, replace and tighten the filler plug.
Place a container under rear axle casing.
Remove the drain plug found centrally at the bottom of the rear axle casing using a 1/2" ratchet and allow oil to drain.
Replace drain plug and refill through the filler hole with 1.1 litres of Castrol EP90. Again, the correct level is obtained when a slight trickle of oil emerges from the filler plug hole.
Once the correct level is obtained, replace and tighten the filler plug.
Remove the distributor cap and rotor.
I add 6 drops of SU Carberetor Oil (or some other 20W oil) to the top of the spindle. Do not remove the screw, there is clearance between the screw and the spindle that allows the oil to pass through.
Lightly smear the cam with a small amount of grease. I use dielectric tune up grease that can be obtained from most auto suppy stores.
I add 6 drops of SU Carberetor Oil (or some other 20W oil) through the hole in the contact breaker plate through which the cam passes.
I add 1 drop of SU Carberetor Oil (or some other 20W oil) to the points swivel pin.
Replace the rotor and distributor cap.
I prefer to remove the distributor. Before removing the distributor it is advisable to mark its position. This gives you a reference point for timing after it has been reinstalled.
To remove the distributor, first disconnect the vacuum line at the distributor and the wire running from the coil to the distributor.
Remove the distributor cap and move it to one side. Loosen off the distributor clamp nut using a 7/16" wrench. Once loose, pull the distributor straight out.
I like to secure the distributor in a bench vise (padded of course). Pull straight up on the rotor to remove it from the spindle.
Remove the condenser securing screw and remove the nut on the points where the low tension and condenser wires attach.
Remove the points after loosening the securing screw. Replacing the points is "the reverse operation". Place the new points onto the base plate in the same position, fixing it with its screw. Attach and secure the condenser and low tension wires.
To set point gap, ensure that 1 of the 4 cams on the spindle is in contact with the points' plastic casing and that it is also at its highest position on the cam. Set the point gap to 0.015". The feeler blade should be a snug fit between the two contacts. Once adjusted correctly, fully tighten the securing screw.
Replace the rotor (old or new) on top of the centre spindle. Make sure that the cut out at the top, lines up with dimple on the inside of the rotor to allow it to seat properly.
Replace the distributor, ensuring that it has gone 'home' firmly. This can be checked by attempting to turn the rotor arm by hand. If resistance felt, then the distributor is positioned correctly. However, if the rotor turns, then keep turning and within one revolution, the distributor should 'click home'.
The distributor mark can now be lined up with the mark that was made earlier and the 7/16" clamp bolt tightened slightly but not fully.
If you are replacing the plug wires, place the new distributor cap alongside the old and swap the old plug wires, on at a time, with the wires. Make sure that the new cap has the wires in exactly the same position as the old.
Replace distributor cap and reattach both the lead running to the coil and the vacuum line.
I generally check the points setup with a dwell meter (60 - 63 degrees).
Locate and highlight the timing marks on the pulley (a notch) and the front of the timing cover (three pointers). The first, and longest pointer (left) on the timing cover represents top dead centre (TDC) of the #1 piston when it is at the top of its compression stroke. The middle and right-most pointer are 5 and 10 degrees before top dead centre (BTDC), respectively. The notch on the pully needs to be aligned midway between the 5 and 10 degree BTDC pointers. Locate the notch. The easiest way to find it is to rotate the hand crank until the rotor is pointing to the #1 spark plug position in the distributor. Since the distributor cap will be off you will have to mark the distributor body where the #1 plug wire would normally be located. If the notch is to the left of TDC then rotate the engine crank approximately two full revolutions and stop when the notch is located in the middle between the 5 and 10 degree BTDC pointers.
Connect a two-wire 12V test lamp, with one lead attached to the coil post with a wire leading to the distributor and the second to the frame.
Rotate the distributor counterclockwise (advancing) approximately 30 degrees, then it rotate clockwise (retarding) until the test lamp just comes on. Tighten the pinch bolt.
Remove the distributor cap and make sure the rotor is pointing towards the #1 plug terminal. The fine adjustment is made with the vernier adjustment on the vacuum advance unit. Adjust until the light comes on exactly.
Replace the numbered plug wires.
Take the car out of gear and chock the wheels, front and rear.
Remove the spark plugs.
Using a 5/8" wrench, undo the valve cover bolts and remove the valve cover.
Valves must be adjusted when they are completely closed. They are numbered 1 to 8, from front to back. The exhaust valves are 1, 4, 5 and 8. The intake valves are 2, 3, 6 and 7. Turning the engine crank (easiest)will cause the valves to open and close. Treat the engine as a mirror image of itself by mentally halving it at the mid-point, crossways i.e. between valve 4 and 5, so there are 4 valves on either side of dissecting line. With this method when one valve is fully open (spring completely compressed), the mirror image of that valve is the one to adjust i.e. when #8 valve is fully open (spring compressed), No. 1 valve can be checked and adjusted if necessary. The same would apply throughout - when #7 is open (spring compressed), #2 can be adjusted, when #6 is open (spring compressed), #3 can be adjusted. (This is known as the "rule of nine". The valve that is fully open (spring compressed) and the valve you adjust add up to nine).
Check clearances by using a feeler gauge. A snug fit is desirable. If it is necessary to adjust the valve clearance, you will need a flat head screw driver and a 1/2" wrench. Release the lock nut and with screw driver, turn the screw to adjust the gap. Once the desired gap is obtained (I set to 0.013" - see my initial note), and while still holding the screw driver firmly, tighten the nut. It is important that the adjusting screw remains in the same position while the locking nut is tightened.
Now re-check the valve clearance and move on to the next one by rotating the crank.
Once completed, replace valve cover and tighten the nuts.