Morris Minor Owners Club

How do you bleed the matrix to be sure of no air ?

Jim with the engine running just pull the return pipe off the connection for a moment, this should burp the system, remember the will be a squirt of water unless the matrix is totally blocked.

mayonnaise can develop in a car that runs cool or does a lot of short journeys.

Alex is quite right the most common cause is short journeys without the car getting to a working temperature, also I found years ago the Duckhams was far more prone to it than Castrol.

I've done the flush & fill, then bleed trick, having first tightned the fan belt... Whilst bleeding the heater (engine running, hose off) I blocked both the heater pipe & the tube from the bottom hose with thumbs.... almost no pressure from the water... does this sound like a feeble water pump ?

The result is still weird

Start up....drive away.
Within minutes some warmth.
Continue driving for a mile or so at 40..... almost cold air
Slow down to 25 / 30 a little warmer
Idle.... nice and toasty !!
Throughout, the temp guage never exceeds 60deg - although it runs warmer with the heater in the water cicuit than without

So people, should I bite the bullet ? New water pump, flushing chemicals and new hoses all round (I already have 3 of the hoses) ?

The temperature guage must be faulty - the thermostat doesn't even open until 82C. Until it opens the hot water can't circulate to the heater. You wouldn't get any heat coming from the heater if the water temperature didn't exceed 60C and the choke would have to remain out because the engine would be too cold.

Chris Morley,
the thermostat only stops water flow to the rad - the interior heater is connected from the head and returns to the bottom of the block (via the bottom hose, so is therefore not stopped by the thermostat)
shymoggie,
Have you tried removing the fresh air inlet hose from the heater (and then blocking it to stop cold air coming into the car). Over winter months there is far too much fresh air forced in the hose at speed for the heater top be able to warm it up, but it gives a much stronger flow.
I guess peoples expectations for in-car warmth have changed - back in the 60's people were happy not to have misty windows... Warmth itself was second priority.

With the exterior hose disconnected you rely on the fan to recirculate the interior air and it gets progressively warmer. However you may need the quarter lights open for fresh air on a damp day to reduce the screen misting up.

Et voila!

Nothing to worry unduly about unless your radiator level is constantly falling! Condensation in this case, a couple of droplets can be seen.
Chris - water flows through the heater with stat shut and valve open. Through bypass hose. Ray must have posted at same time.

57traveller,
I'm glad I didn't see that pic yesterday! I was poorly enough already

I like those rockers - are they late mini? I picked up a set of those for my first Minor and put a huge amount of miles on them.. They seem to be more durable than the fabricated ones... or maybe that's just wishfull thinking.

Yes they are Ray. I suspect you're correct about durability. However the "laminated" type seem to have stood the test of time. See my last post in valve clearances - that's why these are fitted!

That looks virtually the same as my engine (except for the emulsion!). Same rocker cover, oil filler cap and rockers. My rockers are new Ital ones, which I assume are the same as the late Mini ones (A+ type).

57, Do you find the oil filler cap a bit loose? Mine is and it causes a little bit of a leak when I rev the engine for prolonged periods.

It's just bog standard 1098cc Cam. Yes I do find slight variation in the filler caps, some loose, some tight. That particular cap is slightly loose but fortunately doesn't leak. The filler on my saloon is a good tight fit. Maybe some variation in suppliers. Wonder if it could just be as simple as needing a thicker sealing washer?
I've been tempted to fit a 85deg. thermostat to the Traveller to replace the existing 82deg., may do when the coolant is changed prior to next winter. The saloon does have the hotter stat. and has only recently been used for short journeys and there's not a trace of goo. Better heater output as well.

Wonder if it could just be as simple as needing a thicker sealing washer?

Maybe, but on mine there is a few mm before the top of the rocker cover mates with the tapered plastic bit on the filler cap. I bought a new one at last years London to Brighton run (Bull Motif) I'll try fitting that one and see if it makes a difference.

Its nice to hear you all talk about the mayonnaise. Ray did tell me in an earlier thread that this can heppen. As i thought my head gasket had gone. Although i havent just got it around the head. The colour of the oil in the sump is that colour too!

Yes, I have had it on previous engines where there has been a little bit on the dipstick. Also when I took the front timing cover off my Ital engine it had got some in there too!

But the engine is ok, and doesnt need a complete strip down?

It is probably fine, unless there is oil present in your water? In any case it should not need a complete strip-down anyway. If there is a problem it's only a head removal.

Well I had thought of taking the head off and having a check inside and checking the valve seats on the head. Might as well take the bottom off and give it all a good clean up and check it over. The sump is fuller than full and i think there is a water jacket to oil jacket leak as there was no water in the rad when i got it, and water seems to dissapear.

If all the oil on the dipstick looked emulsified then it would need investigating further but if there's just a trace then that's probably condensation as well. I've had it before. Same as Cam there's also been a trace evident in a timing chain cover after it's removal.
If you are losing water as you say, from the radiator without any apparent leaks and the sump level rises then there could be a problem somewhere.

Take the dipstick out and its covered in emulsified oil way up past the top mark!

That might mean there's a bit of emulsion bobbing around on top of the oil.
However if you get the sump off you might find a lot of it - if soo it needs a good clean out, butn I'd be tempted to run the engine first - that way you will know if the engine is beyond repair before wasting time and money on it. It would be unfortunate to rebuild it only to find a water jacket to oil leak!

Thats a good point, I have to take the engine out anyway to roll the car on its side. With any luck the spares car might have a 1098 in it. That would be nice!

Good grief!

This was ME in s former life!