Recon or rebuild?

[fillpoke]

Following a rod coming through the block of my Mog I obtained a 2nd hand block into which to rebuild the engine. I decided to have everything machined to make sure the job was right - rebore cyls, regrind crank, skim head, new valve guides, etc, etc etc. To cut a long story short with the cost of the machining and the new parts required I'm looking at not much short of paying what it would cost me to get a recon engine from Bull Motif. The advantage of that engine is that it would come with 18 months guarantee. Obviously I wouldn't have to go to all the trouble of building it either. So I'm not sure what to do. Does anyone have any experience of Bull Motif's recon engines? Are they any good? Is there anywhere better to get a recon engine at a decent price?

[bmcecosse]

Rod through the block!!! What revs was it doing!!!! ? Haven't heard anything bad about the Bully engines - and as you say - good warranty, you won't have to assemble the engine (although that is an interesting and satisfying job to do) - and it will be available quickly - while your rebuild will take some time to do. I have to say - the Bully exchange engine looks good value for money - especially if you can collect it and deliver the exchange engine back to them, thus saving carriage costs.

[mike.perry]

Might have trouble with the exchange engine if it has a piston through the side of the block.
One of our TA Series IIa Landovers put a piston through the side of the block on the A3 one Friday evening

[bmcecosse]

Oh they won't take that one in exchange! It will need to be a 'complete' engine....

[katy]

Check w/Bully as to what they actually do to make a "fully reconditioned" engine.
Different people put different meanings to the words reconditioned, overhauled, rebuilt, etc.

[fillpoke]

I only recently bought the car and it was running sweetly when I went to view it. I didn't drive it the 40 miles home since it needed the brakes doing. I therefore employed a local recovery company to bring it back for me. When it arrived here it did so not on a flat back truck as I expected but on a spectacle, that is towed behind a truck with the front wheels raised and the rears on the road. Once the car had been unhitched and the recovery truck had left I decided to start up the car and move it to a different position. Upon turning the engine all I got was a horrible noise. I opened the bonnet to investigate and found a hole in the n/s of the block and another hole in the sump. Removal of the engine and subsequent stripping showed that the big end bolts on number 3 rod has sheared allowing the rod and cap to just float around in the block. So how had this happened? I speculate that the car had been accidentally left in gear when it was being towed back. If, say, it was in 2nd gear and was being towed along at 60mph the engine would have been spinning at far above its maximum revs and perhaps that's what caused the trouble. Has anybody got any better ideas?

[Chipper]

That's a possibility - did you happen to check the gearstick position?

Either that, or an unscrupulous seller knew it was on its way out and decided to keep quiet about it, possibly bodging it up to last the start-up period...

[bmcecosse]

I suspect your 'towing in gear' theory is absolutely right. It was running ok when youi saw it - you can't really 'bodge up' engine damage like that !! You can obviously try a claim against the towing company - but I would be surprised if they accept any liability. No doubt the seller can confirm it was ok when it left him? Which may help.....

[fillpoke]

Yes I confirmed with the seller that all was ok when it left him. That only leaves the recovery company. I suspect it will be a waste of time trying to get them to admit liability though.

[bmcecosse]

Sad lesson there for all to learn then - make sure you know exactly how the car will be moved - and if possible - accompany it....

[kennatt]

yes another thing to log into the back of the brain,for future reference.. Bad luck,but if the previous owner is prepared to testify that all was well,you can confirm it ,and the car hasn't been driven since. I would be chasing up the recovery firm,they probably would deny it,but I would think that a two to one in small claims court would stand a good chance.They may simple settle out of court,may also have insurance for damage. Got to be worth a try.

[les]

I agree, it amounts to incompetence, you should at least try to get a result, it's hardly a scratched wing. There must have been a hell of a noise and oil every where!

[bmcecosse]

I would certainly threaten them with a Small Claims Court Action - and indeed - take it there if they don't agree to some sort of compensation. I do think it would have been wise to contact them IMMEDIATELY you found the damage - and certainly before the engine was taken out......

[les]

You could say,------ It has occurred to me after making various enquiries that the only way this damage could have happened etc---------. that would go some way to explain the delay.

[bmcecosse]

Absolutely - I assume you do have low cost 'Small Claims' in Englandshire..?

[fillpoke]

Yes we do have a small claims court here and perhaps I will try it. I am pretty p****d of with the company who brought the car back. I was hoping to be using it as my daily driver not rebuilding the engine! As a matter of interest I'll attach a picture of the hole in the block showing the crankpin inside![frame][/frame]

[bmcecosse]

Crikey - and it looks to have been running bone dry........... Bit of a disaster really...... Can you not pick up a 'running' engine to get you mobile meantime? Maybe this at £60 would get you running meantime. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Morris-Minor- ... 3cdc1c56c6
and this just a block but obviously has pistons so presumably has rods, and possibly the crank (can only see end of camshaft) - may be worth the £40 asking - but I suggest not much more! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Morris-Minor- ... 2a376e95bb

[fillpoke]

I bought 2 engines that had been standing for some time and the plan is to make 1 good engine from the 3 I now have. I've got 1 excellent block, 1 good crank, plenty of good pistons and enough other bits to get the thing sorted I think. I've just ordered bearings etc from ESM this evening so I hope to be able to get on with the job later in the week.

[bmcecosse]

Oh right - so you are well ahead of me then! Good luck with it - any guidance needed and we are all here to advise..... Inspect the oil pumps - and use the best one - or if all 'doubtful' invest in a new one....it's not worth cutting corners with the pump.

[les]

I'm beginning to think this towing job happened further back than we first might have thought?