Morris Minor Owners Club

Well, fitted all rings on the pistons today (without the tool, so my fingers hurt now ).

Fitting the pistons on the con rod i could not find a proper 'FRONT' mark. Nothing on top, but on the inside a blue mark, and on one side the mark 'PT'. See picture.[frame][/frame]
The blue dot could be marking the front. But... according to the manual and my pictures of disassembly the old one show something else.

The small gap on one side of the piston should be on the left (driving forward), with the high mounted bolts also, like the picture below. Am I right?
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It is pretty remiss of the manufacturer not to have given clear instructions as to fitting the new pistons.
Looking at the various manuals I have and comparing your rods and pistons with those various illustrations I believe that you have fitted them the correct way round.
The slot referred to is usually at the top of the split on a split skirt piston and faces the cam shaft side of the engine.
As you do not have the split skirt pistons but do have the slot I would safely assume that the slot faces the cam shaft side of the engine as per your photo.
The slot is to allow excess oil from the bore wall to return to the sump and of course there will more oil being thrown about on that side of the engine from the camshaft and cam followers.
Can you not compare with the old pistons?

I have to say -I've never found rings incorrect.. I wasn't suggesting not to check - just no need to rush out and buy expensive tools that will probably not be needed...

Phil is right on.
Page AA.13 of the BMC manual says: "with the split skirt opposite to the thrust side and the gudgeon pin clamp screw to the same side as the split skirt, on the camshaft side of the engine."
This is also illustrated on page AA.10

But these pistons don't have a 'split skirt'.... With the clockwise rotation of the crankshaft , there will be more oil splash up the non-camshaft side of the block. But overall I'm guessing it doesn't really matter...or they would have marked them Front.

All pistons assembled in the block today.

Next stage for next week: applying the right torque to all the bolts, mount sump, camshaft and head.

Thanks for all the help, makes me feel comfortable I will finish my first complete overhaul of an engine.

Well done indeed! Remember 'lashings' of oil on assembly - and prime the pump with oil (and some put in vaseline too to stop the oil running away...) I didn't know the likes of ESM would supply a 'DIY' kit. Did they keep your old 'half engine' in part exchange ?

I returned my block, head and crankshaft to ESM. Just a matter of costs (saved 275,-), and i didn't expect I would do this again, but with the results so far you never know...

The work is progressing...[frame][/frame]

Did not carefully read the manual, so I dropped the distributor drive shaft...

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Hahahahaha - fit the camshaft first!

Easily done. Just be thankful it was not a Mini with the gearbox below the engine.
Use a long cylinder head stud for ease of fitting.
Phil

Fitting the front plate and the chain I noticed the countersunk screw is really close to the (duplex) chain. I cannot remember it was that way when i took it apart.

[frame][/frame].

It can turn freely, but if i push the chain to the plate it can touch the screw. Both gears seems to be in line, so adding distance washers behind the small gear would not be wise. At the mini-parts i saw they sell a countersunk screw for duplex chain. Is that the solution? Or can i drill the hole?

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Thanks for the help
Theo

The front engine plate must be countersunk sufficiently to fully accept the head of the counter-sunk screw. The head of the screw must not protrude above the front engine plate. Do not over counter-sink so that you break through the top of the hole nearest the front main bearing.
You can use a Minor brake drum screw (ESM Pt No: RBK116 (screw rear)) if you have some spare as that was what was used before the Mini Spares type counter-sunk screw for use with an with allen key was available.
Loc-tite in place whatever screw you have used.

I'm sorry to be posting this so late, after you dismantled your engine, but were you using the correct grade of oil?

My son gave me some oil which was 'too thick' for his motorbike and I used it in my Minor, a high miler. The new oil was consumed rapidly, it leaked from the rear of the engine and the oil light came on at tickover when hot. I drained and replaced it with 20/50 and all has been well since.

20/50 seems to be becoming a 'specialist' product, ie harder to find and more expensive.

Thanks Phil, I have a classic Mini garage nearby. Try with them first.

Ian, Yes, I used 20W50. I bought a cheap brand (don't remember). Now will continue with Castrol. Have 2 cans ready for first run-in and first oil change after that.

As Phil says - the screws are not sufficiently countersunk... Just give them a pop with a countersink bit, or perhaps shave a few thou off the screw heads. I far prefer Allen key screws to 'screwdriver' in this application. Also - watch out which way round the duplex chain is fitted. If it has a 'joining link' (which suggests a rather sub standard chain anyway...) then the clip must be fitted on the outside to minimise any risk of it catching.
Edit = that rather looks like a joining link at 1 o'clock on the cam sprocket.....and if so it's in wrong way round.....
And errrrrr your problems were not caused by 'wrong oil'

bmcecosse wrote: Also - watch out which way round the duplex chain is fitted. If it has a 'joining link' (which suggests a rather sub standard chain anyway...) then the clip must be fitted on the outside to minimise any risk of it catching.
Edit = that rather looks like a joining link at 1 o'clock on the cam sprocket.....and if so it's in wrong way round.....

The chain has no joining link, must be the light.. Is there a wrong/right way to put the timing chain?

The chain can go either way - it is the joining link securing clip that has to go the right way round with the closed end of the securing clip facing in the direction of travel and as bmc says the clip must face the timing chain cover and not the front engine plate.
As there is no link it does not matter which way round it goes.
The most important point is to get the teeth of the gears correctly aligned by using the packing shims behind the crankshaft gear.

Just looks a bit like two pin heads where the others are clearly rivets. But if no link -that's all good !

Where is this front cam follow cover and breather? Pix if poss.