Morris Minor Owners Club

Good point - if Mini 998 pistons have been fitted the 1098 crank will indeed push them too far up......

Hello all,

none of this makes sense, going back to post 1, the engine was, by the sound of it, turned over a few times; coil bound valve(s), or piston hitting the head would not make the engine stiff over a couple of full turns, the former would be tight for a short while the latter a dead stop but in between it would be free?

Alec

I agree......but anything is possible in this thread

What ever the cause turns out to be, I'm sure it will make sense.
The interesting part is working out the cause.

If it spins freely without the head on, I am guessing your valve timing was/is out, which could allow a certain amount of turning before one of the valves meets an obstruction...As for 998 pistons in a 1098! A different height of 3.8mm would make it come to a dead stop, "no turning with difficulty" involved!

I agree - even allowing for the gasket thickness, and pistons not coming to top of bore in first place - it's not going to happen. Just throwing ideas at the wall to see if any stick! The VALVES don't go down the bores on a standard lift cam.....(assuming non-skimmed head) - so no matter how far out the timing, they wont meet the pistons......

quick update:

had the head off again (snapped stud) and checked if the top of the pistons are protruding above the top of the bores. thankfully they where not.
head back on and tightened up, the engine still turned well.

checked and reset the tappets and though slightly stiff (new bearings) the engine turned over nicely,

so i have no idea why the engine was so stiff before.

HOWEVER... the engine wont fire. so i am still sans motor.

bmcecosse wrote:I agree - even allowing for the gasket thickness, and pistons not coming to top of bore in first place - it's not going to happen. Just throwing ideas at the wall to see if any stick! The VALVES don't go down the bores on a standard lift cam.....(assuming non-skimmed head) - so no matter how far out the timing, they wont meet the pistons......

I know, just throwing ideas at the wall myself(touche)
Now, which way does the rotor arm turn...

Anyway, back to no starting! Has it got a spark? Have you fitted the rotor arm? (easy to overlook!) Is it sparking the right cylinder at the right time? Is the fuel pump working?

no idea which way the rotor arm goes now, havent checked really.

but yes, it has the arm on

yes the fuel pump is working

not sure how to check if the sparking at the right cylinder at the right time


and finally, the two wires to the coil, one white and one white with a black stripe. which terminal does each one go to? i lost the labels and cannot remember which way round they go

The dizzy goes - and always has gone - anticlockwise............. so the firing order is 1342 anticlock round the cap. Wires don't matter at this stage - but ideally the white/black wire goes to the -ve terminal (or SW terminal on an early coil) assuming the car is -ve earth........
Engine set to TDC with the valves on #1 rocking - the rotor must be pointing to #1 HT lead. But first - is there ANY spark ????

Hello BMCE,

"Engine set to TDC with the valves on #1 rocking"

I'm sure you mean number 4 as that gives number one on compression, ready to fire.

Alec

Sorry - well spotted Alec - typed in a hurry - I meant of course 'free' so the cylinder is under compression...... The valves on #4 will be 'rocking' - ie inlet and exhaust both slightly open and so the rockers there NOT 'free'........

SORTED!!!!!

after a little fettling, got the engine to run, but it ran horribly, so i decided that the timing must be a little out.
easy enough, set the crank pulley notch to match the little pointer and follow the instructions...... not so easy on mine.

usually 3 little pointers are below the crank pulley, but not on old primrose, we have 5, and because of this i had set up the entire timing using the wrong mark, so whilst it ran i didnt properly.

so, replace the timing chain cover, reset the timing and dizzy (following the book), reconnect the ht leads in the right order and hey presto LIFE, so its just a case of fine tuning the carb and rechecking the tappets and sorting out my hockey stick fixings and the car will be back on the road.[frame][/frame]

I wouldn't have bothered changing the cover - but well done.

slight new development today, well to actually.

the engine is still a bit stiff, when i turn the key i just get a click of the solenoid, but if i give it a turn with the handle, it starts fine after that.
presumably the stiffness will sort its self out as its used more?

second development,
the bolts that hold the tappet chest covers on are weeping oil, should there be some sort of washer on them to prevent this?

other than that, the engine runs beautifully, very smooth with no knocks, rattles or judders. just like a lovely engine should

Battery a bit flat? Earth connections all good? The cover bolts have rubber seals and shaped washers under the heads.

well the battery is on charge now and ill have a forage around the shed for the cupped washers and then a trip to halfrauds for some rubber washers