Morris Minor Owners Club

I will get the numbers from the clutch housing at lunch time, can then find out where it came from once and for all! (hopefully)

I'v just realised that i may have on my original box a 948 release bearing which i did not put onto the gearbox. i will confirm this at lunch time. I hope this is the case as i will just swap the arm over with the 948 bearing on and hopefully it will work.

As the Sprites/ Midgets use the same type of gearbox would fitting the lever arm and release bearing from one of them work instead of using what i have? Or would the leverage be the same?

leverage is the same - your problem is offset. That is easy to cure by using the 948 release bearing, which was designed for a clutch with the same pretty much the same offset as the Midget 1275...

This is a bit embarrasing but i think i may have found a cause..... I took the clutch out at lunch time and when reading the numbers off it realised i had put it in the wrong way around hence the 'Flywheel End' words stamped in it which were facing towards the gearbox not the flywheel!! When i fitted it i had just done a 7hour drive and was nackard but very keen on getting the car going.

So i will retry again tonight if i get time. making sure i put the clutch in the correct way around and also use a 948 release bearing. I have ordered a new one of those aswell.

I hope that is the reason for it not working so i can finally get out and enjoy the car!

Details of my clutch are: (if it makes any sense)
Borg & Beck
Type 6-6 1/2 D2
LL
Made in Leamington Spa England
51521 - On the clutch plate

Don't feel embarrassed, we've all been there.
I've done the same thing with a clutch and suspect I did the same sort of thing with my flywheel recently.
The main thing is to sort it out, and remember next time.

I was going to ask earlier if the plate was in right way round........ Let's see a picture of the '948' release bearing please -because I thought the '1098' type was the longer arm version of the two.

Right well its fitted and i have a pedal again BUT the clutch isn't smooth it feels snappy/jerky if that makes any sense.

i dont know if it is because the box isn't sat on its suports and is just sat ontop of the jack or not? also my adjusting rod is under alot of strain as i can see it flexing when pushing the pedal down.

Out of the three boxes i have i used the release bearing that was the longest

any idea how to get rid of the snappy pedal?

Someone suggests lengthening the operating arm - to increase the leverage. This is a common problem using the Spridget clutch with mechanical operation.

But the clutch was fine and smooth before. i will have a play around with it later take it back off and make sure everything is tip top!

I have a Spridget box and clutch, but used the arm from the original 948 clutch. I find the clutch action very good.
Back to the original question, having changed the gearbox both with engine in and out of the car, I will, in future, always pull the engine and gearbox out together.

ITS FIXED!!!! Took him fo a spin this morning! Very happy!

One more question though what is the normal oil pressure for a 1275 as when i left it was around 60 and when i got back struggled to keep 20? Im sure from memory it was never that low on my 1098. There is fresh oil in the sump so its not old and mucky.

The oil pressure must hold 60 at decent revs - even when hot. Any less = doom. As a rough guide - 10 psi per 10 mph in top gear up to 60 will be the minimum for the engine to survive. Unless at idling of course when 20 is about right.

Hmmm.. i dont like the sound of DOOM! My pressure drops and stays around 20 when the engine is fully warm no matter what speed.

What are the usual causes of this?

Worn out crankshaft bearings and oil pump. Since you say it goes to 60 when cold - the relief valve appears to be working normally although there is a slight chance it is stuck partially open. Certainly worth checking. Maybe worth trying an oil and filter change - use 20W50 oil - ASDA/Morrisons will be fine.

New crankshaft bearings were fitted but thinking of it i should have fitted a new pump too. I allready use 20W50 but the one from Halfords in the old style tin drum.

Time to take the engine to bits again then! The joy's of classic car ownership!

Do have a quick check of the relief valve - you never know!
Was the crankshaft reground before fitting new bearing shells - or just shells fitted? If so - was the crank inspected/checked for size with a micrometer ?

Yeah, i will check everything over i think! I have covered around 50 miles since i put in the new bearings, rings, valves etc.. but foolishly did not check the oil pump or the reliefe valve!

At what pressure is the relief valve supposed to kick in?
I have a feeling it's above 60 psi, if that's the maximum you ever see then a washer or two under the spring might do the trick.

What shape were the bearings in? Were the plate and spring still in the filter?
Also, how nasty was the oil and gunge in the sump,and did you change the bearings due to a failure of some sort?

The relief valve should lift at 60/70 psi - doesn't really matter - a steady 60 psi is fine, no great advantage in having any more and it does absorb power to churn up any higher pressure. I have to say - I have never run an engine with only 20 psi....... even a rally engine that 'ran it's bearings' causing me to retire from the Mull Rally (because I knew I had to drive the car home!) could manage 40 psi even though it rattled horribly if I pressed it too hard - it was a gentle run home.
There must be something seriously amiss in an engine that can only manage 20 psi.

I still have the old bearings (i think) i will double check them later but from memory to top bearing had only a small amount of the white metal removed, nothing at all major!

The oil was in the sump was very bad and thick and mucky. obviously i cleaned the sump before replacing it but recently when i changed my sump gasket i noticed a little bit more gunk in there so maybe there is some left in the engine and slowly being forced out?

I think i will strip out the engine again change the oil pump and relief valve, and check the bearings etc see whats what!