Morris Minor Owners Club

I have just bought a 1969 Morris and the clutch seems to have "gone", no drive .Can I remove the engine and gearbox as one.I would like to remove the engine and give it an overhaul while I am about things.Also how does the front grill come off Len

Remove the radiator (4 screws, two each side) - and then undo the fixings holding the front panel, If you don't have a workshop manual - then Google for 'Morris Minor Workshop Manual' and you will get a free download, What's wrong with the clutch ?? To renew the clutch you only need to remove the engine (and actually you can do that without taking off the front panel - although it does make it easier)..... just leave the gearbox in the car...

No drive, sure it is the clutch? Have an assistant monitor what the prop shaft is doing when it's in gear, it could be a half shaft or similar.
You can remove the engine and box together, there are different ways of doing it.
To remove the front panel you have to remove the bumper using the two nuts either side mounting it to the bumper irons. Both hockey sticks need removing (2BA nuts, accessible through the wheel arch), the two top bolts either side at the top of the panel, and the 7 (I think) bolts running across the bottom of the panel.
You'll also need to remove the split pin and remove the bonnet pull rod, and maybe the horn connections of an earlier model. Remove both top and bottom hoses at the radiator end, and you should be free to pull the panel off with radiator in situ. The engine mounts are secured to the chassis legs with four bolts passing through the leg, I tend to remove one mount from the chassis leg, and one rubber using the 9/16 nut bolting it to the mount on the other side. You'll have to remove the engine steady bar, the exhaust clamp and the throttle linkages/choke linkages/petrol hose/heater hoses/heater valve control cable/ignition control wiring. There are various ways to remove the box, my preferred way is to remove the 34 odd screws from the gearbox cover panel, and the gear lever by removing the 3 bolts and retainer plate, then removing the speedo cable and the engine mounts. You'd be wise to drain the gearbox oil first, as removing the prop shaft from the gearbox will make any oil left in the box flood out.
Much easier to do with a hoist, though perfectly possible to do with a trolley jack and a block of wood over the front crossmember to protect the brake line and wiring.
If you do not already have a manual, I urge you to get one.

Ahh -as above - didn't notice 'no drive' - does the speedo show a reading when you try to drive ? If so - yes it will be a half shaft (or broken final drive) .Other slight possibility - is the clutch release mechanism 'stuck down' ?

How does the clutch pedal feel - there should be a distinct 'springiness' to it as the clutch plate goes in and out. If there is none, you can remove the rubber bung on the inspection hatch on the gearbox bellhousing and peer in with a torch to check the state of the clutch release bearing, which should have a reasonable amount of carbon bearing surface protruding from the metal body.

If the release bearing is very worn, the clutch won't operate even though the clutch plate itself may be fine.

Worth checking before you go removing anything!

I have removed the floor , when I depress the clutch pedal and put the car in gear, ,and release the pedal there is a slight juddering and a very slight slowing down of the engine,almost as though there is some "drive" on the clutch I want to spray the engine bay and I thought geting the gearbox out I could give it a good clean.Also it may be easier to mate the engine and box together when both out

That suggests to me it isn't the clutch. The 'juddering' is presumably the clutch engaging the gearbox. In my mind, it cannot be the linkage or release bearing as a gear is able to be selected - if it was such a problem, you'd only get hideous 'grouching'.
I would get an assistant to check whether the prop is moving (or as BMC suggests the speedo is doing anything) as that would show problems further down the drivetrain. Though, if the floor is lifted, you could probably see the prop shaft moving from within the car.
The juddering could be two halves of a broken half shaft rubbing..

By all means take the box out if you want to - but it's a lot more work - and not necessary to renew the clutch. As above - I doubt the clutch is faulty - but you need to tell us if the prop is turning - or the speedo showing a reading.

Off track a little but is it really a lesser job to remove the engine than the box? I have had the both out and in several times, for me the box is much less work and generally an easier job.

To pop the engine - you don't need to struggle under the car... ALWAYS the engine for me....

Is there a knack to engine only removal and is the gearbox left completely alone? I've tried a couple of times but can't get the engine far enough forward to come out. The sump hits the front cross member before the clutch cover is clear of the first motion shaft. Does the front of the engine need to be tilted up a fair bit?
I can see how it would work on a 948 with the shallower clutch cover.

You have to jack up the front of the gearbox to allow the sump to rise over the crossmember (of I remember rightly).

You DO remember rightly! Could I just add a reminder that before you try removing engine, or engine-and-gearbox, that you disconnect the battery, otherwise bonfire night could come early!

tilting the engine up at the front will work on all the standard moggie ohv engines (dont know about the sv). The reverse applies when you are trying to get the engine back in, the front of the gearbox needs jacking up as far as you can get it in order to line things up again. A Haynes (or similar manual) will take you through it step-by-step.

There's always something I forget yep disconnect the battery. Which reminds me, you also need to remove the starter lead too. It's obvious what needs removing and what doesn't when you're in there ;)

Ah, think I only had the gearbox supported not raised. Will try engine only this week and compare to box and block removal last time....

You can just lift the engine (on a trolley jack), slide it away from the box - swivel it round - and renew the clutch still in the engine bay. Unless of course it's cluttered up with silly servo / aftermarket horns....

You can also get the box out from inside the car,with the cover removed,well on my ser11 I can.

Indeed - but it's a right struggle.....cover to remove/seats to remove/fighting with the steering wheel....and prop shaft to be removed...and rear crossmember to be removed.... been there/done that... Unless you NEED the gearbox out - my view is it's best left alone !

It really is easy to remove the engine and leave the box behind. My engine was coming out for a rebuild anyway so I stripped off as much as I could, dynamo, starter has to come off anyway, manifold, dizzy, fan, pulley and anything else that could come off.

I put a small ratchet strap through the channel under the battery box, looped it round the gearbox and used that to support and control the front of it. Easy to tweak the lift as well then if you put the ratchet part in reach. No problem with the strap holding it, as the box alone is fairly light and is an easy one man lift.

Only fight we had was actually persueding the engine to come away from the box, once it did with some patient jiggling it flew out, twist it through 90 degs and up and away.

Refitting it next weekend, and all being well it will be going back the same way as it came out.

If you also take the head off (it's probably coming off anyway if the engine is coming out) then it's a one man lift to heave the block out - no 'crane' needed. Otherwise - enroll a couple of mates and lash a ladder (or thick plank) to the engine - the mates lift and you guide it forward and up up and away!