Morris Minor Owners Club

Does any one know of a decent engine restorer for side valves ?

My supposedly rebuilt engine sounds like a bag of nails and will be returned to the original supplier!!!

The MM engine was certainly a common unit in its time, but as many are now consigned to be garage queens, reconditioning is getting pretty rare. There's not a lot in an MM engine that can rattle - do you mean a tappet noise? (tappet setting is fiddly) or do you mean something like a big end knock?
There is of course a lot of difference between a rebuilt engine and a 'reconditioned' engine. A recon should mean that all worn or damaged parts are replaced and implies a rebore and crank grind. A rebuild can mean anything.
The cost of the parts alone is becoming a problem - I would expect tom pay up to ~£1000 if you want a turn-key rebuild and the donor engine needs everything doing.

I've helped to do a recondition build (DIY) one one of these over the last few months - MM register (Mike Perry) was extremely helpful to help source parts. The owner sourced some parts from club spares (Brian), some from a regular minor spares trader, some from Mike, and a bunch of stuff from a Morris 8 parts trader. The engine shares a lot with the 8 series E engine, as that engine was the donor design which was slightly changed for the Minor.

When it comes to rebores and crank grinding - a decent engine machinist can do this without batting an eye. Oversize pistons and undersize crank bearings, headgaskets, tappets, cam chain etc.. are listed by a couple of suppliers.

New water jackets (the bolt on bit) are available and these are a common item to replace as the alloy can be very corroded internally.

PM sent, forgot to ask who did your engine?

Hi, Just had a side valve engine fully refurbished (rebuilt) including the fitting of the ALTA ohv conversion by KAR Engine Services Barnstaple Nth Devon. The gaffa is Chris Heighton. They refurbish engines regularly for Bull Motif and Charlie Ware and have very good reputation. The sidevalve engine is still running in but performs well and sounds really great.
Let me know if you require any further details. Spike.

spike_esq wrote:Hi, Just had a side valve engine fully refurbished (rebuilt) including the fitting of the ALTA ohv conversion by KAR Engine Services Barnstaple Nth Devon. The gaffa is Chris Heighton. They refurbish engines regularly for Bull Motif and Charlie Ware and have very good reputation. The sidevalve engine is still running in but performs well and sounds really great.
Let me know if you require any further details. Spike.

I too have an Alta but I've not been able to find an original head gasket. Did they use solid copper as I am doing or did they find a source for gaskets? If so please let me know.

Have you contacted Graham?

You can buy new Alta headgaskets in the UK. I posted a link a while ago....

[Doh! What am I saying???]

Uhhhh, they are no longer available so you might as well sell the Alta head to me, Darrell.