Loosing will, please help????

Hello all.  Well I've had my lovely rosebud for almost 2 years now and I'm slowly loosing will with her   .

I don't use the forums because my knowledge isn't the best but I'm learning more as time goes by.  So I wondered if anyone could help with my most recent problem.

A couple of weeks ago now she gave up the ghost one afternoon, her battery light had flickered slightly the day before so I figured I must need a new alternator, but then someone who works with my boyfriend said I was wrong and it should be a starter motor so thats where i started.

Anyway, long story short I had a quick lesson this weekend in how to change a starter motor and alternator (reasonably chuft with myself 8) ) and I got a new battery for good measure and she started first time .  I ran her for a while to make sure and then took her for a spin round the block (approx 1 mile).  When I pulled up on the drive there was oil smoke coming out of her grille and when I popped the bonnet the oil filter seal had popped out her poorly engine was covered and she lost all her oil.  (This also happened about 3 months ago, so because I didn't know what was what I took her into a garage and he said she was loosing pressure at the bottom end but honestly I'm not even sure he lifted the bonnet!!!).  

Now I've cleaned her all off and got a new filter and oil but wondered if anyone could tell me if this is my pistons or maybe a breather blockage or where to look next please.  She's a 1.8 carb '87 clipper cabbie, I can't really afford many more huge garage repair bills (she's cost me almost ?2000 in 2 years for dubious repairs   ) but I really can't part with her.  Any help would be most gratefully appreciated.

Thanks

I have never heard of an oil filter seal blowing and to be honest cannot see how it could be due to a loss of pressure in the bottom end. I would guess if the oil loss was from the filter seal then the filter has not been tightened fully and if you fit a new one and all seems okay I would'n't worry about it anymore.

Regarding the alternator light flickering.

Best way to check out the charging circuit is to fix a voltmeter across the battery terminals with the engine off and see what its reading.
Expect no less than around 11.5 volts ideally 12 ish.
Then run the engine.
Take another look at the voltmeter, it should be reading around 13 volts.
Now turn on all the major electrical loads, including blower fan, headlights ( put em on main beam) heated rear window and go take another look at the voltmeter.
Reading should still be on 13 volts, it might be a little higher but no more than say 13.5.
If its less then this means the alternators not fully keeping up with the loads its seeing during normal running so itll tend to drag the battery down.
If the alternators ok and the batterys ok suspect connections to the alternator, possible fusebox conections etc.
Id say the starter motor was a mis-diagnosis as itll not cause the alternator light to flicker.

The plonker at the "garage" telling you the pressures low at the bottom end is talking right out of his hat.
Two things would cause the seal on the filter to "pop" out.

1. the filters not been tightened properly.
2. excessive oil pressure would cause this but your oil pump could never build enough pressure to cause such an event unless the pressure relief valve is jammed shut.
3. Yeah i know i said two… check to see that oil filter is the correct item and that it has only one seal fitted.

In the past ive seen oil filters leak badly cos the mechanic missed removing the old seal which had stuck to the engine.
When you fit the filter it feels fine but itll leak like a good un.

Hope this helps.

Thank you both    

I managed to borrow the workshop at work this weekend coming so I can get her in and have a good look (although it will be a lot of trial and error   ) need to go through the electrics anyway because the blower and heated rear screen aren't working, (same mechanic    looking for a knocking, took the dash all to bits and the knocking turned out to be the roof clips needing tightening!!!) so I think he may have done something behind there.

New oil, oil filter and I found out where the oil pressure nut is.

Not giving up on her yet  

Thank you again  

the alternator on my 1.8 carb engine went recently so i took it to the garage to be repaired. Driving back from the garage the engine started smoking heavily, and when i stopped i saw it was leaking oil. I took it straight back to the garage, wher i was told the gormless mechanic who refitted the alternator hadnt tightened up the screws for the rocker cover, as apparently these needed to be taken off to remove the alternator. This had caused the rocker gasket to go, hence the oil, so they fitted a new one for me, and all is now well!