Morris Minor Owners Club

Can't you get at the mains with the engine in situ then? Good grief, something the Triumph's actually better for! Although of course, the fact Triumph OHVs eat bearings before breakfast makes it less of an advantage...

You can get at them, but I don't think you could replace them without taking the crank out - could you?

Can with the OHV Triumph lumps - You slacken the caps, then drop one at a time and push the shell round carefully (with variou implements not designed for hte job ;) ), then slide the new one in, at least as carefully (it'll be a tighter fit of course).

Only A series I've done the shells on wasn't even in the car to start with, so I haven't attempted it - And of course with the A doing the oil pump is impossible unless one of the big bits is pulled.. And the pumps are so cheap it's probably not worth not doing it unless you're really skint and/ or in a hell of a hurry

Front main cap needs the timing gear removed to take out the two wee screws going in through the front plate. Otherwise - mains can be done. But it's rarely worth renewing big-end shells - or main shells - without re-grinding the crank. I have of course done it - but only during a general engine overhaul where there was really nothing wrong with the old shells - and the crank was measured up to be perfect. If they have been 'rattling' then new shells won't last long.

Well, that looks like a can of worms I opened.

With the speed my mechanic works at I'm thinking I might be better off just dropping in a reconditioned engine rather than paying him by the hour to take out, repair and refit what I have. Unless of course this is the way of fools.

How long 'should' it take to switch engines?

It'll take maybe an hour longer to replace the shells than it will to pull and slot new in I reckon. As to how long it actually takes, can't help - Depends on how many people, how easily everything comes undone, how many tea and fag breaks...

...and how many times you've done it before. It gets a LOT quicker with practice

Onne wrote:Well, that is not expensive at all! My sidevalve has cost over £1000 to rebuild

as he rebuilt it onne, the price is fair.
the 1 i did for some one has the assembly labour on top.

I think it is fair. I wouldn't actually mind putting it back together myself
seems like jolly good fun!

it is

Well, at least the engine looks nice and shiney. Lovely unleaded excellence

its great onne.
i must do it to my side valve. not got around to it yet.
those engines are so smooth. Sometimes on tickover, i cant hear or feel it working, and i think it has stalled. have you got a water pump on your engine?

it hasn't. it's the early sidevalve. No restriction by waterpump, nor by an oilfilter, so it should be as smooth as a ....sidevalve