Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi

We're new to the forum and just wante to say hello.

Hello.

We own a 69 Moggy 1000 and live in Brighton (but soon to be moving to Derbyshire). It's our first car and is now proving to be a demanding mistress. People thought it strange buying as car older than us, but there you go.

We know absolutely nothing about cars but want to learn all we can.

At the moment I can't engage 4th gear. Double-clutching worked for a while but now it won't go. A friend told me that it sounds like the syncromesh and that the gearbox needs replacing. Does this sound right? Looking at service history it was only replaced with recon 2 years ago! If it does need replacing can anybody recommend a mechanic/garage to do the replacement?

To be honest, we don't even know the basics: where to fill brake fluid or gearbox fluid, where to find the cc size of the engine (yeah, I know...) or what this strange button is beneath the dashboard!

I think it could do with a good service. Does anybody have any recommendations in the Brighton area?

We would appreciate any help and advice from those more experinced Moggy owners.

Cheers.

Lou and Jamie

If its a '69 Chances are its 1098cc. You can confirm this, because it will say on the engine itself (I'm sure someone will pop up soon to say exactly where, cos blowed if I remember!)

It does sound like the syncro has gone on 4th gear, theres been some parts quality issues with recon boxes over the last few years. The Brake fluid, you fill up directly into the master cylinder - lift the drivers side carpet and theres a small filler cap not too far from the pedals.

The strange button under the dash could be one of two things, either the window washer (if you push it quite hard water should spray onto the screen) or possibly the heater controller. (ie, pull it out to turn off, in to turn on - might be the other way round)

Unfortunatly, in my time in Brighton I didn't have the car up there so no idea of good service places. There is however a good motor factors in Kemptown as I recall.

Hope that helps.#

Dan

Firstly, welcome to the madhouse.

Secondly, if it is only fourth yiou are having trouble with, the problem is most likely inside the gearbox, and you will probably need some professional help to sort it out. I expect someone from the local club in your area will respond to this note with suggestions about who you could get to look at it.

Gearbox oil level / filler plug is on the left hand side towards the top of the box, you get at it from inside the car. lift the passenger-side front carpet. There's a rubber bung on the side of the tunnel, and the filler plug is underneath. careful when you remove the filler plug, as it is easy to drop. Top up to level with the hole with 20/50 engine oil.

The brake fluid reservoir is also accessed from inside the car, this time on the driver's side floor. Again, a rubber bung under the carpet covers an access hole to the reservoir which is part of the master cylinder. Top up there is to 1/2" below the filler neck, with brake fluid. (Unless you have a disc brake conversion, when there will probably be a top-up reservoir under the bonnet. Look for a round, white plastic reservoir on the driver's side somewhere, with a screw top.)

Engine size for a 1000 of 1969 should be 1098cc. There should be a tag plate on the left hand side of the engine under the exaust manifold at the front with "1100" on it. If not, you may have a 948cc unit someone has swopped in.

Suggest you acquire a Haynes or Autobooks manual (available from most Minor spares places or Amazon) if you want to get serious.

Have a good look round this site, and use the "search" facility to find what other people with gearbox problems have done / found out.

Good luck, and hope your Minor owning experience improves before long.

How do you type so fast?

and yes, I forgot. The strange button under the dash is probably the slide switch for the panel lights. Try it in the dark, with the headlights on.

The gearbox filler is on the other side of the transmission tunnel from the brake cylinder (under a rubber bung), and the gearbox takes engine oil.

Get a copy of the Haynes manual - it's a bit short on some detail but it's got all the information for beginners (of which I am one, too). The Morris Workshop Manual is worth having too, and there are numerous other books covering the cars.

If the button is a side-to-side switch then it should turn the instrument lights on and off (when the main lights are on).

The MMOC "Trader finder" map gives Mid Sussex Minors in Brighton on 01273 835151. No recommendations implied, but they look like the nearest to you.

I don't know if they still exist though, as some of the stuff here is (a bit ) out of date.

Lou & Jamie,

Welcome to the Minor world....

I'd suggest that ESM http://www.morrisminors.com/
are well worth contacting - do phone them - I've had lots of good advice over the phone. They are a little outside the Brighton area, but they do have a large warehouse of parts next to the workshop...
They also do mail order (so do a number of others).

