Morris Minor Owners Club

Right, I'm sure this has been asked a zillion times before but.. whats the trick?
Where's the 'secret button' or lever?

I've tried removing the bolt using big spanners only to have the engine turn over - or there's at least enough movememnt in there to render the spanners pretty innefective.
I've tried using the starter with a spanner jammed between nut and chassis x-member.
And I've tried making a cup of tea and mumbling sweet nothings under my breath.

Can anyone fill me in on what seams to have been an A-series designer's practical joke?

Any help gratefuly received.
Thanks, jon

Hello Dunketh,

the usual fitter's answer to anything like that is normally, "use a bigger hammer"

I think that one of the problems is that the access is impeded by the radiator so I would remove that first. (It also prevents accidental damage!). Put the car in top gear with the handbrake hard on, and\or chock the wheel. Preferably with a socket and tee bar plus a length of tube to increase your leverage 'snatch' the socket\tee bar and tube to undo the dog. The other option is with a good ring spanner and a heavy hammer, again to try and shock the dog free. A copper hammer will save damage to the spanner at the expense of a less intense blow. It's your tool and choice.

By the way and for what it's worth, bigger engines usually have bigger bolts and are even harder to unfasten, if that's a consolation!

Alec

Or you can use the trick Rayofleamington pointed out. Sounds like it won't work, but it does. Knock back the lock washer (I think there's one there, could be wrong!) and wedge a spanner between the nut and the chassis, using wood/cloth/whatever you've got to protect the paintwork. Turn the engine over on the starter (I unplugged the sparks first). Bolt undoes.

Hello Andrew,

Jon says that he tried that method.

Alec

So he has - is there a tabbed lock washer there? I seem to recall that there is, and could have not been knocked flat, thus chucking the spanner off when the engine turned. If that's not the case, I can only suggest penetrating oil - the real stuff, not WD

Hello Andrew,

the tab washer is feeble and no real obstacle to removal of the nut, whether it is knocked back or not.
I have never used the starter motor method, but I would guess that you need to allow some slack so as to build up some momentum?

Alec

How strange. I used the 'starter' method recently and it was brilliant! Are you allowing enough space between the end of the spanner and the floor? Because it won't work if it's just resting on it. It has to be 'shocked' off.

Also, if you remove the starter motor and wedge the flywheel with a large screwdriver or something you can belt the spanner to undo the nut (front of car off of course).

I didn't - and yes, I left the tab washer done up and it undid anyway. The starter buzzed it off wih no problem at all.

I usually flatten the tab washer as then the socket/spanner car go on further and more securely, but it is quite flimsy.

They can be very tight - why do you want it off ? Desperate measure is to heat it up with a gas blow torch - and let it cool before trying again with the starter. This of course will destroy the rubber seal - but you would be changing that anyway.

The starter motor method works a treat I've used it a few times. in fact, Bigginger and I used it on Hebe a while back, and I used it a few weeks ago too

Refitting - get someone to stand against the car while you tighten the bolt up. My Girlfriend was mightily impressed when I asked her to come downstairs to stand up against Hebe while I tightened the bolt up! (Unfortunatly, she doesn't share my love of DIY car stuff )

Multiphonikks wrote:Refitting - get someone to stand against the car while you tighten the bolt up. My Girlfriend was mightily impressed when I asked her to come downstairs to stand up against Hebe while I tightened the bolt up! (Unfortunatly, she doesn't share my love of DIY car stuff )

Ummm... why's that then? Stand against the car?

All these answers - and the original Poster has never come back !

Cam wrote:

Multiphonikks wrote:Refitting - get someone to stand against the car while you tighten the bolt up. My Girlfriend was mightily impressed when I asked her to come downstairs to stand up against Hebe while I tightened the bolt up! (Unfortunatly, she doesn't share my love of DIY car stuff )

Ummm... why's that then? Stand against the car?

Well... y'see, it's easier doing up the bolt if someone else is putting their weight against the car. I don't like doing it with just the handbrake on I was worried about putting excess strain on the handbrake.

Cheers for the replies guys, couldn't get on here again as I was so busy at the weekend, and ill Sunday.
I removed the radiator but was adamant not to remove the front panel - far too many silly nuts to do up!

Got the pulley off in the end using the starter motor method -eventully.
It was making such a jolt (and trying to lift the engine free of its mounts) I didn't want to push my luck but in the end I just had enough and went for it!
A good half-dozen presses on the solenoid button later and she turned over unimpeded by Mr. Huge Spanner.

Excellent - that means the nut was off!

Woohoo, took off my chain cover and knocked out the oil seal and replaced it.
Result = No more oil leak and one chuffed owner!

Cheers to ESM for the new seal and cover gasket and you guys for boosting my confidence.

impact wrench

Multiphonikks wrote:

Cam wrote:

Multiphonikks wrote:Refitting - get someone to stand against the car while you tighten the bolt up. My Girlfriend was mightily impressed when I asked her to come downstairs to stand up against Hebe while I tightened the bolt up! (Unfortunatly, she doesn't share my love of DIY car stuff )

Ummm... why's that then? Stand against the car?

Well... y'see, it's easier doing up the bolt if someone else is putting their weight against the car. I don't like doing it with just the handbrake on I was worried about putting excess strain on the handbrake.

Oh! you are doing it with the car in gear then and relying on the drive-train to resist the tightening force?

I don't like that method (personally) as you are exceeding the maximum engine torque when tightening up the bolt by 10 lbs ft. It's probably not going to damage things, but I just don't like how it 'feels'.

I had the handbrake on, a volunteer with two feet on the foot brake and some chocks too!
Didn't have a socket for my torque wrench handy so just did it FT.

Ah Cam! I didn't know that

Perhaps that's what caused the horrid engine sounds after... :/

Probably not, but I don't like doing it that way. I jam a large screwdriver into the flywheel ring gear which involves taking the starter out but that's only 2 bolts.