Morris Minor Owners Club

I have a 948cc engine and I have the pulley with the starting dog. The bolt is completeley seized on and I couldn't remove it even with soaking in penetrating oil then standing on a 4 foot long piece of scaffold with a spanner on the end. I believe the bolt is a 1-5/16". Has anyone got any ideas how I can remove it? I'm trying to get a socket that is long enough to fit over the starting dog but I can't find one. Considering the engine isn't bolted into a car it's quite hard to get the leverage without tipping the engine over, even with someone standing on it. Any ideas?

Air impact wrench? (aka rattlegun).

Chuck the engine in your boot (assuming you've got a daily runner) and take it round to almost any back-street garage. Should only take them a few seconds.

I wouldn't try the "use the starter" method on an engine that's out of a car unless I was desparate.

Kevin

A 1&5/16 ring spanner and a club hammer does the trick too. If you have a look on e bay they can be picked up for about £15-£20. The problem you have is that the engine, if out of the car, has nothing to stop the crankshaft turning when you hit the crankshaft/nut starter dog. Perhaps the quickest way would be to drop the sump and then jam a wooden handle from a hammer against the crankshaft lobes to stop the crank turning. Once you have bent back the lock tab and given it a couple of sharp clouts the nut should ease.

These are tightened to 70lb/ft so they will be stubborn but not imopossible.

beno9962,

Where are based? I have the necessary socket and air impact wrench if you are anywhere near Oxford?

Presumably you have already knocked back the tab washer, and it will still not undo?

Thanks for the info guys.
I currently have the crankshaft chocked with wood and yes i've bent back the lock tab and used lots of wd40. I've been using an adjustable spanner and hitting it with a lump hammer. I've tried putting a long piece of scaffold pipe on the spanner and then standing on it, but still no look.

Based on your advice I've got a few ideas to try tonight.

1) Tighten the bolt (attempting to crack it)
2) Use penetrating oil
3) Having someone stand on the engine whilst using the spanner.
4) Brucek.. I'll try a ring spanner too as this might give me a little more purchase than an adjustable, unfortunately I can't find a socket that'll fit over the starter dog.

kevin.. If none of this works I have a mechanic locally who I will ask to use his air impact gun, thanks for the advice.

IslipMinor..I'm based in Nottingham, appreciate the offer of the air impact wrench however it's a little far for me to travel. Do you know where you got the socket from? I can't find one deep enough to fit over the starter dog.

I'm going to have a trip to halfords this afternoon and see if I can get any better tools.

Ben

Mmm - an adjustable spanner will just round the nut off and then you'll be in all sorts of trouble. I'd certainly STOP using that! The ring spanner is probably cheaper than the socket but try your local Machine Mart shop. Where abouts in Nottingham are you? I'm only in Lincoln so if you are really struggling I could pop down with my spanner and have a crack at it

Ben

It's a 1 5/16" deep impact socket bought from Beaulieu a few years ago, but any deep socket should fit over the starter dog. I would certainly use a ring spanner, not an adjustable, which is more likely to skew off the nut, and could round the corners.

As an alternative size, 3/4" BSW / 7/8" BSF might fit OK, particularly a 12-point ring or socket, a 33mm 12-point might just fit, but may well be too tight, and a 34mm 6-point socket should also be OK, but not a 12-point, which could slip.

Alternating the tightening and loosening is a very good idea, good luck.

I cant add much to what everyone has already said but just one point, watch your eyes if you have to hit a spanner with a hammer. You dont want bits of metal flying into them. Wear some goggles. The dog will undo, keep trying!

I have used a 33mm deep socket-wheel nut size from MAN trucks.
It can be a tight fit as it's a tolerance issue as Richard has mentioned.

You definately need the shock tactic on this one and good fitting spanners - 1,5/16AF or 3/4Whit ring for preference although I have done it with a open ended one.

A method I have successfully used in the past is to have an assistant firmly holding a spanner on a flywheel bolt whilst you hit the spanner on the starter dog the other end.

Good luck

Rog

You need to be careful - I have in the past bent the nose of a Mini crankshaft while attempting to remove this bolt using socket and very long lever. A rattle gun will have much less risk of that than just about any other method. You could apply lots of heat with a gas blow torch - let it soak into the starter dog but try not to let it get to the crankshaft - and then try the ring-key and hefty hammer wallop method. An 'adjustable' wrench will be useless, but I will admit to having used a stillson wrench on the starter dog when the engine is still in the chassis - to hold it while I apply the starter motor. That method ALWAYS works...........

Thanks very much guys, you'll be pleased to here that I was succesful in removing the bolt last night.

I purchased a 34mm ring spanner (it works out at about 33.4mm but, it was much better than an adjustable as you suggested).

I sprayed penetrating oil around the bolt and left to soak. I then heated with a blow torch. I tightened the bolt slightly before loosening (apparently this can help break the thread).

I got someone to stand on the end of a long sledge hammer which was wedged through the hole on the back plate whilst I hit the spanner with a lump hammer to give it a shock as you suggested. It came off no problem after that.

I don't suppose anyone has any idea how to remove the woodruff key on the end of the crankshaft without damaging it. I've tried hit it with the smooth side of the chisel on the crankshaft, but the key is starting to bend up.

In the workshop manual it says to remove the pulley then remove the woodruff key, however it appears like it would be easier to remove the cover, sprockets etc then remove.

Can a spare woodruff key be purchased and is it easy to fit?

I appreciate any more advice you can give me.

Ben

I can purchase woodruff keys of virtually every size at my local hardware store. I have never let a mangled woodruff key stand in the way of my impatience!

That's promising. How do you usually remove them? I've tried pliers, small chisels etc with no luck just scratching everything and bending the key.

More expert mechanics may have a superior technique, but my shadetree approach is a hammer and chisel, then a fine file to dress up the inevitable damage.

I like your thinking bazza - but it's quite hard to get in there with the chisel......ask me how I know.....

Good evening BMC, I don't suppose you have any ideas how I can remove a crankshaft woodruff key with minimal damage to crankshaft and my fingers?

I'm trying to avoid the inevitable bashing a large chisel with a mallet here...

The key usually pops out with a small sharpish screwdriver - but yes - a chisel WILL do the job! New keys are v inexpensive - just don't damage the crank!