Morris Minor Owners Club

Happy New year folks!

Decided to start the new year off by getting the engine rebuild finished for the van, its nearly there but ive been putting off fitting the duplex timing chain kit from Bullmotif.
The only instruction with the kit are on a sticker on the box lid ! So Ive looked on the old interweb, and now Im really confused.
Any help with which bolts to countersink etc would be great. Reading up on the kits it looks like I didnt need a double chain any way as a lot of folk say they start to rattle soon after fitting. Dont really want to bin this one and buy a single chain and sprockets.

They don't start to rattle for quite a while -don't panic - but the single chain with tensioner as per later Minis is a far better option. The duplex is really for high lift cams and stupidly strong valve springs....... The two little screws that hold the faceplate to the front main cap must be removed - the holes countersunk (make SURE no swarf goes in the block) and then fit countersunk head screws with a dab of Loctite - simples !!

a lot of folk say they start to rattle soon after fitting

I can only give you my experience of having a duplex chain in our Minor for the last 35/40 years.

The original 948 engine had a 2A948 Cooper 997 cam, double valve springs and a duplex chain fitted in the early/mid 70's and ran for at least 30,000 miles with no rattle. The engine was taken out in 1992, then dry and warm stored for 18/19 years and sold 2 years ago. At the same local classic car show this year we caught up with the buyer who had fitted it into a Frogeye. After buying the engine, he had checked it over, changed the oil, filter, thermostat and head gasket and we heard it running very sweetly on the duplex chain that I had fitted almost 40 years before!

The current 1380 was fitted in 1998 and has had 3 different cams, a Kent 266, Kent 276 and now a Piper MD270, all with strong double valve springs, 1.5:1 rockers (just to increase the load a bit more!) and a rev limit of 7,000rpm. The total mileage of the 1380 is 45,000 since 1998, but I would think the most that one timing chain has done is around 20,000. Again not a hint of rattle - the chain was only changed when fitting the new cam.

I ran a timing belt for about 3,000 miles, until a new belt broke and caused mayhem with the pushrods and valves, so reverted to a standard duplex chain! The belt was maybe slightly smoother, but definitely there was no difference in noise, as the chain was, and still is, silent!

I have heard many A Series engines with rattling single timing chains, so if changing to a duplex seems to eliminate that problem, it sounds like a good idea.

The original single row chain is the one that starts rattling again after a fairly short time.
Mostly due to the poor anti-rattle set up of the rubber rings.
The duplex kit is easy to fit and nicely over spec for the job it has to do and should give many years of rattle free service.

Thanks for the reply s about the timing chain.
Just about to fit it now (After important cup of tea!) So once the two holes are countersunk I can follow the service manual for fitting? I guess the new chain and sprockets will have timing marks and whatnot.
Cheers for the help

Yes - as long as the screw heads are completely countersunk -not proud of the faceplate AT ALL. I agree -the timing belt is an unnecessary risk for an A series.

Yes once the timing marks a lined up with the chain on, fit both gears. My duplex kit needed the keyways on the gears filed a bit to fit, they are a tight fit.

Had mine from ESM same problem. Here you can just see one of the countersunk cross head bolts (half of it) at the top left, the other is to the right behind the chain. As has been said keep the swarf out, I used electrical tape to seal all holes and orifices.
You can see the 2 offending bolts at the bottom.[frame][/frame]
Now with new timing gear.
[frame][/frame]

Done the countersinking of the screws and slid on both sprockets as the book says to put a ruler between the sprocket faces.

The ruler shows a very slight gap of about a mm between the sprocket faces. Also the domed oil thrower that comes with the duplex kit doesnt fit the crankshaft diameter or have a slot to slide over the key on the shaft, use the old oil thrower?

You must line up the teeth of the two sprockets - not necessarily the 'faces' - so check again on the teeth! The domed part is not an oil thrower - I'm guessing it is the lock washer for the cam sprocket nut!!

This is the oil thrower fitted, yes fit the old one.[frame][/frame]

Aye -but do line up the teeth correctly!

Thanks guys, that makes more sense seeing the photo of the oil thrower in place.

The least expensive but better than an old one is a stock cast gear and chain set, This budget standard cast duplex gear and chain set is the next step up, for road use only.

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Best by FAR is the Mini simplex chain with rubber tensioner....MG/Rover went that way for good reason. It doesn't rattle - the duplex does........once the 'newness' wears off.