Morris Minor Owners Club

Another option, which is somewhat easier on a small single cylinder bike but which could work on the mog is (with the diesel down the bore, or several happy litres of plus-gas (assuming that you're on a nice flat surface, say the inside of a garage)) stick chocks about an inch behind the car and some chocks by the front wheels, put the car in gear and rock the car back and forth.

If you can get the car to move just a little bit back and forth then this can unsieze a stuck engine; it is the technique I used to unsieze my 'zed (that and several days of plus-gas). It took several solid hours of me sat on it rocking it back and forth. Did 10,000 miles on that engine before it got rebuilt too.

Of course, it's easier on a bike, but it may be worth a shot. Careful you don't get run over though

...and make sure, unlike Hebe, that the back axle is actually not able to move without turning the gearbox

and make sure, unlike Hebe, that the back axle is actually not able to move without turning the gearbox

When I first got Mog, I had a similar problem, but not quite the same. Teh engine was OK but the clutch was stuck. Since the engine ran OK, we put the car in gear, pressed the clutch and push started Mog. Yes it started, and yes the clutch did free, but then there was an awful banging from under the car. The Diff had rotated (yes the Diff, not the whole axle) and the prop was knocking on the car floor! A rear axle rebuild followed swiftly thereafter.

I used to show dogs (flatcoated retrievers) we used to dab their feet with coke to stop them slipping on polished floors!

I rember on Salvage squad, that boiling oil was mentioned as a good way to unseize a seized engine

Although I'm trying to start a MM rather than repel invaders I'll consider giving it a try if the diesel doesn't work.

Of course it could also come in handy if Shrewsbury comes under attack from a horde or two...

Now that the weather's warmer I'm determined to sort this. I've tried using Coke, I've tried using Diesel, I've tried using brute force (I got it down off its blocks and pushed it in gear until the back wheels started skidding). No joy. The engine is still rock solid.

I know it was driven into the garage in 1993, so the engine wasn't damaged at the time. Can anyone tell me what is most likely to be sticking? If I take the head off will it make any difference, or do I need to take the whole engine out?

One specific point - what is the exact size of the crank nut? My ring spanner is not quite an exact fit?

Any more suggestions about getting it moving?

I'll have a look if nobody says first. I freed a seized engine yesterday while trying to take off a crank starter nut, hitting the spanner with a lump hammer. Can't do the bores much good though It's Whitworth, BTW.

Reluctantly I've given up trying to free it, and I'm in the middle of dismantling the engine. When I last did this (in the 60s) it was easy to find a gasket set, piston rings, and big end shells. Where do I go to now for these things?

All the minor specialists do them - and sorry not to reply re Spanner size Try ESM, f'rinstance - http://shop.morrisminorspares.co.uk/

Where do I go to now for these things?

Bull Motif
ESM
Leadbetters
MGM
Minor Centre Birmingham
Minor Centre London
Club Spares - Bryan Gosling
etc...
etc...

But for engine parts you should also try your local engine recon places in case they can get a better deal.

Personally I'd look for a second hand engine from an MOT failure car if you want to save £££'s. A lot of cars die of rotten sills despite having a good engine

Any suggestions where to find a replacement engine?

how bad is yours? Could have it done up. That way you can make sure it's all 100%.

other people'sengines may have unknown problems. And rebuilding your own engine avoids that.
It will cost something like £500 or more, depending on what engine and what is wrong with it.

I've taken the engine out, and started to strip it down. I removed all the nuts holding the sump on, and have removed the clutch, flywheel and backing plate, but I can't remember what else has to come off so that I can get at the big ends. The sump is firmly fixed, but I'm not sure how.

For some reason it isn't mentioned in my workshop manual. All advice gratefully received

If it's just the big ends, that's more than enough, if it's the main bearings you'll need to strip off both plates, front as well, which means timing gear too . Sump often sticks on - if you're certain that you got all the bolts, gentle persuasion with a rubber mallet is usually enough to free it.

I'm going to have to strip the engine right down. Any tips on removing the crank starter nut? Does it unscrew anti-clockwise? What spanner size do I need? I know it's Whitworth, but I haven't got one.

3/4 whit long socket

I'm going to have to strip the engine right down. Any tips on removing the crank starter nut?

oh - the best tip is to remove it whilst the engine is in the car!
I've got a spanner that fits this, although managed it with BIG molegrips in the past.
Easiest way is to fit the tool to the starter dog with a piece of wood between it and engine bay floor, then just press the starter solenoid. The nut will undo itself powered by the starter.

If you're doing it off the car you'll need to lock the crank - when the sump is off it should be very easy to lock the crank with a block of wood.

Out of habit I now do this before removing an engine as it is quick, and avoids wishing you'd done it just in case you want the front pulley off for any reason.

rayofleamington wrote:
If you're doing it off the car you'll need to lock the crank - when the sump is off it should be very easy to lock the crank with a block of wood.

When quickly (ie not at all carefully) stripping a 948 to show someone the basic workings of an engine, I was amazed when a chunk of wood wedged between crank and block and a cheapo large adjustable spanner did the job! Granted, the cheapo spanner was hit with a chunky hammer more than a few times, but still not bad