More cylinder head issues.

[tim_jnv]

staring to deviate a bit but, if increasing power in engine should anything be done in a) putting it onto the road with out breaking anything, diffs, axel, suspension, gearing. and b) what about about stoping it, (brakes). is there any suitable and cost effective options of exploiting better what is already there?

[bmcecosse]

It's a never ending spiral.... and yes you should improve the brakes/wheels & tyres/suspension if you improve the power. All these are covered over and over again throughout this forum...I suggest you use the 'search' facility..

[whyperion]

We only really need the car ( which one ?? !) to go fast enough in modern traffic up the 50mph dual carriageways without the engine shaking itself into bits ( basically more bang for less engine stress - though with the gearbox and rear axle limitations I suppose the unit still has to get to fast revs to move the car along anyway ( unless I loose 3stone in weight and replace every non-essential metal bit with fibreglass ( though there is not much weight saving there).

With respect to the re-con head, it was one of two I had ( stuck for cash the full re-done one I flogged off ), It came shrink-wrapped with new valves in ( they are OK, unpitted either side ), but with no springs , collects or rockers- all of which came off the originally mated head to the 1098 block. Supposedly the head had the hardend valve seats fitted and some new valve guides.

The condition of the head I think relates to the fuel mix, even changing carbs I am getting either stalling or racing of the engine, either both carbs have jet assemblies that are not freely moving or the accelerator and/or choke cables are snagged internally, I am ordering new cables anyway as where the ones off the traveller got put ( search in relatives loft might find them), I can then dismantle the old cables and see if strands broken part way along, and clean and lube the carb mechanisms ( assuming jet needles are correctly angled and not catching anywhere- piston drops smoothly).


Meanwhile I lied a bit about the broken valve springs, I fitted the 7 good ones then 1 out of the new box. Now
[frame][/frame]
I have found some matching springs in the garage ( so that's what happened to the decent milk saucepan - just right size for collecting valve springs in ) , but what are correct for Minor 1098s?
Cylinder Head without the valves in- they cleaned up well and are living in a cornflakes box (pushed thru the side panel numbered up) Again shows what appears to be depression on 2 / 3 exhaust seats - but that's how it came back (so long ago that the partnership that did it have packed up and one doing something different in mid-wales.
[frame][/frame]

[philthehill]

You would be much better to invest in a new set of valve springs and be done with it.
The 4th spring from the left unless it is a trick the photo has had it. It is much shorter than the rest. Is that the broken one?
The only way you can be sure that they have a similar spring rate is to buy a new set.http://morrisminorspares.co.uk/shop/pro ... 09734224c6

[whyperion]

The short one was out the replacement pack, the tall ones came off the original head - had they streached over the years ? Or was I sold an incorrect type?

I have the other 7 in the packet (plus 8 same height in the bucket in the garage that must have come off some old head)

[philthehill]

The correct free length for a standard 1100cc engine valve spring Terry Pt No: 451-458 is 1.75".
The correct free length for a heavy poundage engine valve spring Terry Pt No: 451-557 is 1.687".
Unless you can be certain that you have heavy poundage valve springs fitted the free length of the springs should NOT be shorter than 1.75" ; if they are they will not be suitable and should be discarded.
ALL valve springs should be the same free length - not greater or shorter than the standard free length.

[les]

I'm wondering why you don't just look for another 948 head, and be done. The one you have looks bad. Then at least you'll have it complete rather than building one from bits you seem to have scattered around everywhere! You can strip and recon it, and renew parts as a set, and not an odd one from somewhere, I'm thinking of this shorter valve spring, when I say that, that's definitely not the done thing! In fact I'd go further and say ---get another head and renew guides, springs, seals and valves. That would solve all your cylinder head issues, in one go! Then if you've still got problems you know it's elsewhere!

[whyperion]

The problem is , for the 1098 ( We only have one 948 head , which is merrily on the 948 car ), head in the picture it is a Re-Con head that has been on the car for some 500 miles /18 month max, with new valves. The springs (bar the short one) came off the previous head ( which I still have pending cleaning up - there was not much 'wrong' with it anyway). The short spring came from a new set of springs bought for a 1098 A Series engine - I was offered the choice of Soft . Med or Strong springs, I went for Medium one, and I had already fitted the other 7 springs.

