Morris Minor Owners Club

hello i'd like some knowledgeable advice please

my van is in many pieces undergoing a total restoration

obviously as part of this the engine has been removed - currently sitting in a corner of my garage

when the shell is ready can the engine just be put back in and connected up? or should i see if someone can check it over for me in case there are problems brewing? would hate to have to take it out again in the near future.

it was running pretty well before the restoration started

i know nothing about engines (yet....)

juliet

If it was running well before you took it out then it should be the same when you put it back in!

If you need to check it for 'problems brewing' then it will have to be stripped down (at least partially) and bits examined (shells, rings, bores, valves). Not really worth it for checking. While you have it in bits you may as well recondition it!

So, I would refit the engine and use it.

Of course a degrease and a paint-up would not go amiss!

ah, cam, you lovely man - that's the answer i was hoping for

you bet it'll be degreased will check if it needs painting too

Juliet have a good look at the core plugs to see if there is any signs of rusting as they are much easier to do with the engine out, and also change the bypass hose as a matter of course, and dont use one of the bellows type just use a piece of heater hose the right length.

thanks for all that kevin

i may have to ring you to get some help in finding out what to do being a novice and all that

had been planning to replace all hoses throughout engine bay - hope that's not overkill

and of course clean everything to within an inch of its life

*goes off to look up "core plugs" in book of basic mechanical doo-dahs*

If the engine has not be used for a while - put some oil down the bores through the spark plug holes and turn it over by hand a few times - just to keep it all moving. Put the plugs back in - and jam oiley rags into the cylinder head ports.

thank you bmcecosse!

Juliet,

How long has the engine been out as it might not need anything doing if it's only been out a short time (12 months).

Although I'd still take the plugs out and spin the engine to get oil pressure first before firing her up.

If you are storing an engine for long periods then bmcecosse's advice is well worth noting.

hiya cam,

the engine was taken out in mid-July and will be going back in (touch wood) by mid-November I'm not putting it or the brakes back in myself, being of pyoorkate's view regarding what things an amateur like me can safely attempt without damaging self or vehicle it'll be done by a professional mechanic

Oh it will be fine then. 4 months standing will not affect it at all (as long as it was not too damp).

Well, if you don't feel happy to attempt certain things then only do what you fancy

Just make sure you get a 'professional' mechanic to do the rest!

bmcecosse wrote: jam oiley rags into the cylinder head ports

I'm starting to get a really bad feeling about this one, guys..... need your advice....

I don't know what the cylinder head ports are, being such a total novice. Are they the open holes where I took off things including the carb and distributor? and the holes where the various hoses connected on?

If so then I am worried, cos since the engine was taken out in mid-july it has been sitting on the ground at the back of my open-fronted garage with the wind blowing in............. and no one told me (and I was too ill - with M.E., which means, among other things, not thinking straight - and in too much of a rush to work it out for myself) that the holes should be plugged

I have just been out and covered the whole engine with an old blanket, as a pathetic attempt to prevent further dust etc blowing in....

can you give me an idea of how much damage may have been caused, and the likely steps I'll need to take to remedy it?

Bearing in mind that I know next to nothing about engines.... (still haven't even been able to find out what Kevin's "core plugs" are....)

juliet xxxx

wibble_puppy wrote:I don't know what the cylinder head ports are, being such a total novice. Are they the open holes where I took off things including the carb and distributor? and the holes where the various hoses connected on?

Where you took the exhaust manifold off, there are 5 largeish holes. these are the cylinder head ports.

If so then I am worried, cos since the engine was taken out in mid-july it has been sitting on the ground at the back of my open-fronted garage with the wind blowing in............. and no one told me (and I was too ill - with M.E., which means, among other things, not thinking straight - and in too much of a rush to work it out for myself) that the holes should be plugged

can you give me an idea of how much damage may have been caused, and the likely steps I'll need to take to remedy it?

