Morris Minor Owners Club

Can anyone say whether this is practical with a trolley jack and axle stands, or would I be better with an engine hoist and take out the gearbox and engine in one go?

Best to just move the engine forward - balanced on a trolley jack. You will need to remove the rad and the engine towers. And of course - support the gearbox while the engine is disengaged from it. No need to lift the engine - just swap the clutch where it sits.

Cant get the gearbox off, seems to be fouling on the steering rack.. do I really need to move the engine forward?

As I need to do the gaitors on the rack, could I remove the rack, then slide the gearbox back?

You can - but it's a nightmare! Just leave the gearbox where it is - don't disconnect anything - unbolt the engine and slide it forward. It's by far the easiest way to get at the clutch. The rack gaitors are easy to do in place - again it's a relative LOT of work to remove the rack, and quite unnecessary just to renew gaitors. I renewed a gaitor last week in less than half an hour, not counting the time taken to search for the ball joint splitter.......

ok thanks, I'm just a bit worried about balancing the engine on a trolley jack. Should I disconnect the engine mounts at the engine side or the chassis side?

Both! You need to remove the radiator and the towers.

Ok thanks BMC.

I found that I could leave the engine mounts in place and let the weight of the gearbox (with the bolts in place) tilt the engine down a bit so that the bell housing just cleared the steering rack. Managed then to separate the two by rotating the gearbox and pulling it back.

Turns out the release bearing had worn through the mating half of the clutch which was marked 5648, I take it that the clutch had been in there since week 48 of year 1956, so not bad.

How is it best to align the new clutch plate without a clutch alignment tool? Could I stick it with some spray glue exactly centralised, and expect the glue to burn off, or should I try and align it with a turned down broom handle for example?

The best way to do it is to use an input shaft to align, granted not everyone has one.
Otherwise, use a socket that fits 'into' the spigot bearing so it is centralised around this (central) point.
A broom handle will work if thin enough.

A thin piece of dowling rod with some black tape wrapped around works well - the valve grinding tool is perfect!

Tried to get gearbox back in position, but it is impossible to align it correctly, then rotate and push the two together. I am working single handed, it is just too heavy and the wrong shape to use trolley jack to align it.

So I bought an engine hoist for £130. If any Morris owner in the Horsham area would like to borrow it, it's there for anyone's use.

Which is why I advised you right at the start to just run the engine forward on a trolley jack! No need then to touch the gearbox/clutch operating rods or the prop shaft..... You've given yourself an awful amount of extra work. Well done offering the hoist to others.

Yes indeed.Its very difficult to mate it up using the box,and you risk damaging the clutch,the other way round is easy since once the input shaft is into the engine with the box in gear to stop rotation you can turn the engine via the bottom pully which helps the splines on the clutch to line up.Not easy the other way laid under the car trying to fiddle the box into place.

Been there/done that 50 years ago....and swore never to make THAT mistake again!

Sorry BMCecosse, i didnt realise you meant move the engine forward leaving the gearbox in the car - that would have been easiest. At least once the whole lot was out, i could do the gaitors easily, replace the front brake pipe and give the engine bay a good clean.

It's all back in now and runs a treat, no more release bearing noise, lighter clutch, no judder and the engine doesn't slow down when you put the clutch down.

Thanks all for help,
Julian.

Oh well! At least you gained the experience, and a clean engine bay.....and a hoist to loan out to others! Win win...