MUCH MUCH HAPPIER NOW :-) :-)
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MUCH MUCH HAPPIER NOW :-) :-)
Was heading out in the car today and was really looking forward to the day ahead.
Drove up to Tescos to fill up the tank, headed off down the country lanes from a nice drive in the country. The perfect setting for a Morris Minor.
Got about four miles from the house and had to stop at a set of traffic lights. Pulled away and it was like there was a blacksmith in the engine bay. There was a horrible banging noise coming from the engine, gradually getting louder
Pulled over to take a lookbut there was nothing that seemed obviously wrong so called out the breakdown recovery lorry. After more than an hour of standing in the cold and some patchy rain the guy and the lorry arrived.
The guy said his job was just to take me home but said he would have a listen to the engine but if anything else were to go he took no responsibility. So I started him up and a second later the guy was screaming "turn it off".
He was an 'older gentleman' and said he worked on minors when they were new and recons that it’s the 'big end'.
The noise come on all of a sudden though and I'm told that when the 'big end' goes it starts off as a knocking noise and gets gradually louder. Maybe I haven't noticed because I don't drive the car everyday?
So they great day out I had planned was ruined and now I have car thats not going anywhere soon.
Drove up to Tescos to fill up the tank, headed off down the country lanes from a nice drive in the country. The perfect setting for a Morris Minor.
Got about four miles from the house and had to stop at a set of traffic lights. Pulled away and it was like there was a blacksmith in the engine bay. There was a horrible banging noise coming from the engine, gradually getting louder
Pulled over to take a lookbut there was nothing that seemed obviously wrong so called out the breakdown recovery lorry. After more than an hour of standing in the cold and some patchy rain the guy and the lorry arrived.
The guy said his job was just to take me home but said he would have a listen to the engine but if anything else were to go he took no responsibility. So I started him up and a second later the guy was screaming "turn it off".
He was an 'older gentleman' and said he worked on minors when they were new and recons that it’s the 'big end'.
The noise come on all of a sudden though and I'm told that when the 'big end' goes it starts off as a knocking noise and gets gradually louder. Maybe I haven't noticed because I don't drive the car everyday?
So they great day out I had planned was ruined and now I have car thats not going anywhere soon.
Last edited by MColes on Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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sorry to hear about your troubles.
What engine do you have? If it's the early A-series as originally fitted to the SII then big ends are not as robust as the Minor 1000 engines.
Rapid failure of a big end is less normal but it depends how/why it failed.
Big ends can be inspected with the engine in the car - it only requires removing the sump. A failed big end may be loose on the crank (check for a small amount of play). If one has some play then you've found the problem. If that shows nothing then remove the big end caps to look at the bearings - there will be visible damage if they are gone.
Remember that refitting require a bit of skill and a torque wrench (not everyone will want to DIY this) + maybe new big end bolts too. Measuring the crank should really be done when the big end caps are off to give a final verification of wear - if the crank is not scored and the diameters are ok, new big end bearings can be fitted.
I've heard many aneqdotes of people repairing engines after a failed big end without having to get the crank re-ground. There's a legendary story that a big end was repaired with cigarrette papers (in the 70's when they were metallic) and the engine did another 20k miles).
Personally I'm open minded but a damaged crank should really be removed and sent for grinding. After grinding you need different size bearings (classed as undersize as the crank diameter will be undersize)
However a loud banging noise is not always the big ends. A friend of a friend was told she needed a new engine because the big ends were knocking (by a garage). They quoted her a lot of money which she didn't want to spend and next step she got some random idiot (freind of her neighbor who said he knew about cars) to look at it and he started stripping the engine top end.
When I got involved a month after the garage fiasco and a few weeks after the first guy had done a runner leaving the engine in bits, I rebuilt the top end, ran it and found out that the knocking was the alternator!!
What engine do you have? If it's the early A-series as originally fitted to the SII then big ends are not as robust as the Minor 1000 engines.
Rapid failure of a big end is less normal but it depends how/why it failed.
Big ends can be inspected with the engine in the car - it only requires removing the sump. A failed big end may be loose on the crank (check for a small amount of play). If one has some play then you've found the problem. If that shows nothing then remove the big end caps to look at the bearings - there will be visible damage if they are gone.
Remember that refitting require a bit of skill and a torque wrench (not everyone will want to DIY this) + maybe new big end bolts too. Measuring the crank should really be done when the big end caps are off to give a final verification of wear - if the crank is not scored and the diameters are ok, new big end bearings can be fitted.
