Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi, I would have my doubts about getting the plugs, I have not heard of them being available. It's possible an engine builder may be able to help. You would probably only need 1 as the other could be carefully tapped out from the end where one had been removed. If you go down this route you should make sure the plugs are a tight fit and use some suitable loctite sealer.

What would you like to see a pic of

Some of the waterways.

Read the bible. He tells you to always remove the oil gallery plugs. Drilling and tapping mine didn't work as the nut pulled out first. So i used a tap of almost the plug diameter to cut a thread into the outer of the plug, which actually just rotated the plug loose. I know 1275 brass ones are still available, I dont know if 1098 ones are different.

Pictures as follows:

Waterways:
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Obviously I haven't got as far as cleaning the mating surfaces yet and there's still cleaning to be done - am considering using a narrow wire bottle brush to get down the holes.

While I'm posting pics, here's a view of the new crank next to the old one:
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And here are the timing chain sprockets:
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Crankshaft sprocket looks fine to me but not sure about the camshaft - views?

Incidentally, what size brass plugs would I need please?

The waterways are fine - cleaner than most! Are the cranks definitely the same stroke - they look to be - just worth double checking. The bores look very tapered........ The camshaft sprocket looks fine (incidentally - that's the later Mini sprocket with no rubber ring 'tensioners' , and intended for use with the external Mini tensioner. Without that - it will always be noisy) - but as ever the crankshaft sprocket is worn on the teeth and should be changed. After all - it does twice the work of the teeth on the larger sprocket !

bmcecosse wrote:The bores look very tapered........

Indeed, I have bought special "parallax"tapered pistons to match - they give greater compression and improve combustion!

The crank's definitely the same stroke and coincidentally +0.020" on big end and main bearings (same as the old crank), with lovely new shells for all.

The camshaft sprocket is indeed a later Mini sprocket that I acquired with an external Mini tensioner, Mini timing chain cover, crank sprocket and timing chain. The camshaft sprocket is in far better condition than the one that was in there when I stripped the engine :
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bmcecosse wrote:...but as ever the crankshaft sprocket is worn on the teeth and should be changed.

Here are some other views - I thought it looked reasonable(?)
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Needless to say I will using a new timing chain.

P.S. Crankshaft damper pulley is also on its way...

It looks worn on the driving faces of the teeth. You know you need a timing case with a bulge? Well done with the damper - it's WELL worth fitting.

OK, better safe than sorry - I guess I'll have to replace the cog.

Timing cover looks like this:
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Hacksawing the breather and redundant timing bits off is the easy bit, filling in the resultant hole without access to welding gear could prove more troublesome.

Haven't received the damper yet, so hoping it will be OK.

Just gently flatten the can - always handy to have an extra breather. make sure the damper is a snug fit on the crank key - otherwise it's useless. Did you buy secondhand??

As you can see in the pics, the can has already been partially flattened. but it's been done fairly crudely, so would prefer to tidy it up properly.

Damper is indeed second hand from the Bay of Fleas, so hope it's OK - only cost me £15, so was worth a punt, given that I've seem some advertised for in excess of £50.

Ha! That one at £50 is on there pretty much permanently.......no one wants to buy it from me...... just joking.

The waterways look lovely, many will envy you.
Chains and sprockets are best replaced as a set and given some of the odd wear patterns I'd check carefully with a straight edge that they line up properly.

MarkyB wrote:I'd check carefully with a straight edge that they line up properly.

Good point, especially as I have a new crank. Are there shims available if they don't align or is it just a question of being 'inventive'?

Obviously there were shims - not sure if anyone has them now. But you can just 'ease' the sprocket that's out of line if necessary.

In the words of Homer: "Doh!"

les wrote:I think I would having gone this far but some would say leave well alone. Incidentally, regarding cleaning the oilways, I went as far as knocking out the brass plugs at the end of the oil gallery on the last block I rebuilt, to clean it. Then tapping a thread each end for a brass plug. I'm glad I did as being dead ends, so to speak, there was quite a build up of sludge there!

Just catching up, any pics of of the brass plugs (before and after if poss), not quite sure where to look.

They're at the ends of the oil gallery that runs along the block on the distributor side, you can see the raised area if you loom at the side of the engine.

These are the existing plugs:

Front:
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and rear:
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It would be good if someone has photos of the threaded plugs and could tell us what plug and tap sizes are needed please. (I measured the hole as 1/2" diameter)

Many thanks for the link. Will have to see if they'll reduce their standard postage for such small items, otherwise they'll be really expensive.