Birmingham Minor Friendly Garage

[75welly]

Good evening all.
This is my first post after watching you all at it for the last few years. I've enjoyed my 1962 Trafalgar Blue Traveller since February last year, really enjoyed the last two rallies at Kelmarsh Hall and of course last year's Cornbury Park. I've yet to make it to the local Branch Meeting but really need to because my local trusty garage is struggling to look after Horace. I've recently had problems with two duff starter motors from a local major supplier (although I'm getting by on a second hand one I bought at Kelmarsh Hall last weekend) and now Horace seems to have lost power, is spewing horrible radiator fluid like a Quatermass experiment, and after replacing the flywheel seems to be leaking oil from the gasket. I seem to be lurching from one issue to another, and it takes the edge off my enjoyment of daily driving around the Second City. I am no mechanic, so can members recommend a friendly garage or mechanic in the Birmingham area who will be able to help me give Horace the TLC and respect he deserves?
Thanks in anticipation,
Phil.

[bmcecosse]

Welcome to the forum...sorry - nowhere near Brum and I don't trust a 'garage' to do anything. Replacing the flywheel??? Why was that done? The overheating etc with power loss sounds bad enough to be a blown head gasket. I would not drive the car again till that has been changed.....

[aupickup]

especially a morris minor one lol find a old school local garage

[75welly]

Thanks for the replies so far. This is where my ignorance shows; I think I meant ring gear and not flywheel... The teeth were badly damaged , presumably when the bendix broke on the starter motor. I'm picking things up all the time but it's all new!

[chickenjohn]

Ask at your local branch of the MMOC they are sure to know someone who knows Minors very well and does not charge the earth.

[bmcecosse]

Ah right - ring gear. Well - if you can do that job, you'll have no trouble changing a head gasket!

[alexmcguffie]

I'd follow chickenjohns advice.

I've never used them, but there's always JLH, the other side of Leamington (don't know which side of Bham you are). They seem quite a good bunch. http://www.jlhmorrisminors.co.uk

I'm guessing a garage did the flywheel for you? I'd imagine they used an exchange one rather than fitting a new ring gear to your original one hence your confusion above

[75welly]

Thanks for that. Whilst I wait for a new starter motor to arrive, I've got to switch attention to a badly leaking injector pump on my Bongo campervan. Not having much luck recently. Leamington's a bit of a hike from Edgbaston, but may be a solution. Thanks.

[bmcecosse]

Yet ANOTHER starter?? There's something strange going on... Did you/they fit the ring gear on right way round - I wonder?

[75welly]

Hi again. Just to explain, after hours traipsing backwards and forwards with these starter motors, that the supplier accepts they've got a faulty batch, after another customer had the same issue. The fins were two millimetres out so the bendix(?) jammed the ring and had to be manually withdrawn.
As I said before, I'm a novice and accept the advice I'm given by and large, but it doesn't help when everything points to one thing but the trader denies it can be a problem at their end. Just waiting now for a call to say they've got another one in and I can start thinking about the overheating issue.
Phil

[bmcecosse]

You say you art 'getting by' on a secondhand starter - so why bother with a new (possibly faulty) one ? The secondhand one will be good for many a year!

[75welly]

The starter seems to struggle to start the car. I just assumed a new starter would start it quicker or more efficiently?
As far as the overheating is concerned, I've got no gauges and the like and so have always left the heater on full to get as much heat out of the engine. If I've got no heat coming out of the heater, could it be the water pump that has gone? That this would stop the heat getting round the system?

[whyperion]

If water pump u/s you would hear it .
no heat= no water so probably heater valve stuck shut.

There is no oil seal at rear of engine block (there is on sump), the crankshaft has an engraved reverse screw acting as an oil thrower,its possible this has got mis-fitted when the flywheel changed(unlikely- more the sump seals need examining)

[75welly]

Thanks. What exactly would I hear if the water pump had gone? ( he says a hoping not to hear the answer that it's any if the dozen ticks, wheezes and groans that Horace is already making?!!)

[bmcecosse]

Water pump is only 4 bolts to remove and examine - will need a new gasket of course. Could also be kinked hoses/valve not open and heater element blocked with crud - as could be the radiator - which is the most likely cause of 'overheating' - so kill two birds - take the rad out and reverse flush it and carefully (not pressure wash) wash the air side and inspect the water pump at the same time !

[75welly]

Attempted to reply but I now see it had failed to send...
Thank you. We're getting towards school holidays so time is restricted but I shall try this out.