Morris Minor Owners Club

It's not that hard, but I find it MUCH easier if you take the engine out as well.

Arrgh! I really don't want to have to take the engine out, as I'd definately need to get a garage to do the work then (I don't have the equipment).

I've just been looking at the Haynes manual and to remove the gearbox it seems to recommend all sorts of odd things like removing the exhaust pipe, draining the radiator, removing the heater and the carb linkages. Is this really necessary to get the gearbox off? I'd have thought it'd only be necessary to do this when removing the engine.

It also seems to indicate (in the picture) that it is possible for one person to lift the gearbox in and out of position. I thought it was too heavy for that!

Mog Gearboxs arent that heavy, I have lifted them around before (not into or out of cars though) and I'm built like the bloke in the Mr Muscle adverts

I've never lifted a gearbox in/out of a car before, but I've certainly carried one around with one hand

I'm not a small lass (five foot eight ish) but I'm not exactly built like a rugby player ;)

Gearbox is an easy one person lift - promise!

Arrgh! I really don't want to have to take the engine out, as I'd definately need to get a garage to do the work then (I don't have the equipment).

I've just been looking at the Haynes manual and to remove the gearbox it seems to recommend all sorts of odd things like removing the exhaust pipe, draining the radiator, removing the heater and the carb linkages. Is this really necessary to get the gearbox off? I'd have thought it'd only be necessary to do this when removing the engine.

It also seems to indicate (in the picture) that it is possible for one person to lift the gearbox in and out of position. I thought it was too heavy for that!

Engine out is quicker than gearbox as long as you have a hoist.
If not, then gearbox can be done as a 1 man job, but not for the feint hearted! Disconnecting the exhaust at the manifold is a good idea - draining the rad is overkill. If you remove the heater valve from the back of the cylinderhead it will make the job 10 times easier.

Basically the gearbox doesn't come past the steering rack! However if you lower the engine and box at the rear and rotate the gearbox about 40 degrees it will come past the rack. If you lower the engine, the heater valve fouls the battery box and the weight of the engine sits on the heater valve (bad idea). If you remove the valve, the engine will drop further which makes the job easier.
Refitting the box on your own is a pig, but with determination and a bit of patience it will go on. It took me 10 minutes to get a gearbox back on an engine last weekend, but it felt like a lot longer!
If you have a nice warm garage, it is better - if you are doing it outside in a monsoon (like last weekend) it is really not fun.

Hmm, I don't have an engine hoist so I suppose I'll just have to get the box out. Fortunately I do have a garage, but a pretty small one at that. Hopefully this evening / tomorrow I will find time to get under the car and inspect the release bearing to see how bad it is.

I'm beginning to think that I might have to take the engine out soon though because when I removed the oil filler cap today there was quite a bit of 'mayonaise' and also a fair bit of smoke coming out of the filler. Not good - I see pound note signs appearing!

mayonaisse is caused by condensation ( ithink) and can be caused by town driving so may not all be lost

Bizarre questions...

Does anybody know what the original weight of the oil that should be used....

I am assuming a 0 weight or something along those lines... 3in1 is around that level if I'm not mistaken...something like mobil-1 would be in the same league.

Gav (moggy_mel's other half)

you mean engine oil? 20w/50.... same for the gearbox

You can also use 15W/40 (I do), but beware of the very old ones which use EP90 !

I can't remember which they are (memory failing).

Colin

If you do replace the clutch dont forget the crankshaft spigot bush.

Gav,

For all OHV engine'd Minors, use 15W/40 or 20W/50 in the gearbox. Only the early (pre-1953) sidevalve gearboxes need EP90.

Don't use 0 weight oil or it will end up on the drive! For the carb dashpot, use engine oil or the proper stuff available from Burlen.