Morris Minor Owners Club

Second only in value to a genuine AEG 163 Cooper S head.

Well now's your chance to buy one bmc!!!! But like every other one of these heads, it's cracked between the valve seats.

MG Metro head does not usually crack - that's why it has the slightly smaller exhaust valve to give some meat between the two valves. The early S head ( 12g 185 ??) was VERY prone to cracking, but the AEG 163 head is much more resistant. However - any engine if run short of coolant will of course overheat the head - and then anything goes !!

Ive just removed the engine and its presently sitting in the engine bay supported on blocks. It was a bit of a fiddle as recommended by bmcecosse by slidding forward i found that it wouldnt slide forward enough to sufficiently clear the first motion shaft and the clutch housing. It resulted in some twisting and lifting to clear fully. Unfortunitely at times it was leaning backwards on the first motion shaft. Was is the probabilty i have caused damage and bent it. Ive tried spinning the shaft and visually there seems to be No upper and down bent movement. Is this sufficient test that no damage has been down. -Typical: try sorting one problem and i may have caused another. A second opinion would be great.

Oh you should be fine - I had no problem with it. Did you have the gearbox well propped up ?

The gearbox dropped slightly onto the supports which is probably why i had so much problems clearing the bulkhead and the sump. I was on my own with only one jack so raising back to a higher position was a bit tricky- lifting up the engine and kicking the support futher under. Hopefully ive got away with the shaft not being bent.

I am presently dismantling the engine. Ive just taken the timing chain and cogs off and noticed that i can move the end of the cam shaft in and out by about 3-4mm. Is this normal?