Morris Minor Owners Club

I started putting the engine back together today, the crank and its new bearings went in fine, and now spins freely with no play. I put in the oil pump, then put in the cam, brilliant i thought. On went the cam thrust plate, and I lightly tightened it down. Heres the problem, i could only get the cam to rotate 180 (ish) degrees, after that it wouldnt budge. After some looking around i found that the rear-most lobe on the cam is fouling the block! Its a metro turbo cam and i was assured it would fit, which in a sense it does, it just doesnt turn! Im particuarly annoyed at this as i bought the cam and corresponding oil pump in the hope to gain some performance, now it looks like its back to the standard cam and pump

Any suggestions?

YG

Didn't you buy an MG Metro cam from me? Mind you I didn't sell you a pump as well.

Yeap thats the one, the pump was from BMCecosse, no problems with that. Its just the rear most cam lobe that fouls the block.

i know its a bit of a bodge and I will probably be shot down, but how much is it fouling by and could you grind a little bit of the block away?

I'd say that probably isn't the problem. I might well be wrong, but I don't recall reading that the A series block ever changed shape around there. BMCE is a man who would know for sure

Metro TURBO cam is no use - it's the same as the 1098 cam for timing and lift (but it does run 4 degrees advanced) -although it does have the better wider lobes. Hope it is an MG non-turbo Metro cam! Have you fitted the chain pulley to the cam - and tightened up the nut ? This will pull it forwards to the correct running position (check for about 3 thou end float) - and it should clear the block ok. The oil pump does NOT locate the cam - it's all done at the drive end.

Well I definitely bought it as a standard MG Metro cam, with the intention of putting it in a spare engine I was building. But then decided to fit an SW5 instead. What makes you think it is a Turbo one?

Im particuarly annoyed at this as i bought the cam and corresponding oil pump in the hope to gain some performance,

This is a fairly common mod so I am puzzled at the problem but I think Roy may have hit on the problem, the cam should be fitted and timed before the pump is fitted if I remember correctly.

It just needs pulling forward into the running position - by the chain sprocket. Timing can wait!

Ok, ill put on the chain sprocket (and remove the oil pump) for the time being and see what happens. With the engine in its current state changing the cam isnt a big deal. Thanks!

bmcecosse wrote: Hope it is an MG non-turbo Metro cam! Have you fitted the chain pulley to the cam - and tightened up the nut ?

It isnt one, i was just thinking of met turbo's at the time because a friend has just bought a scrapped one to put in his mini!

I tried this today with an engine I happen to have upside down at the moment - and yes if the cam is pushed inwards it does foul the case - but pulled out to the running location - it's fine.

Did this solve the problem for you YG ?