Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi everyone


Changing a head gasket as combustion is forcing out the coolant


Whats the best torque settings? and the order in which i need to take off/put on the head bolts?

Thanks

rio

Probably a good time to get a manual

Heres one inthe SW
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MORRIS-MINOR-1000 ... dZViewItem

Take them off in any sensible order - but always slacken the rocker shaft nuts (1/2" AF) before slackening the head nuts (9/16"AF) to avoid the poor wee rocker studs having to carry the full force of the valve springs - reverse is true when refitting. When tightening - first do them all up 'slack' - then start tightening with the front centre nut (standing at the UK driver side wing - looking at the engine sideways) and then alternate outwards to left and right front to back slowly tightening each nut a little as you go - back to centre front and continue round and round. Initially tighten to 30 ft.lbsf all round - then go up to 35 then 40 and finally 44 on the last round. Then set the valve gaps 12 thou inlets and 15 thou exhausts.

or 12thou for all exhausts as all the manuals state

Arrgghh

Took the pushrods out and they dont seem to want to go back in! (in the same order)

ahh, how do you mean in the same order??

did you just yank the rods out or pull them out carefully? If the former there is a high probability that you have dislodged the cam followers. If you think that might be the case, you can remove the little rectangular plates on the side of the engine (unless its a 1275) to put them back

Yep - pushrods must be shaken, not stirred to make sure the followers are left behind. And believe me - with 15 thou exhaust valve clearances you are FAR less likely to suffer burned valves!

And the manual says 40 ft pounds not 44!

They do snap very easily - so go by the book.

A+ engines are more than A's... Pretty sure the marina/ital manual I have says 46

For the Marina, 40 until 1975, 50 thereafter.

44 will be fine.

Until you break a stud doing them up that tight. I'd say the figure was given for a reason.

You won't break a stud at that figure - the gaskets now don't contain asbestos - the higher figure gives better clamping. Later cars have 'dimpled' studs (we used to covet these for our rally cars 35 years ago!) and can be taken up even further - and finally the A+ Minis have 'Y' stamped on the ends of the studs and can go safely to 50 ftlbsf - and even more with some risk. All these of course still have the same anchor arrangement in the block - which is interesting. I have never snapped a stud or pulled one out the block - but I have stripped the upper (fine) thread a couple of times when using worn nuts. Always best to check your nuts.

bmcecosse wrote:You won't break a stud at that figure

YOU have never broken a stud at that figure, I have at 40. Again, because things haven't happened to you doesn't mean they don't happen.

They should NEVER break at 40 !! Either very poor stud - or it had been seriously overtightened in the past - or something wrong with torque wrench. On that basis - the nuts shouldn't even be tightened to 40 ftlbsf - which would be hopeless.

And naturally you can tell that in advance, and happily tighten them however much you like. Very little point arguing about this - in my opinion, the figure given in the workshop manual is the one to go for. Others may disagree, so it's best to know the dangers.

Hi everyone

It's an A+ so it's been done more than 40 lbs

anyway, started first time ! horray! must have done something right ;)

Just remember, you should always replace head studs whenever you have the head off.

I'm sure, like me, everyone around here does that... (OK, so I replace the knackered ones with other used ones out of old engines, but still ;) )

" replace head studs " -Aye right.

ahh i didn't do that but they looked in good order, I have re torqued when it was warm, is it now after 500 miles i check again?