Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi all Just bought my 2nd Minor Yesterday(sold the 1st 1 3yrs ago DOH)The seller told me that the shell bearings will eventually need replacing.
What does this mean and whats involved.
Can a competent diy mechanic fix it
Cheers Mark

the shell bearings are in the engine also known as bigend bearings where the conrod conects to the crankshaft and the main bearing fitted inbeween the block and the crankshaft
its an engine out job im affraid if its the main bearings but you can get away with just taking the sump off if its the bigends but i wouldnt bother i would recon the engine all together if the "shell bearings are on there way out

Keep an eye on the oil pressure, a flickering oil pressure light on tickover when you come off the motorway, and listen for a knocking noise when you start up.

If you run the engine with worn bearings - it soon ruins the crankshaft - which may of course have already happened. But - caught early enough - you 'may' just get away with new 'shell bearings' - although it's unlikley. Take th sump off - and have a look at one of the big-ends, and the centre main bearing - the results will tell all!

Dont rely on the oil pressure switch its not very accurate especially as its at least 40 years old.

My oil light used to flicker at idle. I replaced it with a guage that registers around 30lb at idle and 60-65lb at hot.

Jamie

An oil pressure light that comes on at 30 psi - IDEAL!

excuse me i said that they are not very reliable. not that they come on at 30lb.

You indicated that your one was coming on 'flicker' at idle - which now proves to be 30 psi - which is absolutely IDEAL! A switch that comes on at 5 or 10 psi is too late -the crank is ruined if the pressure gets down to that level when running!

Yes i did say that. I also said mine was faulty. So dont believe what your oil pressure light says unless you have a gauge to back it up

Yes - but yours is faulty in a GOOD way. I searched for ages to find a 30 psi switch for my rally Mini! And it was then connected to a very LARGE orange light on the navigator's side of the dash.

i kind of broke it when removing it.

Good grief.

I checked out Bull Motif and they do a crankshaft with main and bigend bearings ,if I replace this will it fix my problem, rater than replacing the engine

If that's the only problem - then yes, but DO also fit a new oil pump! But would be wise to pull the pistons and inspect the bores/rings/pistons while you have the engine out. And a new timing chain and possibly a new small sprocket would seem wise!
What engine is it ? If a 948 - would be a good chance to upgrade the cam to the AEA 630 cam - from a 1098 engine !

Yeah its a 948

May I suggest getting a new "old" engine. Often you can pick them up reasonably cheap, and then you can swap them over when you want to have a go at an engine rebuild. I will admit I am on my third motor (a powerful 1100 cc beastie), but is often cheaper than a rebuild.
Be careful though, you get a new motor, and it comes with a spare care, and it all snowballs from there
John