Do get hold of a handook/manual - you will find that Minors need frequent and regular servicing - far more often than a modern car - but that it's all quite straightforward.

All the best,

Colin

Thank you for your quick replies! I appreciate it.

As I had no idea where to refill gearbox until now, might this be a cause of the problem? i.e. no/low oil level in the gearbox? Forgot to mention that there have been two occasions (scary ones) when first gear jammed and it took a bit of pulling to free it. Does this further imply replacement?

I do have a Haynes manual but it's going to take a bit of digesting.

Thanks.

Lou and Jamie

Now why didn't I think of ESM? D'oh! Not had them do any work to the cars, but their parts delivery and customer service has always seemed excellent to me!

Does sound to me like you need a new gearbox, if you've been running the oil hideously low there could be permanent damage

You're probably right on the oil.

ESM must be popular; engaged, engaged, engaged!

Cheers.

Lou & Jamie

Do check oil level. If it was low, it could be the cause of your troubles, but I wouldn't be too worried if it cures them. Minor gearboxes aren't that fragile.

Problem with first as well could mean it is just clutch pedal adjustment that's wrong.

If the clutch doesn't disengage completely when you put your foot on it (all the way down), then it will "drag" on the gearbox, and make the gears hard to engage / disengage.

There should be about 3/4" free travel at the clutch pedal as you push it down against its return spring, before you feel the full pressure as it works the clutch mechanism. Push it with your fingers, and you can feel the point where it starts "working".

If it goes further than 3/4" before you reach that increase in pressure, you get the "hard to engage / disengage gears" problem. If it is much less than that, then the clutch never engages completely, and you get a slipping clutch.

If you think it needs adjusting, the movement is adjusted under the car, by a nut and lock nut on the actuating rod that joins the clutch actuating lever to the pivot mechanism that the cable works. (whew! easier to see than explain).

Here is where you adjust it...

Have you gone onto their website

http://www.morrisminorspares.co.uk/ or you could email them esm@morrisminorspares.co.uk

Wow guys, I take my hat off to all of you.

SO DO I!

For my first post, I'm well impressed.

Will try and check it out this weekend - if the rains hold off.

Cheers guys.

Welcome Lou and Jamie, hopefully see you at a rally sometime.

Bill Hewlett

Chief Concours Judge & National Committee Member

4th gear not engaging will not be syncro problem - it could be as simple as loose gear lever plastic bush - or just a loose screw on the selector fork. This is easily checked via an inspection plate on the side of the gearbox. So don't be rushed into a 'new' gearbox too easily. Does the box drive ok - not too noisy - in the other gears ? Is the gearlever very 'sloppy' - and does it engage and drive ok in reverse ? Will it go into 4th gear when the car is sitting with the engine stopped ?

Morning from wind-swept brighton

Am I in the right place?

After scrabling around on the floor of the moggy I found a large rubber bung to the left of the gear stick. Is this where the oil for the gearbox goes? Pulled it off but can't see clearly where to put oil! If someone could give me a couple of pointers I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

Jamie

it might be useful to have a look through the bung hole with a torch... through that hole you can see the gearbox? I would guess 3-4 inches lower than the opening in the floor you should see a bung (hex head) which you need to unscrew. put a funnel there and add oil if required!

sounds simple eh?

Thanks Matt. That does indeed sound 'simple enough'.

bmcecosse wrote:

4th gear not engaging will not be syncro problem - it could be as simple as loose gear lever plastic bush - or just a loose screw on the selector fork. This is easily checked via an inspection plate on the side of the gearbox. So don't be rushed into a 'new' gearbox too easily. Does the box drive ok - not too noisy - in the other gears ? Is the gearlever very 'sloppy' - and does it engage and drive ok in reverse ? Will it go into 4th gear when the car is sitting with the engine stopped ?

1st crunchs from time to time, but all other gears OK. Reverse is fine. The gear leaver does move from side to side very eassily. Not sure if this is what you mean by 'sloppy'.

Not sure about going into 4th gear with engine off. I think it probably does the same when driving: almost goes in but just a fraction more would do it. I'll have to check when I get home.

Does this give you any further ideas on the plight of our gearbox?

Thanks for all your help.

Jamie & Lou