get engine checked over?

[wibble_puppy]

I'd move it under cover though as if it rains on your blanket, the engine will be covered in rust in a frighteningly short period of time!

yeah, it's been under cover all the while, so thankfully no rain on it - it's right at the back of a large double open-fronted garage

in a funny way i might have been more alert to possible problems if it had been out in the rain.... might have concentrated my poor old mind a bit

new gaskets, thermostat, and maybe duplex timing chain.

The problem is that i really have no way of finding out what any of these parts actually are, nor any way of knowing how to access them and to know whether they need replacement. It's not that I'm thick, and I have a few good books to refer to - it's just that none of the names of any of the parts seem to cross-reference, and all the instructions I've read are so vague and assume so much prior knowledge.... I still can't even find the blessed core plugs

ho hum, it will all come all right in the end - and hopefully without ANY MORE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks for all your help guys

juliet xxxxxxxxxxxx

[Packedup]

I spent many hours reading various books, but never really learned anything till I got the spanner out. Some of the stuff that seemed really tricky in the books turned out to be so unbelievably easy in real life, but the opposite is also true...

I wouldn't advise stripping your engine just to learn (cause if you naff it up you've got a problem), but if you can get hold of a freebie (maybe one with running probs that is being chucked) and strip it in your spare time it might really help

I just think that although your engine is probably fine, prevention is better than cure so if at all possible it's worth doing at least some of the "consumables" bolted to it before putting it back in. If you were more local I'd be happy to pop over and run you through a few bits, but there must be someone around you can call on?

[aupickup]

well juliet i could pop over one sat or sun and run through the basics with you if you like
only to happy to help

[Matt]

Isn't Dan going to help you for a while? I'm sure he can explain/show you most of the bits you need to know (if not i'm sure he can ring me.... )

[wibble_puppy]

awwww dan.... aupickup............. you'd both be welcomed with open arms.........

[rayofleamington]

If the engine has not be used for a while - put some oil down the bores through the spark plug holes and turn it over by hand a few times - just to keep it all moving. Put the plugs back in - and jam oiley rags into the cylinder head ports.

Very good advice! After putting oil in the plug holes and turning it over quite a few times you really do need to put the plugs back in and bung up the holes - there's only 2 holes to bung up if the manifold is on. You need to avoid random things geting into the engine and damp air is a killer for the cylnders (which is why the plugs and rags are needed).
The problem with "it'll only be 4 months" is that it can very easily turn into a longer time before you know it and people like me often kick themselves for not storing parts properly (everything done in a rush )

The engine for the 54 had been left with the plugs out by the previous owner (no idea how long, but it seems it was too long) and hence I needed a replacement.
Many many thanks to JLH for the replacement engine ;-)

[wibble_puppy]

After putting oil in the plug holes and turning it over quite a few times you really do need to put the plugs back in

so it's not too late to do this now, even though it's been standing for a while with the plugs in and the oil drained?

and bung up the holes - there's only 2 holes to bung up if the manifold is on. You need to avoid random things geting into the engine and damp air is a killer for the cylnders (which is why the plugs and rags are needed).

so if i bung them up now I'm not running the risk of trapping damp air inside and making the problem worse? That's what's been doing me heed in!

The problem with "it'll only be 4 months" is that it can very easily turn into a longer time before you know it and people like me often kick themselves for not storing parts properly

absolutely! - totally agree with ya there ray

The engine for the 54 had been left with the plugs out by the previous owner (no idea how long, but it seems it was too long) and hence I needed a replacement.

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek

If there is already damp in there, then how about if I got a strong rubble sack and put the engine in it along with a few of those boxes of hydroscopic crystals, to try and suck out as much moisture as possible?

j xxxx

[rayofleamington]

oil in the bores and turning it over will remove any effects you may (or may not) have had from damp air - bunging up the holes afterwards will be just fine. Anyway - we've had a good summer and the damp days have only just started recently, so it's certainly not too late.
If you do end up leaving the engine for many years, it's worth to repeat the oil + turning over every year ~(not that I have ever done that, unless the engine was in a car, then they get started at least every 6 months)

[wibble_puppy]

oil in the bores and turning it over will remove any effects you may (or may not) have had from damp air - bunging up the holes afterwards will be just fine. Anyway - we've had a good summer and the damp days have only just started recently, so it's certainly not too late.

great! ok will do that - thank you very much, ray

If you do end up leaving the engine for many years, it's worth to repeat the oil + turning over every year

definitely won't be years.... more like another couple of months at the very outside

juliet xxxxx

[rayofleamington]

definitely won't be years....

Famous last words!!

[wibble_puppy]

Famous last words!!

It'll all be over by Christmas. Book currently open on which year.

[Packedup]

My 1500 was going to be on the road last Autumn. Then this Autumn. Now it's next Autumn... Still, at least the bodywork is holding up, and I know the engine is bin fodder (in fact, most of the mechincals are getting replaced or reconditioned) so I don't have to worry about it

[wibble_puppy]

update:

have run through all of this with Steve at ESM today . His advice is to take the plugs out, put a small squirt of engine oil down each hole (not too much), turn the engine over a few times, and then replace the plugs and bung up the other holes.

He reckons that once I start doing stuff to the engine it'll cost a grand before I know it - so his best advice is to leave it be, as it was running ok before taken out

I love Steve, me

[Packedup]

update:

have run through all of this with Steve at ESM today . His advice is to take the plugs out, put a small squirt of engine oil down each hole (not too much), turn the engine over a few times, and then replace the plugs and bung up the other holes.

Or leave it for 4 years, then pull the plugs, squirt some oil down, crank it a few times then fire it up. That Metro I'm stripping runs like a dream after all of the above!

He reckons that once I start doing stuff to the engine it'll cost a grand before I know it - so his best advice is to leave it be, as it was running ok before taken out

Well, there's 3 schools of thought:

Leave it as it was, it was fine.

Do the bearings, water and oil pump, and pull and decoke the head (I personally don't lap valves unless really needed, because I feel it may accelerate recession thanks to unleaded)

Measure every tolerance, regrind, rebore, replace etc meaning muchos money.

I tend to go for option one if I'm in a rush or far too skint, but far prefer option 2 (or as much of it as money allows) given the choice. Wearing parts wear, so anything other than freshly done will mean there's wear. May take is you may as well replace the worn parts before adding yet more wear

I'd say 100 quid should do both pumps, get all the gaskets needed, and buy a new set of bottom end shells. And probably leave change for a much needed take out and bottle of plonk at the end of the day

[bmcecosse]

If it's been at the back of the garage - and only during summer, with the manifold in place - then it will be fine. Still put some oil down the bores and turn over by hand. Your 'professional' mechanic will know what he's doing ---- will he ???
Edit - Sorry - just read the last page here - a Grand for a Minor engine - he has got to be joking !! What a rip-off !!!! A rebore with pistons is no more than £100, and a crank regrind with bearings is about £60. Add a new oil pump (£10) and a set of gaskets/timing chain ~ £15 - that's IT !!!
Even a child can strip an A series in an hour or two - and not much longer to rebuild it either. It's really really easy - nothing difficult at all.
But let's all hope the oil in the bores (where he at least agrees with me there) will keep it all in good order.