Morris Minor Owners Club

If you can fit your finger between bolt head and bulkhead then you can fit a combination spanner in. Or do you mean the bolt will hit the bulkhead before fully unscrewed?
Maybe remove an engine mount/s to lower the engine and give more clearance.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions, gearbox now out . now contemplating removing engine to make re-fitting easier.

If you’re thinking of removing the engine now why did you remove the gearbox and all that entails ? What have I missed here !

Goodness knows Les. I wouldn't consider removing the gearbox to change the clutch. I'd much rather remove the engine - and I don't have an engine hoist either. The engine is easy enough to remove once the front panel is out of the way

There were several reasons for removing g/box to change the clutch.
1/no access to engine hoist.
2/told it was easy from underneath
3/because the g/box was very, very noisy decided that I might as well change it anyway
But as is sometimes the case, and with a huge amount of hindsight I now realise that it would have been easier and quicker to either hire an engine hoist or buy one and loan it out to other club members afterwards. (and don't listen to others when they say a job is easy )

mowogg wrote: ↑Wed Sep 24, 2025 9:02 pm Can you not take off the front engine mounts and move the engine forwards?

on a drive its easier to lift the engine,

ManyMinors wrote: ↑Tue Oct 21, 2025 6:50 pm Goodness knows Les. I wouldn't consider removing the gearbox to change the clutch. I'd much rather remove the engine - and I don't have an engine hoist either. The engine is easy enough to remove once the front panel is out of the way

Indeed. I changed a release bearing on my (1275cc MG Midget engined 1970 Traveller) by undoing the front panel and radiator, and wheeled out the the engine a few inches on a trolley jack with a plank of wood under its sump, enough to be able to reach into the bellhousing and change it.

Well now we know the gearbox needs changing as well as the clutch, it’s an all together different story !
I certainly said it wasn’t easy, quite the opposite ———- I think the only one who said it was easy was someone with a 4 poster lift !

les wrote: ↑Fri Oct 24, 2025 12:25 pm Well now we know the gearbox needs changing as well as the clutch, its an all together different story.

Yes but many would say take the engine and gearbox out as a unit with the front panel off.

Stephen

I always take the engine out.

What I would like to add, is that when fitting a new clutch you will need a clutch centring tool.
I use the input shaft removed from an old gearbox.

When the clutch is centred we can do the bolts up on the clutch cover and remove the tool.

Not important if you are only changing the release bearing.

But going through all that work I would fit a new clutch.

Also I would take the engine and gearbox out if I was changing a gearbox.
It's difficult to fit the gearbox while laying on your back.
It's heavy as we all know, and dangerous.
As mentioned by a post earlier, the gearbox crossmember has captive nuts, inside the chassis legs, and 2 are under the master cylinder.

brixtonmorris wrote: ↑Tue Dec 30, 2025 12:39 am I always take the engine out.

What I would like to add, is that when fitting a new clutch you will need a clutch centring tool.
I use the input shaft removed from an old gearbox.

When the clutch is centred we can do the bolts up on the clutch cover and remove the tool.

Not important if you are only changing the release bearing.

But going through all that work I would fit a new clutch.

I fitted a new clutch decades ago, mid 90s on my Datsun 910 Bluebird Estate (early 80s model)...last of the RWD Bluebirds.
I did it from underneath and for a centring tool I used a ratchet handle which I wound masking tape around until it was a very snug fit in the flywheel and for the Clutch Plate.

I have so many old socket sets, that handle is still wrapped in the masking tape ...
If I recollect correctly, I made it before removing the old clutch.
First I wrapped it to fit in the flywheel, then once that was a good fit, I wrapped the section where the clutch plate was.

It worked first try, but I think perhaps I just got lucky
.