Morris Minor Owners Club

A big HELLO to everyone, I am told that my 803cc engine (still to be confirmed) has had a rebuild with new big ends, crank reground, new main bearings, rebored and new pistons and rings fitted. Now the questions, does this make it as good as new, will it need running in and what engine oil should I use.

I'd suggest that you run the engine in (yes, it does need it ) gently.

It's possible to still obtain "running in oil", but I would suggest a good quality (Castrol, Miller, Comma etc) 20W/50 or 15W/40.

The debate as to which viscosity has taken many lines on this forum, but my personal opinion is that the quality of the oil is more important than whether it's 15W/40 or 20W/50. There's no advantage to using straight SAE30 these days, nor should you use a synthetic oil (nor anything like 0W/15, 10W/30 - too thin for the engine).

Look for the SAE markings on the can, and I would suggest changing the oil after 1000 miles (complete with filter!)

All the best,

Colin

Look for the SAE markings on the can, and I would suggest changing the oil after 1000 miles (complete with filter!)

It's cheaper to get hold of a filter conversion (eg to a 1098 filter) than 2 SII filters!! (and that's only if you can find 2 SII filters, as they are nolonger produced)

Many thanks colin your advice is taken on board but I hope you mean upto 40mph and not 30mph while 'running in'. As far as the engine oil goes will 10w/40 semi-synth do until I can obtain new filter

rayofleamington,
Thanks Ray, haven't sussed the suppliers yet, any suggestions where to obtain oil filter conversion for my series 2, thanks Alan

Hi Alan

Bull Motif - 01386 831755 - have one in their current advert - havent heard any reports about it though - worth speaking to them.

Rog

10W/40 is a bit thin really. It won't harm the engine, but it will be prone to leaks.

Cam,
How right you are, wish I'd asked before I done it. Damn well will next time. Alcro

And do you mind if I strongly urge you to fit a magnet to the drain plug? It'll cost you about a fiver to get an 8mm dia bar magnet from a tool store and you drill the plug and Araldite it in. When you do your first oil change you'll terrified by the shaving brush you pull out but delighted to see its all stuck there and not floating around your bearings! Its not a substitute, of course for a good filter or good oil but well worth it, esp on a new expensively restored engine. You can get v powerful magnets that stick to the oil filter that are even better.
(And while your about do the same to the gearbox and backaxle. When I've got it sorted' I'll stun, amaze or bore with piccies of the same.) Regards, Magnet Mike.

ESM do a magnetic drain plug ready to bolt on

Rog

MikeNash,
Many thanks MM & HM, that sounds like terriffic advice to me and goes to the top of my first shopping list along with 20w50 engine oil and a oil filter conversion kit.
Dare I ask which oil to use in the gearbox and backaxle ?
Regards Alcro

The 'box needs the same oil as the engine, and the axle needs EP90.

These old A series are not hi-tech ! ASDA 20W50 oil is still only £2.74 for 4.5 litres and works very well indeed. Just don't expect it to last for ever. Yes - it will be recycled oil - but it's from a reputable Company - Tetrasyl - and has CC grading. I use it in my fairly well modified 1275 Mini engine and my somewhat modified 1098 Minor engine - no problems at all over many years - and both engines get well hammered !

Can't see Asda cheapo oil on their website, but I like the sub 7 quid GTX "for older engines". Is that going to be 20/50 by any chance?

Don't buy that cheap £2.74 oil. It's recycled oil and will not protect your engine anywhere near as much as the 'proper' stuff. There is a reason that it's cheap!

CC grading was introduced in 1961 for low RPM diesels!! I would certainly not use it in a high reving engine that gets hammered regularly!!

15W/40 GTX is perfectly fine for use in a Minor engine and will protect it well. It has an SL rating which is current.

Oil is the 'life blood' of the engine and must not be skimped on!

Diesel engines put even more pressure on the wearing parts than petrol engines - but each to their own - it's not done my engines any harm so far - but I do change it regularly.

Alan,

I hope you mean upto 40mph and not 30mph while 'running in'.

Erm, I only mentioned SAE 30 oil not 30 mph. Though to be fair, I believe that gentle running-in (i.e. don't over-rev, don't try to accelerate hard, don't put your foot down in a high gear at low revs) is more important than an arbitrary speed limit.

It also gives you a good chance to spot any problems early, because yo keep on checking the oil (? )

I know that there are a number of views on oil - Bmc has one view, I look at it this way - as I've spent out on a recon engine, any money I save on oil (say 2 changes a year; £25 for 10 litres compare £5 from Asda =difference is £20. How many £20's per engine?) isn't going to pay for another recon.

Happy running-in

Colin

Hello,

as Colin mentioned, my recent advice from a specialist was that the important thing when running in an engine is NOT to over-strain it. For instance, dont think that keeping the revs low will do the trick (simply because it sounds quieter) because you can get caught out when you reach a hill and low revs (high gear) and hill = strain

So don't become obsessed by keeping below certain revs or below a certain speed - if in doubt, drop down gear until the engine is comfortable. But common sense should prevail and dont rev too high!

Incidentally, anyone know a cheap source of relatively good oil?

My beloved 1275 is leaking from [somewhere] and also burning oil at a rate sufficent for me to become an oil-barron if I simply collected it all - and I'm not willing to go for the unrated stuff, but something with an SJ or so rating'd be fine...

Only, at 7 quid a throw, the comma stuff is still pretty pricey the rate I'm getting through it :-/

[max -> min on the dipstick in about 300 miles ]

Is it worth spending that much on a decent oil if you are getting through it at such a rate? Some of the more expensive oils are expensive because of longevity. So its extra cost without the benifit

Back in the day, my original engine BURNT 1 litre of oil for every gallon of petrol . It definitely wasn't worth buying the expensive stuff then