Morris Minor Owners Club

Only if it fouls the battery!

aha, well I shall have to wait and see My battery isn't too big so fingers crossed

Its not the battery it will foul on (unless you have an unusually large battery) but the leading edge of the battery tray.....

Thanks PSL, will see how I get on when I test fit the head (waiting for funds to purchase LCB before I do so...)

You can still fit the 940 head now and change the exhuast later when you have the money. You'll mainly loose out on top end performance with the standard exhaust manifold / system but you won't hurt anything.....

Oh ok, I didn't realise that. I have the HIF38 carb, manifold and head, only waiting on the exhaust. Is it possible to split the dual manifold with an angle grinder so that I can use the bigger carb and standard exhaust? Or am I better leaving the carb until I have the LCB?

George,
It took me about 20 min to split the manifold with the angle grinder using 1mm stainless steel cutting discs. I made the mistake of doing it on the patio just before the rain came as I had to run for cover. It left lovely rust stains and the domestic authorities weren't impressed. The HIF38 carb made quite a difference even with the original head. I also made up a heat shield from 0.5mm stainless steel as they are expensive to buy-see pic below. I had to abandon the 940 head project last year after the house was badly flooded so there was a dramatic change in priorities but I'm finally in the process of fitting pressed steel rockers at the moment which took quite a while to source at a reasonable price over here. It will hopefully be going on in the next week or two. In your case, I would fit the carb and do the exhaust later. I'm very happy with the performance even with the original head and can't wait to see what it will be like when the 940 head finally goes on.
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Roy,
Yes it's the 11 stud head-should I block off the the unused holes?
I have the double valve springs fitted at the moment-should I leave it be or remove the inner springs?
As all the valves were sunk, should I put 40thou packing washers under each valve spring?
I still have a bit more polishing to do on the edges but this is what the combustion chamber looks like at the moment.
Thanks[frame][/frame]

You should NOT have sunk the inlet valves! The compression ratio may now be too low - and of course the inlet flow compromised. Either run them as is - or remove the inner spring if not planning tremendous high revs - and put washers under the springs. Probably best just leave as is - but do all you can to 'unpocket' the inlet valves - without taking too much out of the combustion chambers. And yes - it's well worth while fitting the HIF 38 even with standard exhaust - mine ran like that for a couple of years and only last year have I added a manifold and larger bore exhaust - and to be honest the 'improvement' although there - is not that great. In fact - the extra noise becomes quite wearing on a long run! Just leave the extra stud holes - or drill and tap - and use them - with extra studs! But they aren't necessary - Rover eventually realised that - didn't use them on the highest power A series they made - the Turbo!
You say 'pressed steel' rockers Declan - but your picture shows 'sintered' rockers - which are fine for this application. Pressed steel rockers are the type fitted to all 1098 engines - good rockers - just not aligned to suit a 940 head, but with a bit of work can be made to do so.

Thanks Roy,
Only the outlet valves were actually sunk, the inlet valve seats were just recut and the old ridge was ground off.

Thanks for those pictures Declan, really helpful to know that it can be done. I have a heat shield fitted to the inlet/carb already luckily as it came with it when I bought it. With both of your comments on the standard exhaust I think I will go ahead and split the manifold and get cracking when I get my angle grinder back from London.
Finally all the preparation and research is near realisation!!

I just cut the thing off with a hacksaw! Cut into the inlet - it's getting thrown away - then tidy up the exhaust until you are happy with it.
That inlet valve looks just as 'sunk' as the exhaust alongside it! You should try to 'unpocket' it by going around the edge of the seat with a small mounted point and easing away the obvious ridge there.

Thanks Roy,
That photo could be a bit of an optical illusion regarding the depth of the valves. I have just measured the depth and the outlet is 1.1mm deeper than the inlet. Perhaps this photo is better.I'll take a closer look at that ridge.[frame][/frame]

Aye - but oh dear! How are you going to get a gasket to hold on that tiny land between the chambers! What's happened there ???

I thought that myself and when I compare the photo before and after it was machined I think you are right. My mate who did it was only supposed to remove the ridge from around the valve seat. You can see on the previous photo where he lightly scribed the contour of the head gasket. I don't know why he removed that much from the land. Maybe I should scrap the head and source another one or do you think it would be worth trying? I'm obviously not happy with it.

Before grinding was done.
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With regard to the water pump fouling the head, is it easier to grind away at the pump itself or the head under the thermostat?

Declan - how does it look if you position a head gasket on the head - and accurately align it with the stud holes? I could see the faint scribe marks - but even they seem to have been cut away. The idea is to sink the valves, by all means - but to take NOTHING away from the combustion chamber - to hold the compression ratio up. I have to say - that looks too narrow to hold a gasket - what WAS he thinking!
As for water pump - a few strokes with a file on the aluminium pump (just do it in situ) sorts it out.

Declan-What a cat-a-strofe!
All that hard work and it can't possibly hold- the exposed gasket will burn away in no time
Only hope is if by skimming to regain some compression, you can improve that width-just possible!

George- As BMC says- very easy to dress the top of the water pump- I cheated with the angle grinder- make sure you keep the bores protected from filings though. Yes it's the battery tray that fouls the water outlet- my answer was a couple of swipes with a lump hammer on the leading edge!

AND WATCH YOUR FINGERS AS YOU DROP THE HEAD ON- IT HURTS TO GET THEM CAUGHT BETWEEN THE HEAD AND THE GUARD ON THE TOP OF THE RADIATOR!!!

Thanks BM and LA, nice to know it can be done with a file... was unkeen to get grinding sparks spraying allover the engine bay, so that is a relief.
And thanks for the heads up, but will be taking the rad out for re-painting at the same time as swapping the head so no risk there

I positioned a head gasket but it doesn't look good. I think the best thing do do is to source another head.

Fraid so - and that a rare 11 stud head too! Don't worry - the extra studs (actually 1 stud and 1 bolt) aren't required - even Rover realised that and didn't use them on the Turbo. Just get a normal 940 head - and this time - keep the maniac machinist away from it!