Morris Minor Owners Club

Great video David - particularly like the view from the back window. Aah the seaside - and sunny too

Certainly a long way from where you were on Sunday 29th March 2009 surveying a very rusty car buried in the undergrowth. You have come a very long way and it's clear you are now enjoing every minute of it - well done! [frame][/frame]

Thank you Bruce, it does seem like a long time ago now, I guess it's because so much metal has flowed under the bridge.
Today was a workshop/garage day, cold as it is, it's mild by comparrison to a few days ago, so at least natures on my side today. But the studs that hold the oil filter head to the block were not, I managed to wind the first one out just locking two bolts together, but the forward stud was playing funny thread games. So as I no longer need the long studs any more I welded a blob of mig weld to the nut and stud and out it came.[frame][/frame]

The replacement oil pipe I purchased from ESM cost me £15, they only have these in good second hand condition, but it's far better than my roapy original one. As you can see from this shot, I need the old connector to join between the new spin on oil head and the new second hand oil pipe.[frame][/frame]

and she's on tight, judicial application of heat should help...[frame][/frame]

came off like a dream, while that cools off in some oil, time for a well earned cup of Tea.[frame][/frame]

before the new shorter studs go in I have to make sure every trace of the old gasket is scraped right off, or I'll be right back where I started, with oil on the garage floor..[frame][/frame]

with a new gasket and a cleaned of surface, the studs fitted in and the head bolted up nice and tight..[frame][/frame]
time for my other cup of tea.[frame][/frame]

as an aside, Ive been having battery trouble, as it co incided with the sudden cold weather I thought it was that. But lo and behold look here, I fould these two halfs of the plastic clip had parted, presumably stopping current from going from The Alternator back to the 12volt battery, does anyone here tape these up?[frame][/frame]

I hope that hasn't knackered the alternator.
The connector shouldn't need tape, does it come apart easily?

If the connector comes apart easily, it may be the connectors inside it are not making good contact. You may be able to tighten them up with some needle nose pliers. If that doesn't or can't work, replace the plug with a new one, preferably one with a clip that holds it together. Look at it as a chance to fix something before it needs to be fixed.

thanks MarkyB, Jagnut and Roni, thats good advice, I'll keep you posted on the plug situation, this morning was rear spring bushes time, the shackles themselves look ok but the bushes are a mess one year's motoring on. Could be due to me having tightened them up with the weight not on the wheels.
[frame][/frame]

i would definately recommend Polys - superpro? - fit and forget!

i would definately recommend Polys - superpro? - fit and forget!

I agree.

That white plastic clip looks like the one for an accuspark electronic ignition kit. Nothing to do with the alternator...

yes I have that already in hand, the set that ESM sent me, the larger one's are probably for the front spring mounts, and the smaller one's for the rear shackle mounts, the larger red for the top and blue bottom.[frame][/frame]

however, I had the rear jacked up incorrectly using the tail end of the chassis, I need to take pressure off the rear spring shackles so I can free the pins. This means using the chassis ahead of the front rear spring mounts.[frame][/frame]

So once it was up I decided to leave the shackles for another session, once I've looked up the technique, Ive only done them with the chassis on it's own with no engine, gearbox or bodywork fitted. So the front uni joint, I replaced the rear one and just greased up the old front one, now it's time to replace it[frame][/frame]
learning the lessons from the rear joint I remembered to seat the clip properly in that groove[frame][/frame]
quick check on the rear one, grease up the clips and back on the car, the bolt set comes with nylock nuts and no spring washers, frame][/frame]

back to the rear shackles, the plates are in good condition, the holes have not elongated, which, I guess could, along with worn bushes, cause movement with the pin.[frame][/frame]

davidmiles wrote:thanks MarkyB, Jagnut and Roni, thats good advice, I'll keep you posted on the plug situation, this morning was rear spring bushes time, the shackles themselves look ok but the bushes are a mess one year's motoring on. Could be due to me having tightened them up with the weight not on the wheels.
[frame][/frame]

It looks like the bushes have been crushed, the shoulder of the pin should halt the shackle plate before it can do that. Not sure whats happened there. All I can think of is the chassis end has been replaced at some time, and the metal bush tube has been made wider, in effect making the pin shoulders further in, allowing the shackle plate to crush the rubber before it is stopped by the shoulder. Not easy to word but hope you get the picture. I had this problem with mine, fortunately I spotted it before fitting the end chassis leg, and shortened the tube. Of course I may be wrong.

The actual "meat" of the bushes looks OK, I think the amount of Carbon black is higher in new bushes and actual latex has been reduced.