Morris Minor Owners Club

Was heading out in the car today and was really looking forward to the day ahead.

Drove up to Tescos to fill up the tank, headed off down the country lanes from a nice drive in the country. The perfect setting for a Morris Minor.

Got about four miles from the house and had to stop at a set of traffic lights. Pulled away and it was like there was a blacksmith in the engine bay. There was a horrible banging noise coming from the engine, gradually getting louder

Pulled over to take a lookbut there was nothing that seemed obviously wrong so called out the breakdown recovery lorry. After more than an hour of standing in the cold and some patchy rain the guy and the lorry arrived.

The guy said his job was just to take me home but said he would have a listen to the engine but if anything else were to go he took no responsibility. So I started him up and a second later the guy was screaming "turn it off".

He was an 'older gentleman' and said he worked on minors when they were new and recons that it’s the 'big end'.

The noise come on all of a sudden though and I'm told that when the 'big end' goes it starts off as a knocking noise and gets gradually louder. Maybe I haven't noticed because I don't drive the car everyday?

So they great day out I had planned was ruined and now I have car thats not going anywhere soon.

sorry to hear of your not so good day. It is one of the joys of old car ownership that you never know when the next problem will occur.

sorry to hear about your troubles.
What engine do you have? If it's the early A-series as originally fitted to the SII then big ends are not as robust as the Minor 1000 engines.
Rapid failure of a big end is less normal but it depends how/why it failed.

Big ends can be inspected with the engine in the car - it only requires removing the sump. A failed big end may be loose on the crank (check for a small amount of play). If one has some play then you've found the problem. If that shows nothing then remove the big end caps to look at the bearings - there will be visible damage if they are gone.
Remember that refitting require a bit of skill and a torque wrench (not everyone will want to DIY this) + maybe new big end bolts too. Measuring the crank should really be done when the big end caps are off to give a final verification of wear - if the crank is not scored and the diameters are ok, new big end bearings can be fitted.
I've heard many aneqdotes of people repairing engines after a failed big end without having to get the crank re-ground. There's a legendary story that a big end was repaired with cigarrette papers (in the 70's when they were metallic) and the engine did another 20k miles).
Personally I'm open minded but a damaged crank should really be removed and sent for grinding. After grinding you need different size bearings (classed as undersize as the crank diameter will be undersize)

However a loud banging noise is not always the big ends. A friend of a friend was told she needed a new engine because the big ends were knocking (by a garage). They quoted her a lot of money which she didn't want to spend and next step she got some random idiot (freind of her neighbor who said he knew about cars) to look at it and he started stripping the engine top end.
When I got involved a month after the garage fiasco and a few weeks after the first guy had done a runner leaving the engine in bits, I rebuilt the top end, ran it and found out that the knocking was the alternator!!

The original engine has been swapped for a 948cc engine.

I'm going to walk away from the car for a while before I start stripping it down to take a look.

Morris Minor.....who'd have one

The original engine has been swapped for a 948cc engine.

Ah - the lovely 948 (no offence menat to the SII engine - ok maybe a little bit)

If it does need a crank re-grind, then bear in mind that a good second hand engine can be got for a fraction of the cost of a rebuild...
Plenty of rotten Minors get broken for parts and many have good engines ;-)

take the fan belt off and spin the water pump and dynamo by hand to see if thats whats making the noise ;)

Just took the sump off to take a look.

Turns out theres an actual crack in the crank itself

So I now need to get a new bottom end. Anyone know of any for sale?

I´d get another engine if I were you... easier and cheaper.

I may have one kicking about in Bristol if you need one.

Well - I did break a couple of 948 cranks - but only by using extremely high revs! Amazing it would break in 'normal' use. You may as well get another engine - as sourcing just a crank won't be too easy - although no harm in asking in Wanted! It's an engine out job whatever way you go.

a recon engine will be easier,i know that there is the money issue but you will get years of motoring and reliability.i was in your position 2 years ago so i know how you feel,keep smiling.

What bad luck . I have a collection of parts that, I suppose I could get some cash for if I could be bothered to fish them out, photograph and advertise them but to be honest I'd much prefer them to go to somebody who is in a fix.
If you would like it I have a 948 engine that has only done 40k miles. I removed it from my present car to fit a 1275. You are quite welcome to it free of charge if you can come and collect. obviously that will cost you in fuel but that would be a lot cheaper than a replacement I would imagine

Now THAT's a great offer! What a great Forum this is !
Well done Peetee!

Blimey Peetee, complete respect to you sir.

ditto that man

Wow.

Peetee you are a gentleman and a scholar

PM sent Peetee

Thanks very much

Please don't mention it. Glad to see someone want's a 948. Most people with a duff one replace them with a 1098 . If I hadn't set my heart on a 1275 I'd stick with a 948. Get a good one and they are smooth as silk.

This forum is brilliant :D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Brings a tear to my eye that does Peetee, well done that man.