Question 1

Rear Main Seal Oil Leak

Accepted Answer

Oil drips from the bellhousing area. Oil accumulates on the underside of the engine and gearbox. Oil spots on the garage floor. The Red Motor uses a two-piece rope-style rear main seal that hardens and shrinks over time. This seal design is inherently less effective than the lip seals used on modern engines. Every Red Motor with more than a few years on the clock will weep from the rear main to some degree. Replacing the rear main seal requires either removing the engine or dropping the sump and rear main cap. The seal itself is cheap ($20-40). Labour is the expense, budget $500-800 at a workshop. Many owners live with a slow rear main seal leak and just keep the oil topped up. If the leak is significant (more than a spot on the ground overnight), it should be addressed.

Question 2

Worn Valve Guides

Accepted Answer

Blue smoke on startup that clears after 30-60 seconds. May also smoke on overrun (deceleration after highway driving). The cast-iron valve guides wear over time, allowing oil to seep past the valve stems and into the combustion chambers. This is accelerated by infrequent oil changes and extended idling periods. The exhaust valve guides wear faster than the intake guides due to the higher temperatures. Replace the valve guide seals first, this is a relatively simple job that can be done with the head in situ using a valve spring compressor and compressed air ($50-100 for a seal kit). If new seals don't cure the problem, the guides themselves need replacing. This requires removing the head and having a machine shop press out the old guides and install new ones ($300-600 for a complete guide replacement with new seals).

Question 3

Carburettor Issues

Accepted Answer

Hard starting, rough idle, flat spots on acceleration, black smoke, poor fuel economy, fuel smell. The EJ/EH uses Stromberg (single-barrel, 149ci) or Stromberg twin-barrel (179ci) carburettors. After 60+ years, the internal components, needle valves, floats, accelerator pump diaphragms, jets, and gaskets, are all worn. Modern fuel with ethanol attacks old rubber components. Rebuild the carburettor with a rebuild kit ($60-120). If genuine Stromberg kits are unavailable, many owners convert to a Weber carburettor, a Weber 32/36 DGAV suits the 149, while a Weber 40/40 DCOE or similar is popular on the 179. Weber conversions cost $400-800 including manifold adapter and provide improved throttle response and easier tuning. For the 179, a set of twin SU carburettors on a purpose-built manifold was a popular period modification and is still available through specialists.

Question 4

Cooling System Marginal in Traffic

Accepted Answer

Temperature gauge rises in slow traffic, particularly on hot days. May push coolant out the overflow. The Red Motor generates more heat than the Grey Motor it replaced, and the cooling system, while adequate for 1960s driving, struggles in modern stop-start traffic, particularly in Australian summer conditions. The original radiator may be partially clogged with scale after 60 years. The engine-driven fan only moves adequate air at highway speeds. First, have the radiator recored or replaced ($300-600). Flush the entire cooling system. Ensure the thermostat is functioning correctly (replace it, they're cheap). Add an electric thermo fan behind the radiator for low-speed cooling ($100-200 for a Davies Craig kit). Check that the water pump is not leaking or cavitating. Ensure the fan belt is tight.

Question 5

Distributor Wear

Accepted Answer

Misfiring, erratic idle, timing drift, poor fuel economy, hard starting. The distributor shaft bushings wear, allowing the shaft to wobble. This causes the points gap to vary and the spark timing to become erratic. The centrifugal advance mechanism's springs weaken, and the vacuum advance diaphragm can rupture. Rebuild the distributor, new shaft bushings, points, condenser, advance springs, and vacuum unit. Budget $100-200 for parts. Alternatively, fit an electronic ignition module (Pertronix) that replaces the points and condenser with a maintenance-free electronic trigger ($100-150). This is the single most effective and invisible upgrade you can make to the ignition system.

Question 6

Second Gear Synchro Wear (3-Speed Manual)

Accepted Answer

Grinding or crunching when shifting into second gear, particularly on quick downshifts. Second gear synchro wears because it's the most-used ratio. After 60 years, even lightly-used gearboxes will have wear. Gearbox rebuild with new synchro rings. Budget $800-1,500. Double-clutching on downshifts extends synchro life. Some owners simply tolerate the crunch.

Question 7

Column Shift Linkage Slop (3-Speed)

Accepted Answer

Vague, imprecise gear selection from the column-mounted lever. The column shift mechanism uses rods and bushings that wear with time. Detent springs weaken. Replace worn bushings and adjust linkage. Budget $100-300. A floor-shift conversion using an aftermarket kit is an alternative, more positive but not period-correct.

Question 8

Clutch Wear

Accepted Answer

Clutch slips under acceleration (engine revs rise without corresponding increase in road speed). Clutch pedal bites very high. Judder on takeoff. The clutch disc friction material wears over 60 years. The pressure plate springs weaken. The flywheel face glazes. Replace the clutch kit (disc, pressure plate, throw-out bearing). Have the flywheel machined or replaced. Budget $400-800 including parts and labour. The gearbox must be removed to access the clutch.

