Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi All! This is my first posting.

I have just bought a rather rotten Traveller for a cheap price with a view to using the engine and gearbox in my 1969 saloon which has done over 120,000 miles!

The traveller is a 1965 C-reg model with 39,000 miles on the clock and should theoretically have a 1098cc engine. However the V5 states it has a 948cc engine, although it also states the engine number begins 10MA, indicating the 1098cc size. The actual engine number plate is missing from the engine though.

Is there any way to tell easily which size of engine I have in the traveller before I remove it? The gearbox is clearly from a 1098 and all the ancilliaries are similar to those in my '69 saloon.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated!

If you look on the exhaust manifold side of the engine, fairly low down and close to the fron there will be a plate with either 950 or 1100 cast on it. For a 65 it should say 1100.

Thanks for that. I have just had a look and there is no plate there at all. I have found the one on my '69 saloon, which says 1100.

Seems like there is something a bit fishy about the traveller's engine perhaps!

Take the rocker cover off. There are two numbers cast on it. A 1098 head will have 12G202. It's not to say that this couldn't have been put on a 948 but it's unlikely.
Also on the 948 I had there was a drain tap on the rear, manifold side of the block. I've never seen this on a 1098.

You could tell from the head casting number I suppose... If you carefully take off the rocker cover and look at the number cast in the middle of the head next to the rocker shaft. 1098 should be 10G202.

Peetee wrote:Also on the 948 I had there was a drain tap on the rear, manifold side of the block. I've never seen this on a 1098.

My 1098 has a drain tap.

Thanks for the replies. I can't get to the traveller until Monday, but I'll go up and whip off the rocker cover and have a look, I'll also check for the presence of a drain tap on the block.

Thanks again!

Also on the 948 I had there was a drain tap on the rear, manifold side of the block. I've never seen this on a 1098.

My 1098 has a drain tap.

Ah.......

Erm........

It seems it is a 1098 engine (fortunately!). There is no drain tap and the appropriate number is cast onto the head under the rocker cover. I "gunked" the engine this morning and it looks like a reconditioned unit to me - it is a satin black colour (apart from the rocker cover) and looks externally very tidy. I suppose that would explain the missing "1100" plate and engine number.

Maybe, since the reconditioners slice the engine number plate off when they mill the block. Are there two holes visible where the number was
(near no.1 spark plug) if not then the two fixings have been sliced off.
A factory recon engine would be in gold or silver but,of course, there is no knowing the history of your unit.