[Rick Parkington]

Ha! Well done, Graham - yes, wet sumping like that is a another common cause of smoke/leaks and heavy breathing...er, not of course, one of the ones I  suggested so just as well you figured it out yourself!
I'll get my coat!
Cheers Rick

[GrahamWard]

Rick P.
Many thanks for your advice.
I eventually solved the problem today.
Turns out there was a small split under the nut of the return oil line from the sump.
So, oil was not getting back to the tank due to air being drawn and the oil was presdurisimg the engine and burning off and filling the sump.
I was so pleased to have solved it

[GrahamWard]

Many thanks Rick.
The bore is clean with no damage so think I can discount broken rings. Obviously wear could be an issue.
I will start with the breather, not sure where this is so will get out the manual and check it.

[Rick Parkington]

Hi Graham,
Obviously it depends a bit where the oil is coming from but it may be that the engine is breathing heavily, usually as a result of a worn bore/piston or worn or broken rings. This tends to pressurise the crankcase so that oil is forced up past the tappets from the timing cover. It won't really be the guides because there is no oil behind them, unlike a more modern ohv engine with oil in the rocker box.
It is also possible that there is a fault with the engine breather, not certain with yours but I guess it has the usual Sunbeam flutter valve breather on the timing chest? Put a bit of pipe on the end of the breather pipe so you can blow down it easily. It's supposed to be a one way valve so you should be able to suck through it but not blow. If you can do neither or both, pull it apart - it may have got gummed up and need washed out.
Hope this helps
Rick

[GrahamWard]

Need some advice please.
Have a lot of oil appearing on the barrel.
Have had the head off , lapped it and that has helped but still a lot of oil.
Would it be coming from the valve guides?
If so are they difficult to replace.