Question 9

Worn Ball Joints

Accepted Answer

Clunking over bumps from the front end. Vague steering. Uneven tyre wear. Steering wheel vibration. The EJ/EH uses ball joints (upper and lower) in the front suspension, which wear with age, mileage, and Australian road conditions. Worn ball joints allow the stub axle to move relative to the control arms, which directly affects steering precision and wheel alignment. Replace all four ball joints (upper and lower, both sides). Budget $150-300 for a complete ball joint set. Replacement is a straightforward job with basic tools, though a ball joint press or separator tool is helpful. Always get a wheel alignment after ball joint replacement.

Question 10

Leaf Spring Fatigue

Accepted Answer

Rear of the car sags. Car bottoms out over bumps. Wallowing ride quality. Rear axle tramp under hard acceleration. Leaf springs lose their spring rate over decades of use. Broken leaves are common, particularly the main leaf. Replace the leaf spring packs. New springs are available from suspension specialists ($300-600 per pair). Re-tempering existing springs is an option ($100-200 per spring) but doesn't fully restore original ride height on severely fatigued springs.

Question 11

Steering Box Wear

Accepted Answer

Excessive play in the steering wheel before the front wheels respond. Heavy or inconsistent steering effort. The recirculating ball steering box wears internally. The sector shaft bushings develop play. The worm gear and ball races wear. Adjust the steering box first (there's an adjustment screw). If adjustment can't eliminate the play, rebuild or replace the box. Reconditioned boxes are available on exchange ($400-700).

Question 12

Leaking Wheel Cylinders (Drum Brake Cars)

Accepted Answer

Soft brake pedal, reduced braking power, brake fluid on the inside of the drums. The rubber seals inside the wheel cylinders harden and fail with age. Replace all wheel cylinders ($50-80 each). Do all four at once. Flush the brake system with fresh DOT 3 fluid.

Question 13

Brake Caliper Seizure (Disc Brake Cars)

Accepted Answer

Car pulls to one side under braking. One wheel is significantly hotter than the other after driving. Uneven pad wear. The caliper slide pins or pistons seize from corrosion and lack of use. This is common on cars that sit for extended periods. Remove, strip, clean, and rebuild the calipers. Replace all rubber seals and slide pin boots. New pistons may be needed if the bore is corroded. Budget $200-400 per caliper for a rebuild. Replace brake hoses at the same time, old rubber hoses can collapse internally, acting as a one-way valve.

Question 14

Generator/Alternator Failure

Accepted Answer

Battery goes flat. Dash ammeter shows discharge. Dim headlights. The EJ uses a generator; the EH uses either a generator or alternator depending on the variant. Generators produce limited output at low RPM and their brushes and commutators wear. Alternators are more robust but the voltage regulator (external on these cars) can fail. Recondition the generator/alternator or replace with a modern internally-regulated alternator ($200-400). This is the most common and worthwhile electrical upgrade on these cars.

Question 15

Corroded Wiring and Earth Points

Accepted Answer

Intermittent lights, flickering instruments, starter motor cranks slowly, horn doesn't work. Sixty-year-old wiring with cloth insulation deteriorates. Connector terminals corrode. Earth points develop high resistance. Trace and repair individual circuits for isolated faults. For widespread issues, a complete rewire with a reproduction loom is the solution ($400-800). Clean all earth points to bare metal and apply dielectric grease.

Question 16

Structural Rust, Floor Pans and Sills

Accepted Answer

Perforated metal underneath the car. Soft, crumbling steel. Visible rust from inside the cabin (carpet lifted). Water ingress through deteriorated seals, combined with road spray from underneath, attacks the floor pans and sills relentlessly over six decades. The enclosed sill cavities trap moisture and rust from the inside out. Cut out the rusted metal and weld in new panels. Reproduction floor pan sections and sill panels are available from Rare Spares and similar suppliers. Budget $2,000-5,000 per side for sills, $3,000-8,000 for full floor replacement. This is skilled work, poor welding repairs are worse than the original rust.

Question 17

Lower Guard Rust

Accepted Answer

Bubbling paint, perforation, and corrosion along the lower edges of front and rear guards. Mud and water collect between the inner and outer guard skins. The curved shape prevents drainage. Reproduction guard panels are available for the EH (less so for the EJ). Professional repair involves cutting and welding new metal. Budget $500-1,500 per guard.

Question 18

Boot Floor Rust

Accepted Answer

Rust in the boot floor, particularly the spare tyre well. Water pooling in the boot. Water enters through tail-light seals, boot lid seal, and breather holes. Treat minor rust with converter and sealer. Perforated boot floors need panel replacement. Reproduction boot floor panels are available. Budget $500-1,500.

EH / EJ

EH / EJ known problems