Morris Minor Owners Club

i bought the car yesterday, and it survived the drive from southend to aylesbury perfectly well.

The previous owner, however, does not know what oil is in it at present (synthetic, semi-synthetic, mineral)

Is there a way in which i can deduce what is in it, shot of an oil change?

the car does not, and i quote 'leak any oil at all', so (fingers crossed) it is not urgent.

Also, if there is a member local to Aston Clinton, Aylesbury, Bucks who could show me the ropes i would be verry greatfull.

the brakes are shocking, and will need looking at, and there is some surface rust that needs treating, but other than this, it is a great car.

Many thanks in advance,

Matt Tomkins

also, forgot to ask, is it detramental to the engine to mix synthetic and mineral oils (assuming i top up with mineral oils)?
- one would assume mineral oil is present, but it's not garunteed!

the oil you want is a 20/50 mineral oil depending on your budget if you want cheap go to azda it comes in a silver bottle ,or go to halfords if you want to spend about 14 pounds for a gallon.brakes are easy to adjust get yourself a haynes manual.a oil change is easy to do and make sure you change the filter as well ,im in hertfordshire

The brakes may not be as shocking as you think.
There is no servo fitted as standard so you have to push a lot harder than on a modern car.
It encourages better driving and discourages tailgating.

If you are buying a worshop manual get a proper BMC one. Contact sgray, he is in your area and may be able to commiserate.

If the brakes are working correctly - they should NOT be heavy! These cars were sold to - and used by - little old ladies! Just add 20W50 oil - Asda stuff is fine - these engines don't need (or like!) fancy oils. However if history is not well known - an oil and filter change should be high priority. Make SURE the pressure plate and spring are present inside the filter can when renewing the cartridge. Many get thrown away with the old filter - after that - there is NO filtering.