Why remove the pictured head ?- because there seemed to be oil coming up around Cyl 2 and Cyl 3 so I was looking to check for suitable valve seals for at least the inlets. I am out tomorrow with steel tape measure and vernier calipers to check all diameters and lengths and fish the other springs out if needed from the back of the garage.

A head - by Feb, will need fitting back on the traveller, I don't mind which, but If I find more ( the garages seem infinite on some stuff we have acquired over the years) , so it give a bit of time to source something or get one machined up if needed.

[alexmcguffie]

Mini Spares are having a 15% off sale at the moment. Treat yourself

[les]

Seems a lot of messing about to me, but if you've got the time and inclination.

[tim_jnv]

any tips on clearing waterways on block & head got rid of scale but still bit contaminated.
thinking compressed air or water?

[les]

tim_jnv are you also running under the name whyperion? I cant get a handle on posts from both seeming to ask the same stuff.

[alexmcguffie]

I have access to either a kerosene wash tank or a another heated Jizzer wash tank with a high pressure gun. Kerosene gets the bulk of the dirt off and the Jizzer does the rest, leaving it clean enough to eat off! Ideally you need a friendly machine shop to do a proper job. It's very difficult to get things that clean at home.

[whyperion]

tim should have asked the question in the block thread (!) (see pic and see you all over there in a few mins)

Meanwhile back to the problem in hand...

The correct free length for a standard 1100cc engine valve spring Terry Pt No: 451-458 is 1.75".
The correct free length for a heavy poundage engine valve spring Terry Pt No: 451-557 is 1.687".
Unless you can be certain that you have heavy poundage valve springs fitted the free length of the springs should NOT be shorter than 1.75" ; if they are they will not be suitable and should be discarded.
ALL valve springs should be the same free length - not greater or shorter than the standard free length.

Not measured as yet ( 4 steel rules in the garages and not found one yet ) , but this is the pack I bought[frame][/frame]

Pictured too is the long spring that broke , I note the number of 'sprials' seems the same. These new ones are the same as another used set I found in the garage. Of course taking the springs back off a collet broke , I will have a look in the other spares saucepan tomorrow night (spare valves are in the bedroom, currently cut off by a set of tape-recorder projects that need transporting to wembley when I get the traveller mobile as a useable beast.

Marked by the suppliers as 451 / 452- 9064, are these for a 948 A Series ? Is there any advantage/ disadvantage to fitting .heavy poundage springs ( knacker the cam followers or the tappet tips - I have a nice set of dished ones , goodness knows what head they came off )

(Revised posting as submit hit before finished writing !)

[philthehill]

No 7 from the left appears to be different from the rest!

[les]

Why don't you want to fit the new springs? It seems a shame to buy them and not use.

[philthehill]

As regards the rockers (referred to as tappets above) fitted to the 'A' series engine there are 5 types:-
1. & 2. - The forged type as fitted to early 'A' series engines and cooper variants. There were two variants - small bore ones Pt No: ???? and large bore ones Pt No: 12G1221. The differences was in the lift
3. & 4. - The pressed steel type as fitted to later 'A' series engines. Small bore ones Pt No: 2A964, large bore ones 12G1313. Again the difference was in the lift.
5. - The sintered steel type fitted to late 'A' series (1974 on). Same for small and large bores Pt No: CAM289. No difference in lift.
All 5 types are interchangeable so long as you take account of the oil feed being to the correct type of pedestal and all eight rockers must be of the same type.
You should only use the correct poundage for the revs and valve train weights being used.
Medium poundage should suit your needs perfectly. Extreme poundage will wear the valve train very quickly

[whyperion]

Thanks, I get back to the query when I have cleaned the rockers (I have some nice pressed steel ones , ex 1300 FWD A Series ),
Fitted the new springs all along, got some collets ( hopefully ) and top hat oil seals from Moss or Minispares ( all assuming the head I am going to work on is correctly undamaged on the valve seats and valve guides. I am not expecting face to be warped or out of true.

[tim_jnv]

Progress!

The block is all striped, except oil pump. there looks to be no significant wear on the big ends, as for main bearings looks to be bronze/ showing through. are these bronze or brass bearing white metalled? if so how much wear can there be? bores look good but tempted to change piston rings. any thoughts?

will tacke head separately!

Tim

[philthehill]

If there is any bronze/copper showing through the shell bearings they are scrap and you need to get the crankshaft measured; re-ground if necessary and suitable new shell bearings fitted.
The crankshaft shells are steel backed white metal
See:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babbitt_(metal)
for a full explanation.