My weekend... Gearbox - Oil & filling

[57traveller]

Following on from Ray, I always pump some grease into front suspension if the wheel(s) are off for any reason between normal intervals. Similarly for other grease points if I'm in the vicinity.
My Morris lubrication chart (published by Nuffield) advises a 12000 mile frequency for the steering rack (Castrol Hypoy) and again states 10 pumps only with a do not over oil warning.
The same Morris Motors chart specifies 1000 miles interval for front suspension greasing. Does seem a bit frequent - they must have had a considerable share holding in Wakefield (Castrol)!

[newagetraveller]

will I do any damage if I put 10 pumps in

The only damage you are likely to do is to split the rubber gaiters if you pump too much oil in.
I should think it will take more that 10 pumps to do that though.

[salty_monk]

Thanks guys, any more thoughts on the heater? What do you reckon to connecting it up the other way? (feed in from valve to top) I might try it just to see if it makes any difference....

Also is the easiest way to glue a new piece of foam on the heater direction plate to make like a Postman & do it through the slot in the front or is there an easy way of getting to it? I tried to get the front plate off but gave up as it seemed more involved than the 2 screws I though it would be!!
Presumably I can use any foam as I saw one guy on here had used car spong foam! I know it's really dusty on the plate though so am a little worried about the glue sticking properly. Presumably it can foul the blades & overheat the motor if it falls off....

[Willie]

The thin foam on the flow plate is only there to seal off the incoming
air when the heater is CLOSED so if you do not get a draught in
this position then do not worry. It is necessary to remove one
side of the heater to remove the flow plate...quite an involved job
If you eventually ever do this then it is important to renew the
thickish foam which surrounds the heater matrix while you have the
chance. I do not think that altering the flow from top to bottom
will make any difference. I think half the Minors are fitted the
'wrong' way round anyway

[Willie]

Having re-read your first heater post I would ask if you mean
by 'not good on tickover but ok when moving' that the air flow
is not good or the amount of heat ? Since the heater flow is
controlled by the pump speed I would expect the output to be
less warm on prolonged tickover although my heater has a
steady flow on tickover after a thorough reverse flushing.
On my original heater, before it was properly cleaned out the flow was a miserable intermittent dribble

[shymoggie]

Salty,

I've just done virtually the same things as you with regard to the cooling bits.... pump, pipes, flushes etc etc..... my heater feeds from the bottom and returns from the top too. BUT does the oposite to yours, nice and hot at idle & in traffic.. stone cold at 50mph It seems to be a badly blocked heater matrix, so as a bodge I've resticted the fresh air flow using a rubber glove without its fingers ! Workes a treat until a new matrix is fitted

[salty_monk]

Having re-read your first heater post I would ask if you mean
by 'not good on tickover but ok when moving' that the air flow
is not good or the amount of heat ?

Willie, definitely the amount of heat. The airflow is fine through the fresh air pipe or (obviously necessary at idle) the
electric fan.
Put Bars flush in the system for 2 days & reverse flushed the whole system (& forward flushed until it ran clear on heater & rad).
There shouldn't be too much gunk in there as after a couple of runs the water is still a nice "antifreeze" blue in colour rather than the previus rust brown...
The water pump & pipes are brand new as prviously stated so the flow to the matrix shouldn't be a problem but the pipe feeding it does not go cold when the heater does at idle so perhaps it is all down to the heater matrix after all!

Was looking to replace the foam in order to get a better flow when on the "screen" setting, it seems to blow it all out the front regardless of setting at the moment & the only thing I could see that the slider effects is the plate so assumed it was leaking around the side of it & blowing out the front due to knackered foam... Is this incorrect??

[Willie]

SHYMOGGIE....you shouldn't need a NEW heater matrix just
a thorough cleaning of the old one and perhaps a straightening
of the hundreds of flimsy fins on it ( many of mine were bent
but I don't understand why)!!
SALTY re the air flow control plate, you can feel it with your fingers
inside the outlet hole. In the fully closed position you can feel
a flange about 3/4" nearer to you than the closed plate. This is
the 'screen' position so if you now move the control to the
'SCREEN' position the plate should now be exactly in line with
this flange. IF it is not then you are not getting the correct
amount of air flow to the screen and there is something wrong
with the relationship between the plate and the operating lever.
(assuming that the vent pipes are on correctly) On my plate
one of the hinges had rusted solid so that the operating lever
only managed to 'bend' the plate a restricted amount. Also,
have you tried reversing the electrical leads?? The air flow
is considerably better when the polarity is correct.

[salty_monk]

Hi Willie,

no probs at all with air flow form outside or the fan so I don't think I need to change the wires. Mine is still pos ve anyway. The problem is just with direction... I'll investigate into the plate a bit more but I've had a feel around & it all seems to move quite smoothly.
At the moment pretty much all the airflow comes out of the front of the heater regardless of setting, the pipes are clear to the screen & fitted correctly.

How does the plate re-direct the air? I assumed it used the foam to create a seal. I did try blocking the hole right at the front to see if this would help to re-direct the air as an experiment but all that happened was the box got hot!!

Cheers,

Dan

[Willie]

SALTY.. it certainly sounds as though your 'flow plate' is out of
sync. In the 'OFF' position you should have negligible air
flow even with the fan on? In the 'screen' position you should
be able to feel, via the air outlet, that the flow plate is flush with
the internal flange as I stated earlier? It is quite possible that the
angle between the flow plate and the operating lever (which is fixed
to it) has been altered. Is the flap as far forward in the 'OFF'
position as you can push it? if NO then the operating lever angle is
wrong which will make the 'SCREEN' position wrong too.

[salty_monk]

Ok, will check asap & let you know how I get on! Going away for a couple of days so probably the weekend. Have some oil changes, brake shoes & greasing to do too, now it's warming up the heater seems less important.... Cheers.

[IslipMinor]

The Minor gearbox is designed to use engine oil. Never use any grade of EP or Hypoid oil, the very components that make it suitable for Extreme Pressure applications will 'eat' parts made of 'yellow' metal, synchro cones, 2nd/3rd gear mainshaft bushes, thrust washers etc.

What is wrong with using the oil it is designed for??

They all make a noise in first/reverse, any other noises will not be eliminated by using a different oil!!!!!

[Willie]

ISLIP I assume that you are aware that the earliest Minors
were designed to use EP oil? Totally agree re the EP additives 'eating'
components, as they do in the differential thrust washers!