Morris Minor Owners Club

hey i recently bought what i was told was a Ital A+ engine, however after buying parts for A+ and them not fitting im not so sure what i have so if you could help me to identify what i have this would be very helpfull. manifold on this may be misleading as i believe this to be wrong, so i have bought a new one since.[frame][/frame]

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pics are to small for me to see so may be same for others.
post the number off the engine will sure help in its ID

A+ has strengthening ribs horizontally and vertically on the engine block. A has smoother appearance.

The A+ has a ribbed block, the later distributor with a fork type clamp & the charging system mountings will be spaced closer for an alternator rather than a dynamo.

Looks like a Marina A series to me - why do you think A+ ?? The only important difference for you is the dizzy mounting. And with no obvious breathers - it must leak like a sieve ! You MUST have a breather on the timing case - and also on the rocker cover to have any hope of an oil-tight engine.

On a Marina engine it's not unheard of regarding the confusion on A+/A. The Ital had an A+ engine but apart from some additional ribs on the block and a different dizzy clamp they look very similar to MARINA A series.

& the charging system mountings will be spaced closer for an alternator rather than a dynamo.

IIRC Marina A series mountings were spaced for an Alternator.


The dizzy clamp type should be the main way to tell the difference - if it has the clamp like a Minor engine and doesn't have the fork type clamp, then it's an A. If it's got the fork clamp it's an A+

hey the serial number on the engine is rkm 1129 e15046. but by the sounds of it its a marina which is annoying after it was sold to me as a ital and i bought ital parts for it. the engine didnt come with a distributor so dont know if clamp or fork.

Looks very much like a clamp in that picture!

The A+ engine was a stronger casting and is recognised by the horizontal and vertical ribs on the block.
Inline A;

And inline A+


The last of the Marinas were fitted with the A+ as this engine was in production before the Ital was introduced.

rayofleamington wrote:

& the charging system mountings will be spaced closer for an alternator rather than a dynamo.

IIRC Marina A series mountings were spaced for an Alternator.

I didn't word that very well I meant the drilling's in the casting are narrower rather than the brackets. This forced my hand into using an alternator when I fitted my 1275

Internally - the A+ has the later/better/stronger main bearing shells in the caps.

the block is ribbed so i fairly confident its an a+. should an a+ ital distributor fit this engine because it doesnt the drive pegs are to wide to fit into the slots?

show a picture of the dizzy mounting in the block.