OTHER MECHANICAL ITEMS

1 Brakes

Of course, you maintain your brakes. But at a high mileage, you should completely rebuild the system. Renew as much as you can and rebuild the rest – including load regulating valves, servos, discs, drums.

2 Valve stem oil seals

Clouds of oily smoke produced at the bottom of a hill or after idling are often due to nothing more serious than the easily-replaceable valve stem oil seals.

The pistons and cylinders are likely just fine.

3 Clutch judder

This may be down to oil escaping in the form of a light mist from the engine and gearbox and forming a sticky coating on the clutch. Replace clutch and, crucially, the engine rear and gearbox front oil seals.

4 Poor gear engagement

If gears are awkward to shift and sometimes crunchy – especially first and reverse from rest – then see if your car has a spigot bearing or bush. If it does, replace it. It’s probably breaking up or seizing.

5 Whining

Worn and/or badly-adjusted bearings and gears often whine. As long as they have oil, they’ll whine on for years. Grinding, rumbling and thrumming are noises more likely to indicate a looming catastrophe.

6 Fuel system

Blocked jets, decrepit fuel pumps and sloppy throttle spindles make carburettor cars run badly. Fuel injection can be confounded by split or mis-placed vacuum hoses, worn or bypassed EGR valves, etc.