Morris Minor Owners Club

You could try with a left hand drill bit if you have a reversing drill.
While you are drilling it is also putting effort into unscrewing the part.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5pc-Left-Hand ... 2566f01e87

I wouldn't use an Easy out, they can easily break and make the problem MUCH worse

As above - easy out at that size is v fragile....

It's out! I taped up every possible hole that swarf could enter and set up a hoover on where I was drilling. Then I drilled a hole about a quarter of an inch deep, carefully knocked in an Allen screwdriver and unscrewed it. Now I can press on with the build!

Take great care in future when 'nipping up' these small screws. Only use a short hand held ring key...

I've now almost finished the engine. I just need to do a few more things and get hold of a few screws, studs etc. Apart from that snapped screw, everything went very well. I forgot to put on the bypass hose before fitting the head and thought for one awful moment that I'd have to take it off again. Then I realised that I could just do it by removing the water pump! I've torqued the head to 35 lb.ft so far. I'll torque it up fully when I have it off the table.

I can't fit the timing gears yet as I haven't got the triangle plate screws but I tried to push them on to work out if I needed shims or not. However, they are VERY stiff to get on. I think they'd only go on by hammering them which I don't really want to do. Is this common or is something wrong?

The other thing is that the oil pressure switch and temperature sender are very tight but not screwed in all the way. They don't seem to want to go any further. Is this okay or do they need to go all the way in?

Anyway, with any luck it'll work and be in the car soon!

Here are some pictures of the build.

Crank and pistons in:
[frame][/frame][frame]Cam and strainer in:
[/frame]

Head with new valve guides and oil seals:[frame][/frame]
The engine in its current state:
[frame][/frame]

The oil pump is from Mini Spares. I didn't have to modify it at all:[frame][/frame]

You might be tight on the key that is fitted to the shaft rather than the sprockets being the problem. The pressure switch and sender have a tapered thread so they will not screw right home.

James
Glad to hear that you managed to remove the sheared set screw.
The timing gears can be stiff to fit and remove so nothing unusual there. They have to be a reasonably fit on the shafts. Make sure that the Woodruff keys are correctly aligned.
The oil pressure switch can be a taper thread or parallel thread dependent upon supplier. Neither type go fully home.
The temperature transmitter should screw in without difficulty but only as far as it contacts the seating in the head. The transmitter is not designed to go fully home so you will see exposed threads.
Phil

DO NOT hammer the timing gears! As Phil points out - the keys can be tight - but also can easily 'tip up' and jam the sprockets. They really should slide firmly on, and certainly no hammering! And of course you must take great care to get the dots lined up absolutely spot on... Oh and I hope you flooded the oil pump with oil - and perhaps some vaseline if the engine is likely to stand for any length of time before being run.

Hi
in the pic with the oil pump in it looks like you removed
the top scroll seal cap and put a new gasket in
did you ?
if so did you set it up propley
it must be centered on the crank
not just bolted on

I think I've now got the scroll seal centred. There was just enough clearance to get a feeler gauge in. I measured the gap each side then set it to half of the total.

In terms of the sprockets, I just cannot get them to move. They're both now stuck on, they won't go further on or come off. I really don't know what to do. They just won't move

Try a pair of tyre lever levers behind the gears and gently lever them forward.
I have in the past had to pull them off with a two legged puller with the extractor screw in either the crankshaft bolt hole or the dimple in the end of the camshaft.
Do not force the camshaft gear as you may end up ruining the triangular thrust washer.
Once you have got them off clean up the crankshaft and camshaft gear carrier until you can firmly push the gears on.
You can gently tap the gears onto the shafts (preferably with a hide hammer) but do not be too heavy handed.
When you have got the gears off remove the Woodruff keys and try them in the slot in the gears to see how they fit.
If tight rub the sides on some oiled medium wet/dry placed on a flat surface until they are a perfect fit.
This where the ability to fettle comes into play.
Good luck
Phil

Just a thought, make sure the triangular camshaft plate has the bearing material facing the cam, before you fit the sprocket.

i have pullers if you need to borrow some

As above - try the sprockets without the keys in place.. They should slide on (and pull off) with fingers only.

Thanks for the suggestions. I borrowed a puller this morning and got the sprockets off. After almost three hours (which I really thought was about half an hour) I've managed to get them on. I had to use emery paper on the woodruff keys. The problem I have now is that the sprockets don't line up. They are both pushed completely home but there is a misalignment of about 1mm. What is the best option, lots of shims? A washer? Something else?

Yes - you need to line up the teeth as accurately as you can. How much end float is there on the crank - and the cam ?

James
Have you got the crankshaft gear the right way round as there is a distinct difference in offset of 5mm for both simplex and duplex gears.
The timing mark should face outwards away from the block.
The cam shaft gear should have the reduced diameter (31mm) towards the camshaft and the reduced diameter (2.9mm deep) fits inside the triangular camshaft retaining plate and buts up against the camshaft.
A photo of the problem would be appreciated.
Phil

Here's a picture of the gears. I'm not sure how well you can see but I tried to capture it. It looks like the problem isn't as bad as I thought as I was measuring the faces of the gears rather than the teeth. I can't work out how to precisely measure the alignment of the teeth but it seems to be okay. They are close enough that the play in the chain enable it to run straight. Is this okay or not? The crank end float is 3 thou. I haven't measured the cam yet.[frame][/frame]