Morris Minor Owners Club

When refitting an engine, to a late Traveller, is it better to first fix the engine mountings to the engine or to the mounting turrets?

Well, personally, when I took Basil's engine out (from a car aspect, rather than as looking at it), on the RH (Dynamo) side I disconnected the engine from the mounting rubber block, on the LH (Exhaust) side I dismounted the Tower from the floor/tie plate.
So one of each.

The manual didn't make sense as I read it....

Remove the four nuts, bolts, and spring washers securing the LH Front Engine Mounting to the the tie plate. Remove the two nuts and washers that secure each of the two front engine mounting brackets to the mounting rubbers.

If you've already dismounted the LH Tower from the tie plate, why do you need to remove that rubber from the engine....
However, it is useful to have it loosened a little for refitting. Getting all the bolts and nuts in place before tightening it all up.

I find that fitting the engine mountings to the mounting turrets is a better option in that you can get at the two front engine plate mounting bolt/nuts easily whereas the single mounting bolt/nut which goes through the top of the mounting turret is difficult to get a spanner on to the nut as it is accessed via the rear of the mounting turret and is on the underside of the top face of the mounting turret.

Well. Do you have the front panel off? It is advisable to have the towers as per the workshop manual. One loosely attached to the car and the other attached to the engine. I did that without major difficulties except the very last marry up of engine and gearbox. Take all the spark plugs out and rotate the crankshaft pulley. It will suddenly “go”

I fitted them yesterday. I had assembled the crane and the engine and box were assembled on a trolley, ready to be moved to the front of the car. Since I had only taken the engine out, I didn't really know what to expect, so this was possibly going to be a trial run.

The biggest problem was that since the engine crane made it's approach on tarmac, it doesn't run as smoothly as on a concrete floor (As it would in my garage; the car is my mother's garage, where I have access to the machine tools). Despite the engine leveler, the gearbox still hung down but it was easy enough to lift it by hand.

I found that the gearbox would not clear the crossmember, so that had to be undone and a trolley jack put under the gearbox. As the crossmember, complete with my rear addition, was bolted together, it came out in one and went back in one. The biggest fiddle was getting the nuts on, behind the brake master cylinder (I could do with smaller hands). I also found that the left engine mounting tower needed to be loosened, as the captive bolts, on the mountings, just wouldn't slip into place (Or at least it seemed the quicker option to loosen it). The right one supports the new servo pipe and spare brake light switch, so I didn't want to disturb that. The anti roll bar is fitted to the engine mounting towers, so it's not just four nuts and bolts but it's all back together now and the gearbox lined up well with the holes in the crossmember (I just had to dress the hole in the mounting on the gearbox, with a round file). I just hope it all works when the time comes, as I don't fancy taking it all out again!!!

Before I decided to remove the crossmember, I was standing in the engine bay, pulling the crane by it's arm and trying to see how things were going, I was beginning to think I would need a second pair of hands but when I looked inside the car, I could see the problem. The gearbox has to tilt more than I thought it would, so the gearbox can clear the bulkhead and the sump can clear the front of the car, below where the radiator sits. The gearbox crossmember HAS to go in afterwards (I had removed it before I removed the engine, as I felt I'd have more control - I strapped a small trolley jack to it, so it would roll forward) but I don't know whether this applies with the standard BMC box? Once that was removed, it all went in easily enough. This was my first (And I hope last) engine out job, since my father's passing. He was always good to have around at such times. I know I'd not manage any of the other cars single handed and aside from a racing car, I think the Minor is the easiest engine out job I ever did (Though my Mk 2 Golf GTI was quite easy, easier than a Mk 1, though my father was on hand for that).

On another matter, I have fitted a new clutch pedal and rebushed the brake pedal (Added an oil nipple too). I am told this can't be done with the gearbox in place. Is this so and if so, does it apply only with the more bulky Ford Type 9 box? I am not about to undo the pedals to see!!!

how's your engine running after what looks like new ESM mounts fitted?

both Svenedin and myself had horrible vibrations and i had to search out 2nd hand rubbers to get rid of it....

You are lucky. I am yet to find any decent second hand or NOS mounts.

The vibration is a bit better with some tweaking of the ignition timing but this is as good as it gets on the over-hard rubber. I certainly don't like it. Not only is it unpleasant but the harshness makes me worry there is something wrong with the new engine which there isn't.

Stephen

i've sent you a DM

dudload wrote: ↑Tue Apr 29, 2025 11:48 am how's your engine running after what looks like new ESM mounts fitted?

both Svenedin and myself had horrible vibrations and i had to search out 2nd hand rubbers to get rid of it....

I have a few jobs to do before it will be running. I have the old mounts but they are perishing.

Update. I left the gearbox steady cable rather slack as I had jacked the gearbox right up to install the engine. This morning I had a fiddle with the gearbox steady cable and the engine steady bar. For my needs I tightened the gearbox steady cable and slightly slackened the engine steady bar. Neither is "tight". Quick test drive and the vibration is greatly improved. So much so that I might not bother changing the mounts although I need some longer drives to be sure as I only had a short drive just now.

Stephen