Morris Minor Owners Club

When cruising on the motorway at about 60-70mph there is a huge ammount of vibration from the pedals? Is this ok or is there likely to be something out of balance??

Somethings wrong there.

my imediate reaction would be to check the engine mounts and the gearbox steady cable, but others may have better suggestions

Seconded re the engine rubbers - the g'box ones and engine steady bar as well.

Check the brakes too, something may have come adrift(drums) giving a pulsing brake pedal. Prop shaft UJ or missing balance weight. Check axle fittings too. Does the clutch opperate correctly and do the brakes work.

yes the clutch is working perfectly but the front brakes are as good throwing a brick out the window tied to tights!!!!!

Although the brakes are naff, this is down to leaking cylinders. When cruising at 60-70 should the pedals/car feel totaly smooth!??

Yup The pedal shaft is connected to the box and chassis, which is why we were wondering if the vibration was caused by engine movement. Not sure what JLH is suspecting re brakes, but I trust his advice to check them.

Wow! I came up with a good answer for once!

But sadly, I'm talking rubbish re the pedal shaft - just came back in from the shed to correct it. I was thinking of the clutch relay shaft, so it's still possible, just not as possible as I thought

Just a thought that the drums might be setting up a sort of vibration though something coming adrift. Mind you glad I mentioned it as driving at 60-70 with leaking cylinders is not 'really' a good idea.

Although the brakes are naff, this is down to leaking cylinders. When cruising at 60-70 should the pedals/car feel totaly smooth!??

I would be worried about driving a car with leaking cylinders as its only a small step away from no brakes at all and if let go too far will ruin the brake shoes as well.

Yes i am part way through replacing the brakes and so will soon have new cylinders in all the brakes, new shoes and new drums.

How do you tell if the engine steady or gearbox cable is not tight enough? they look in ok condition and are all there and fixed down.

After taking the car for a quick run last night i realised that the vibrations are more in keeping with the cars revs rather than the cars speed. If you push it (Which i didnt like doing!) the engine does sound as if there is something vibrating it too much at at high revs it does start to vibrate other things in the car/engine bay, that makes a horrible noise! the engine runs as sweet as a nut at low revs but as soon as the revs start to get high it is not very reasuring!

If you overtighten the engine steady it will certainly magnify any inherant engine vibration. Make sure the engine is not being held rigid by the stay.

Sounds like the engine is on 3 cylinders - which will cause vibes. Rev it up while standing - is it smooth ? Get a compression check to see the general condition.

The gearbox cable should just have a little give in it as its real purpose is to stop the fan going into the rad, a couple of years ago a friend had some strange noises and vibrations after a service and that was down to the cable being done up bow tight.

Thats very interesting! I have only just done a light re-build on the engine and fitted a second hand G/B. For the first time today I took the car on the motorway again, I dont have a rev-counter so i will have to go by speed, in gear 4 at 60/65mph it is very smooth and quiet, there is almost a lip when you get to around 70mph that all of a sudden it becomes louder and starts to vibrate more and then gets worse from there on.

I think that the gearbox cable is on tight. I did not adjust the cable as i simply took out the cross member when taking the engine and gearbox out! I will check that tomorrow and then also check the engine steady and report back!

Perhaps it's just down to the car being 40 years old. I have never taken mine over 50 and even then I'm thinking whats going to break or are the brakes going to stop me.

I have never taken mine over 50 and even then I'm thinking whats going to break

Well there are quite a few owners who still use them as daily transport with the odd squirt of speed without things falling off

Well there are quite a few owners who still use them as daily transport

And that includes me.

Perhaps I worry to much

we use th thrash the pants off em in the 60`s and 70`s
i still do mine now

they do take a lot of abuse