Lister D repair

OK, it is a bit small for a truck but it is a wonderful thing all the same. I bought it 15 plus years ago and used it most summers to fill the dam tank when the windmill got behind. It belt drives an old brass centrifugal pump I bought from a scrappy at a similar time.

It was working just fine last run, but when I went to check on the tank, I saw oil in the water hopper, it was still running, no expensive or sad noises.

It shut it down, drained the water hopper and parked it in the shed for a look at one day. (That was probably two or maybe three years ago). I assumed it was a head gasket problem , so last week I lifted the head, oil all over the head gasket but no obvious sign of a leak (not like I expected with my limited experience of car engines)

Then it occurs to me it only has a splash oil system unlike its bigger diesel brother. So, does that mean I am right, it is just a head gasket or have I missed something. Its not a case of the breather being blocked, as it wasn't?

Any suggestions or advice gladly received....

not mine, found in Google images... mine looks much more agricultural...

/me

Hello Sarge,
Clean the head and block faces, some silver paint each side of the gasket, tighten the head down and see how it goes. Possibly a little bit of compression pushed in to the water and all good if no water in the oil.
Cheers, David.

Don't forget to check the sump for any water contamination.

In fact if it were mine I'd give it an oil change just to be sure.

Thanks gentlemen, I shoulda said, no oil in the water. As neither is under any pressure, I wonder why I have it cross contaminating.


/me

*Sarge
Gudday M8

me guessn many moons ago somebody MT'd sum left ovr oil in the top of jug
tiz an easy n inviting target
LOL

cya

Sarge, how much oil is in the water? How did you fill the hopper? With a hose, or with a bucket that may have been used for an oil change some months earlier? I've seen it happen before.

I wondered if I was dumb enough to use a dirty water container.... well actually I know I am .... but this far down the track I have no idea if that is what I did

usual practice was to fill it up off a bleed hose I leave dribbling off the pump to maintain a full water level while it is running (via a poly tank sitting beside the motor).

.... gasket looks good, I might just bolt is back together and crank her up...


/me

Has someone used oil in the past in the water. It is the old way of preventing rust and meant to be soluble oil.

The theory is it while the engine is full of water it provides a barrier to the air and if you drain the water out it leaves a layer of oil on the inside to prevent rust.

Back in the days when Vintage and Veteran cars were new it was commonly put in the radiators to lubricate the water pumps (on those vehicles that had them)

Not a thing from the past, I have had and used it for a very long time.

Had a closer look at the head gasket, might go for a new one. This one won't lift easily time to play on fleabay.

everything thing else seems in good nick, no wear in the bore but lost of black wet carbon crusting in the chamber and on top of the piston. Does that mean too rich/lean valves, load too light?

Runs sweet as it was, and starts easily enough.

/me

Do you subscribe to TOMM? there's usually ads for people that supply Lister parts there. If not I can look them up for you