I've heard many aneqdotes of people repairing engines after a failed big end without having to get the crank re-ground. There's a legendary story that a big end was repaired with cigarrette papers (in the 70's when they were metallic) and the engine did another 20k miles).
Personally I'm open minded but a damaged crank should really be removed and sent for grinding. After grinding you need different size bearings (classed as undersize as the crank diameter will be undersize)
However a loud banging noise is not always the big ends. A friend of a friend was told she needed a new engine because the big ends were knocking (by a garage). They quoted her a lot of money which she didn't want to spend and next step she got some random idiot (freind of her neighbor who said he knew about cars) to look at it and he started stripping the engine top end.
When I got involved a month after the garage fiasco and a few weeks after the first guy had done a runner leaving the engine in bits, I rebuilt the top end, ran it and found out that the knocking was the alternator!!
Ray. MMOC#47368. Forum moderator.
Jan 06: The Minor SII Africa adventure: http://www.minor-detour.com
Oct 06: back from Dresden with my Trabant 601 Kombi
Jan 07: back from a month thru North Africa (via Timbuktu) in a S3 Landy
June 07 - back from Zwickau Trabi Treffen
Aug 07 & Aug 08 - back from the Lands End to Orkney in 71 pickup
Sept 2010 - finally gave up breaking down in a SII Landy...
where to break down next?
2013... managed to seize my 1275 just by driving it round the block
Jan 06: The Minor SII Africa adventure: http://www.minor-detour.com
Oct 06: back from Dresden with my Trabant 601 Kombi
Jan 07: back from a month thru North Africa (via Timbuktu) in a S3 Landy
June 07 - back from Zwickau Trabi Treffen
Aug 07 & Aug 08 - back from the Lands End to Orkney in 71 pickup
Sept 2010 - finally gave up breaking down in a SII Landy...
where to break down next?
2013... managed to seize my 1275 just by driving it round the block
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Ah - the lovely 948 (no offence menat to the SII engine - ok maybe a little bit)The original engine has been swapped for a 948cc engine.
If it does need a crank re-grind, then bear in mind that a good second hand engine can be got for a fraction of the cost of a rebuild...
Plenty of rotten Minors get broken for parts and many have good engines ;-)
Ray. MMOC#47368. Forum moderator.
Jan 06: The Minor SII Africa adventure: http://www.minor-detour.com
Oct 06: back from Dresden with my Trabant 601 Kombi
Jan 07: back from a month thru North Africa (via Timbuktu) in a S3 Landy
June 07 - back from Zwickau Trabi Treffen
Aug 07 & Aug 08 - back from the Lands End to Orkney in 71 pickup
Sept 2010 - finally gave up breaking down in a SII Landy...
where to break down next?
2013... managed to seize my 1275 just by driving it round the block
Jan 06: The Minor SII Africa adventure: http://www.minor-detour.com
Oct 06: back from Dresden with my Trabant 601 Kombi
Jan 07: back from a month thru North Africa (via Timbuktu) in a S3 Landy
June 07 - back from Zwickau Trabi Treffen
Aug 07 & Aug 08 - back from the Lands End to Orkney in 71 pickup
Sept 2010 - finally gave up breaking down in a SII Landy...
where to break down next?
2013... managed to seize my 1275 just by driving it round the block
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I´d get another engine if I were you... easier and cheaper.
I may have one kicking about in Bristol if you need one.
I may have one kicking about in Bristol if you need one.
Onne van der S. MMOCno 60520 Moderator
2dr 1971 White DAF 55 (with hopefully a 1600cc engine soon)
2dr 1973 Bergina (DAF 44)
2dr Estate 1975 DAF 46 in red
2dr saloon 1972 DAF 44 in Mimosa
2dr 1971 White DAF 55 (with hopefully a 1600cc engine soon)
2dr 1973 Bergina (DAF 44)
2dr Estate 1975 DAF 46 in red
2dr saloon 1972 DAF 44 in Mimosa
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What bad luck . I have a collection of parts that, I suppose I could get some cash for if I could be bothered to fish them out, photograph and advertise them but to be honest I'd much prefer them to go to somebody who is in a fix.
If you would like it I have a 948 engine that has only done 40k miles. I removed it from my present car to fit a 1275. You are quite welcome to it free of charge if you can come and collect. obviously that will cost you in fuel but that would be a lot cheaper than a replacement I would imagine
If you would like it I have a 948 engine that has only done 40k miles. I removed it from my present car to fit a 1275. You are quite welcome to it free of charge if you can come and collect. obviously that will cost you in fuel but that would be a lot cheaper than a replacement I would imagine
Older and more confused than I could ever imagine possible.
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