Morris Minor Owners Club

The £1.95 cam followers haven't a hope of being 'quality'. The hole was deleted by BMC many many moons ago - the cam is well splashed from below. That pump of Phils is a screaming bargain....if you are still using a pin drive cam.

The reason the oil hole was deleted was that some cam followers started to have cracks appearing which radiated from the oil hole and they were not necessarily BMC/BL ones either. The oil hole appears to be having a resurgence and may be because the materials used and production/quality control is now better.

Yes - that and an 'unnecessary' op in the production. We indeed searched for 'non-hole' followers back in the day in the belief that were stronger/more reliable. Some of course used to machine them out to a thin shell to reduce weight...... pretty marginal savings I believe.......

The minispares site list isky followers, which look much better quality.

I have also just found a genuine concentric oil pump on ebay, that looks in excellent condition, no rubbing or scuffing on the lobes etc, looks a much better bet. If had been the one in the car in the condition it's in it would be going back. Give it a clean not that it needs it and away we go, should be good for many miles. Lets hope it work out, downside is that its in the USA, but that does not stop me getting on with things.

From USA ?? Just grab Phil's pump !!!! I don't see any suitable pump from USA - can you point us to it?

I wasn't sure if Phil was selling it, just showing what can be done. I will post some pics of the pump when I get it, from a dealer in old Brit cars in the States, looks in fine shape.

Dropped the rods down at the shop this morning to have some new little ends fitted, not happy with them so while its all apart its the right time to sort them out too.

Crank and the cam are back in the block, and I've fitted the duplex chain on. New spigot bush fitted in the end, the old one was quite worn so may explain the clutch judder in reverse sometimes.

Stripped the head out and everything there is in very good order, definitely a recent job there, good clean, a very light lap of the valves and be sorted. The valve guides are the early type with O rings, two of which had broken and fallen off, I wouldn't mind changing the inlet guides for the grooved ones, and then the later style seal - will these fit, or at least this style.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-Mini- ... 4d299212c2

Yes - they will fit. If too long when installed (stepped drift required) - then just shorten the excess length inside the port. Phil's pump is clearly shown in the 'sales' section. Pump from USA - oh dear..... Was it an ebay purchase? I don't see it.....

Great, think there will four of them going in on the inlets and the suitable seal, shortening them is no problem in the lathe, and I need to make myself a drift for knocking them in as well.

Here is the drift as per the spec in the wksp manual.
A nice and easy turn up in the lathe. The inlets benefit from being tapered where they protrude into the inlet tract as per the photo. [frame][/frame]

While you have them in the lathe you could bullet nose them.

http://www.v8tuner.co.uk/product.php?id=328

Thanks for that, nice simple job to turn that up. Seems to make sense to taper turn them like that, why not.

I will make the tool up but also make a sleeve up to go over the guide, the correct length to set the position of it, have a shoulder on the fitting tool so it stops when it touches the sleeve, guides set at correct height.

No need - just use a straight edge across the other guides - do one at a time. Simples !

Well I persevered on with the oil seal kit, I have to find things out my own way, and I now agree its not worth the metal its made from.

Engine going back together great, fitted the mount piece of the seal kit where the eyebrow as I call it goes, back plate on, and cant get the half of the seal kit on between the crank and the oil pump cover, so undo the back plate and persude the seal half in. Do everything up etc etc, try the seal in and top to bottom its over 1mm out, no adjustment as its sitting on the oil pump cover and would need the curve in the seal machining out more to go down. Like that it will tear the seal out in seconds.

I have no objections to machining things a little to fit, had to do the end of the main cap to provide a flat surface, and had to take the mount piece of the kit a little thinner, but I draw the line at making the relief for the oil pump bigger.

What worries me now is that all back together and it starts pouring oil out everywhere, that's an engine out to sort it out again, plus coolant, oil, ruined clutch and time.

I am now going to have to get the original eyebrow in, which is not going to be easy with the crank in, means taking a couple of mm of off the screws, getting some 2 thou shim, shimming it at three points round the cranks and doing it up. At least with careful shiming it will be spot on with the crank, and if it leaks a little rust prevention fluid, well hey she's 48 years old !.

Meanwhile that seal kit will be going sideways somewhere, really not impressed by it, even though it has been used I want my £65 back, for all those that said on here it was useless you were 100% right, and I was wrong.

Oh dear...you need to become a believer!

Yes, I believe, at least I have tested it and can still vouch for it being crap if anyone else is thinking of doing it.

I can bring it round, I've sorted some 0.002 shim so I can set the cap to the crank. A couple of mm off the screws wont hurt and the job will be good.

No more non standard mods, its been like it for 48 years and can stay as BMC designed it.

Did you use the correct rear oil seal kit for your engine?
There are three kits available.

1. ESM Pt No: 10M800A 1275cc Midget/Sprite.
2. ESM Pt No: 10M800B 1275cc Marina.
3. ESM Pt No: 10M800 948/1098cc.

The oil seal kit that was fitted to my engine (1275cc Midget) fitted without any problem and did not require any adjustment or modification.
The oil pump covers are of different sizes dependent upon engine used so can impinge on the top half of the seal kit if the right kit is not used.
The reason I removed the seal kit from my engine was because the spacer fitted between the crankshaft and flywheel was not of sufficient hardness for my requirements and with constant standing starts - compressed and allowed the flywheel to come loose . The oil seal part of the kit was adequate and I had no problem with that side of the kit but personally I would not fit a kit to another engine.

Yes, definately the right kit, or at least it said so on my order and box.

I am just going back to the eyebrow now, had to take 3mm off of the screws last night, so I can get them back in with the crank in situ. I now just need to get it centred up in relation to the crank, careful use of some shims while I press it down and nip it up.

Hopefully it wont let too much by now, was not that bad before and the main bearings were very tired.

The engine has gone back together a treat and everything is spot on now so should be good.

You need to have some suction (or at least NO positive pressure) on the crankcase to ensure the labyrinth stays oil tight.

Well I hope it will be good once the rings bed in, it was actually ok before as the rings and bores were good, it was the bearings that were done, especially the mains.

Took some time this evening and I have refitted the cap with 2 thou clearance all the way round.

Its now looking like an engine again, it looks pretty at least.[frame][/frame]

Looking good !