Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi all,

It's a cold wet miserable day in Inverness soI thought I would cut open the breather on my 1275 timing cover to clean it out and make it narrower so that the cooling fan doesn't hit it.

I did try not to cut into the gauze(metally mesh stuff) but inevitebly the hacksaw caught the edge of the gauze. It's not too badly damaged and I can clean it but can I buy a new piece and what would I ask for. There was also 2 clips inside the breather presumambly they hold the guaze in place but are they needed if I am making the breather narrower then it will hold the gauze quite firmly.

Lastly the rocker cover has a cap with no breather hole but seems to have a another filter in it. The engine is a Marina (12V) with no tappet covers so I think the oil cap hould have a breather hole or am I wrong?

My last question is that on my 1098 engine I had an electronic ignition (Aldon I think) fitted inside the distributor. With the 1275 could I use the same electronic ignition as presumambly it is just a switch and it is the advance weights, springs and diaphragm that does the rest? Or am I showing my lack of knowledge.

Thanks in advance, Jeff

Jeff... I can't say for sure about the dizzy but the 1098 and 1275 are the same except for the advance curve. I think you get too much advance at idle if you use a 1098 in a 1275 engine.... So, if you swop the advance mech then all should be well. The gauze in the engine breather - chuck it away, you don't need it and the oil cap on a 1275 should be vented with the gauze in it which soulds like what you have got. The vents are around the edge of the cap, not in the top face.. Rich

You would be better to have some gauze in there - Poundland sell a bag of copper pot scourers - ideal for the job! If your 1275 uses a 25D dizzy - then just fit the dizzy from the 1098. The differences are very slight - you won't notice anything!

Ensure that you connect the breather pipe from the filter into the carb or you will get some nasty oil leaks from the back of the engine.