Morris Minor Owners Club

----that's probably why that measurement is given

19/32" is the correct measurement for the correct guides for the engine in question.

http://morrisminorspares.co.uk/shop/pro ... d107ffaf20

Fitting the 1275cc valve guide (with the seal) (Pt No: 12G1111 (MOSS)) which has an overall length of 43.5mm the valve guide should protrude above the valve spring seat by 13.72mm.
The down side of that is that the guide protrudes into the inlet and exhaust tract more than it should - ideally the valve guide should be shortened (at the valve head end) to match the original 803/948/1098 length.

I've got the distributor retaining plate off now and the drive out. I knocked it round with a hammer and a piece of wood and kept spraying it with release oil until it finally came free. It did four full turns before it came out.

On another note, I just calculated that the parts alone for the engine are going to cost about £300 With the machining on top that's going to be the same or more than buying a recon engine which doesn't seem right.

Glad to hear that you have got the retaining plate out at last. Well done
Cost all depends upon the quality of the reconditioning. Not every part is replaced - if it is within the company's specified or unspecified tolerances it is reused.
What you are doing to your engine is known - buying a reconditioned engine may be an unknown quantity .
Unfortunately quality works cost money
Personally I would prefer to know what has been done to my engine and not just accept it out of a box whether it has a guarantee or not.
Phil

My sentiments entirely.

Where can you get a reconditioned engine for £300 ??? There are some on ebay claiming to be 'refurbished' - nicely painted certainly ! And still well over £300. Already your crank looks fine - so only shells needed there. What are the bores and pistons like ??
On the long guides - yes I left them slightly high in the spring seat, and chopped them off at the valve throat where the lump in the bend has also been ground away.

That £300 is only for the parts. I've been quoted the following for machining:

Rebore: £180
Skim Block: £45
Crank Regrind: £180
Overhaul Head (new guides, cut seats etc): £220
Total: £625

That would bring the total rebuild cost up to £925 !

Now, hopefully I don't need a crank regrind as you say it looks fine Roy so that's £180 less, then if I do the guides and seats myself, I just need a skim so that's another £180 less. That brings to total down to £565 which I suppose would be a good price for a fully reconditioned engine, although still a lot of money I agree though, it's better to have an engine where you know what's been done to it rather than buying one that you're not sure about.

Keep at it, I'm sure you'll be pleased with it when it's finished, and an achievement.

I've just ordered a drift to be made up, it was only £12.

The prices you are being quoted are utterly ridiculous - go eleswhere.

Does anyone know a good machine shop in the South East (not too far from Hastings). What sort of prices should I be looking for?

Hi
hear you go

https://www.facebook.com/pages/GJG-Engi ... 1971869780

nice and close I have used them
you will have to wate about 4 weeks

Are their prices more reasonable? Does your block need reboring?? Maybe a new set of piston rings would do the job?

Hi Henry,
That's where I got the quotes from. Roy, I'm not sure about the bores. I can't feel any scoring but I suppose they need to be properly measured. I was going to get it re bored anyway though so that the engine would be as-new. Perhaps that's unnecessary.

If there is no ridge or very slight one around the tops of the bores a rebore may well not be needed, usually in these cases the cylinders are glaze busted, in other word, the surfaces finely 'roughed' up, to enable new rings to bed in and create a good seal.

I just picked up the valve guide drift I had made and I've knocked out all but three valve guides (to set the height of the new ones). I can't believe how easy it was! I didn't heat the head or anything, I just put in the drift and easily hammered them out. I just hope it's as easy to get the new ones in!

Are these the correct valve guides? https://www.minispares.com/product/Clas ... o%20search
They have the slot for fitting the top hat oil seals that I want.

Well they do say suitable for 998/1100 engine. Just watch the length and only fit seals on the inlets..

Yes they will fit but I personally would take them to your local engineering shop and get them to trim on the lathe to the same length as the old ones as then you will get less intrusion into the inlet and exhaust tracts.
Fitting the new valve guides will be just as easy - I have literally just finished replacing a set to a spare head that I am building up.

Is it possible to buy guides the same length as the old ones?

I am not aware of the shorter valve guides fitted with the oil seal grove being available.
To shorten the 1300cc valve guides is not a large job you could shorten them yourself if care is taken but finished in a lathe is better.