Morris Minor Owners Club

Maybe the last head fitter forgot to re-tighten them after time. Its easily done I guess.
Oddly my rocker gasket has started leaking oil for no reason whatsoever - and its a new one.
I blame the weather, in true british style!

Yes your are probably right, I guess the same monkey that bodged the bypass tube.

That's rather uncanny - my bypass hose sprang a leak just after I had the head off a few days ago. Got a couple of new ones - 95p from the local MG Rover dealer!

Got a couple of new ones - 95p from the local MG Rover dealer

Use a piece of heater hose its what was used originally and lasts far far longer than the bellows type. and I wish it was just the bypass hose that was my problem rather than the bypass tube .

I would have used a piece of heater hose if I'd known it was dodgy when I had the head off, but only when I'd put it back on did it start leaking

Remember you dont have to take the head off to remove the hose just the water pump.

Bypass tube?
Do you mean the outlet the bypass hose attaches to?

If so can't you just stick a piece of copper pipe or suchlike in the whole with some JB Weld?
Might need to open the hole out a bit but thats all.

Bypass tube?
Do you mean the outlet the bypass hose attaches to?

Yes thats it on the underside of the head.
Hmm sorry but that sounds a bit of a bodge to me.
It might be ok as an emergency fix but with whats left of mine which is just a rusty serrated piece less than a third of its original length, I would rather it was done properly and what probably caused it was not running with a decent antifreeze mixture all year round some time in the past.

Leaving the egg jokes aside (didn't Leonard Lord describe the Morris Minor as looking like a poached egg???)- back to head gaskets-

after doing a blown exhaust valve in Jan, the traveller ran very well but some oil crept into the water and a small amount of mayonnaise on the rocker cover. I took Martins (from local club) advice and re-torqued the head, this time to 55lb ft. As I believe BMC has said here, the manuals are wrong its not 40lb-ft for an A series engine but 55lb-ft. Those with Mini experience know this.

Did this, then re-torqued to 55 and the leak dissapeared!

Strange as I've got away with 40lb/ft a few times before.

the manuals are wrong its not 40lb-ft for an A series engine but 55lb-ft.

Well I find it strange that the original BMC manuals are wrong but I will check as I have one, I can understand the haynes style ones being incorrect as they often seem to have some facts wrong, but I find it hard to believe the factory ones are wrong as the A series was in production for many years before the mini came along and I would have thought that an extra 30% increase on the studs would not be ideal, could them problems be caused but studs & nuts pass their sell by dates.
I am sure Ray can add more technical detail to this issue.

I think the higher torque is for studs ith a drill point marking or the number 22 on the top. as per the studs on the 1275 Sprite.

Standard ones are 40 ft pounds

Don't try and over do it they strip very easily

Thats right roger so unless the stronger studs are fitted your are right about the risk.
Still not sorted my head as we couldnt get workshop access fingers crossed for tomorrow

Its starting to look a bit doubtful for Alfie , I hope I dont have to come in modern metal
But all the best to those who are setting off tomorrow and I will see you on Sunday one way or the other

No problem with the slightly higher torque on my car! It has fixed the slight leak.

40lb/ft is not actually that tight.

I've heard some folk say that higher torque values are needed these days as the head gaskets are not as good as they used to be, or the manual is wrong and the mistake was copied.

I did mine to 45lbs, didn't seem especially tight but I really don't want to risk a snapped stud!