Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi All,

Naomi's due for a service next weekend and seems very much in need of one. I did it last year as my first attempt but had problems getting grease into some of the nipples (and decided to leave it for a year), as well as getting oil into the steering rack - any ideas?!!! Apart from that, any general tips would be appreciated, ie adjusting the brakes if necessary.

There is a particular problem I am aware of as well. Sometimes when she's hot she cuts out. When re-starting, she won't rev very well. The engine struggles for about a minute and it's really hard to get going. There is also a frantic clicking from the fuel pump often when driving. I've got 2 ideas - either the fuel pump's faulty, or perhaps the carb needs adjusting? I topped it up with oil last weekend (a little too much) which has now made the car quite sluggish. I'm hoping to get hold of a second-hand fuel pump in the next week-or-so so I'll try fitting that. Is it likely to fix it or perhaps the carb needs adjusting?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Many thanks,

Neil

Apart from that, any general tips would be appreciated, ie adjusting the brakes if necessary.

Neil get yourself a manual as Minors really need regular servicing especially if you have not adjusted the brakes in over a year most owners do it twice a year, and you must do the greasing at least a couple of times a year, you do realise that the car needs to be up on axle stands to do this to take the pressure of the joints, also if you have trouble getting the grease in remove the nipples and the clean them using the gun to push clean grease through and if this does not work buy some new ones they are very cheap.
You should service the car 1st and then see if you still have the problems, I would imagine as its been ages since the last service the plugs points rotor arm etc are probably in quite a state and these need to be sorted 1st along with oils and filters.

Neil

It sounds as though the fuel in the carb is vapourising due to heat from the manifold. This problem has been discussed before. Look at http://www.morrisminoroc.co.uk/index.ph ... pic&t=4268

I would fit new plugs, points, rotor arm & dizzy cap (possibly leads if you don't know when they were changed).

Steering rack takes EP80 & whilst you are at it check the diff, takes the same. Gearbox level should be checked (use engine oil to top up).

To get into all the grease nipples you must have a flexible extension for your gun, it is impossible with a solid one... (Halfords sell guns & flexi extensions among other places...)

Change engine oil & filter & can also change air filter if you fancy it...

What oil did you use in the dashpot on the carb?? 10-40w is supposedly best but I just use 20-50w engine oil as do many others.

Also check brake adjustment probably need clicking up a notch every 3-6k (more wear will occur on front than back so these will want doing sooner).

Get yourself a Haynes manual if you haven't, all this is really straight forward & well (ish) documented in there....

Good luck

Oil in the dashpot won't make the car sluggish - it will only stop jerky take ups (too fast opening of the throttle slide)

Oil in the dashpot won't make the car sluggish

No, but too thick an oil will give it poor throttle response.

I used 20W50 in the dashpot. Perhaps that's why I now have poor throttle response? I'll try taking it off and emptying. Will also try and adjust it. Actually, all the electrics were changed about 2 months ago when my coil broke and kept melting the condenser. It's the greasing that I find most difficult, and also how DO you get oil onto the steering rack? Into that little hole? I've got all the books and as I said, I did this last year too, but just want to do it properly. If only it was as easy as my Maestro!!

I used 20W50 in the dashpot

20/50 is ok - exactly what do you mean by sluggish? The oil just acts as damping fluid to stop the car trying to kangaroo / give you whiplash when you press the throttle. It does nothing to the power of the engine when you're driving with your foot down, but does help low speed driving in traffic as you can accelerate from low speed rather than having to declutch to avoid annoying jerking.
Riley has Castol GTX in the dashpot (so do all my Moggies for the last 15 years) and he goes like a dream, screeching tyres if I fancy it etc..
GTX is now 15/40 so will give the same viscosity as the genuine stuff, and hardly any different to 20/50.


For the steering rack you need to have a decent grease gun, then clear the grease out of it and put some EP80 (or 90) in it. Then put the gun on the grease nipple on the rack and give it 10 squirts.

TO GET GREASE INTO THE GREASE NIPPLES. If you have a decent
grease gun and have cleaned the nipples but still can't get the
grease to go in then, cut some 2inch square pieces of old cotton
material(shirts etc) and place one over the nipple. If you now
push the gun firmly on then the grease will usually go where you
intended. The same applies to the steering rack oil but only to a max
of twelve pumps.