It might be perfectly OK still. If you are worried then remove the cylinder head & head valves and blow the ports through with an air line. It's Probably OK though.

I have just been out and covered the whole engine with an old blanket, as a pathetic attempt to prevent further dust etc blowing in....

That should help.

Bearing in mind that I know next to nothing about engines.... (still haven't even been able to find out what Kevin's "core plugs" are....)

All of us had to learn what's what, so don't feel bad about it! Just keep asking questions!

The core plugs are the 'old 10p' size flat looking plugs that seal the holes in the water jacket. They are dotted around the engine. Have a look.

I've stored engines with the manifolds off, uncovered, outside in the past and got away with it fine

But, for what a head gasket, sump gasket and set of bottom end shells cost, I'd probably be pulling it apart at least a little to check before putting it in if I were you. You'll have spent all this time (and money!) on getting the metalwork pretty and solid, seems a bit silly to me to not do a bit on the engine

With the engine out it's really really easy to do the main checks (compression, bearings, level of crud in the combustion chambers). It might take 2 or 3 people to help lug it around and flip it over for some of the work, but it's quite straightforward stuff

cam you are a nice man. a very nice man.

the manifold is still on the engine - so no ports have been exposed. However the main hole where the exhaust fits on to the manifold has been.

*goes off to garage to look for core plugs* why do none of the books mention these things?

bless you cam

cheers for that packedup mate

will discuss your points with me mechanic dude who is going to come and put the thing back in for me. I agree with you about attention to the engine given the attention which has been given to every other bit of the van.

believe me i would LOVE to take an engine apart.... but only under expert supervision so i didn't break the blimmin thing! Have studied instructions in lots of books and they all sound as though you do have to know what to look for....

You wanna come and stay and make my engine all lovely for me?

'Cos the writers all have huge, covered, air conditioned workshops to work and store things in.

wibble_puppy wrote:
believe me i would LOVE to take an engine apart.... but only under expert supervision so i didn't break the blimmin thing! Have studied instructions in lots of books and they all sound as though you do have to know what to look for....

It's quite easy, really!

Get the head off (a few nuts, one bypass hose, rocker gear and stuff I've no doubt forgotten), then removed the studs (lock 2 nuts together is cheaper than buying a stud remover), tip the engine upside down (then remember you didn't drain the oil! ;) ) and take the sump off. Whip off one of the big end caps, check the state of the shell bearings. Do the same with the main. If I recall correctly you can do all three mains with the crank in situ, which saves messing around with the time chain and getting that ruddy front pulley nut off. Oh, you might as well do the thrusts at the same time.

Other than stuck fasteners normally the only tricky bit is having a clean enough area to do it (grit is bad for engines, and it's amazing how much will be everywhere!) and getting as much oil out as possible before turning it upside down If you've got enough people to give you a hand with the heavy stuff you can most likely manage it in a weekend Maybe a bit more if you go for a new oil pump (always a good idea) or run into the odd hitch.

You wanna come and stay and make my engine all lovely for me?

lol

The way my 2000 drinks petrol, it'd be cheaper to buy a recon engine!

bigginger wrote:'Cos the writers all have huge, covered, air conditioned workshops to work and store things in.

Yeah, but messing around with old cars wouldn't be half as much fun if you had enough room to work properly, nice dry storage etc, would it?

That's what I keep telling myself anyway, every time I'm on my back in a puddle under a car with rust, grime and oil dripping on my face...

It will all be fine juliet, do not worry, you will get oodles of help on here.

just take things a step at a time and do not rush.
but i would also suggest perhaps new gaskets, thermostat, and maybe duplex timing chain.
as the engine is out

cam you are a nice man. a very nice man.

Flattery will get you everywhere!

To be honest, if the manifold is still in place, the chances are that it's perfectly fine and will require very little in the way of stripping (if any at all) to get back running again. It's probably perfectly fine. Mind you, if you can, I'd move it under cover though as if it rains on your blanket, the engine will be covered in rust in a frighteningly short period of time!