Radiator position

Post by **Sidney'61** » Mon Nov 24, 2008 11:09 pm

Hi,
Ever since I bought my car I haven't been able to use the starting handle because it wasn't properly in line. At first I just assumed the front bumper was in the wrong place but with the front end removed in turns out the whole thing is out of line.
So for the first question... how high up on the front panel should the radiator be and how big should the gap be at the bottom?

Here's mine

I know it's hard to tell from these photos but does the radiator look like it's in the right place?
As it could just be the engine thats in the wrong place, I've had trouble with that before..

Thanks

Post by **MGFmad** » Mon Nov 24, 2008 11:21 pm

Not sure if this photo is any good to you - shows the cut out for the starting handle on my 1968 model.

Post by **mike.perry** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:52 am

Something looks wrong with the rad position. The top looks to be a bit low, the bottom of the header tank should be level with the top of the grill panel and the bottom of the rad should rest, or nearly rest, on the bottom of the panel when the 4 mounting bolts are in position. The starting handle then fits through a separate hole below the rad.
See sect. DD4 in BL Workshop Manual
I would suggest that you get hold of an old Minor rad and compare the position of the mounting bolt holes, it may be that the side straps have been attached in the wrong position.

Post by **Peetee** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:57 pm

Sidney, It looks like your rad' is resting on the front crossmember. MGF's car has it at the same level as the bottom of the front inner panel - which almost looks like it's missing on your car?? Can you confirm if you have the panel that is surrounding the rad' in MGF's photo?

Post by **callyspoy** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 1:11 pm

the first picture has the bonnet retainer bits on it which are on the panel pete...unless they cut the top bit off and got rid of the rest...

Post by **jaekl** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:01 pm

Engine looks high to me.

Post by **PSL184** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:21 pm

Andy, I agree with jaekl. Your engine is sitting too high. If you put a straight edge flush across the top tank of the rad the oil filler cap should be at the same level - yours looks higher than the rad cap !!! Take a close look at your engine mounts and turrets and measure them up - I'll compare your measurements to mine then...

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 8:51 pm

I think that's just an optical effect from the angle of the camera. Unlikely the engine would be substantially high - the gearbox would foul the rack! But I do agree that the rad looks to be a bit too low.

Post by **Sidney'61** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:53 pm

thanks all, sorry about the quality of the photos I couldnt get back far enough to get good ones. I'll push the car out of the garage and try again tomorrow.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:55 pm

Since you have two cars - just compare the rad mount positions!

Post by **Sidney'61** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:00 pm

I tried that and couldn't really find a problem, I'll have a look again tomorrow.

I know that the engine is slightly in the wrong place due to a dodgy repair after a shunt, but i didn't think that had affected the height. I'll have a closer look at that tomorrow aswell

Post by **bigginger** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:26 pm

Is it not an early (tall) rad as well?

Post by **Onne** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:14 pm

They are round at the top.

Maybe someone but the side plates the wrong way round when the radiator was reassembled? I've seen that happen before (albeit not a Minor one)

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 5:17 pm

Right then.. I've been giving this some thought and my conclusion is as follows....

The holes in the front bumper, grille panel and rad panel are all on the same centre line and height from the ground. These in turn are aligned with the dog on the crank pulley, so, if that lot al lines up then the engine is in the correct place and its the rad that is wrong. If however, the crank pulley is sitting higher than the other 3 holes then the engine is wrong. Simple eh ?

Post by **Sidney'61** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 5:36 pm

Yep, fair enough..
Such as simple experiment, why didn't I think of trying it!

I'll try and dump the bumper back on as I only really experimented with the problem after taking it apart. Seeing whether the bumper is in line with the hole in the rad panel or the engine should give me a definitive answer.
I'm edging more and more towards it being the actual engine thats causing the problem though. We'll see..

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 5:39 pm

Let us know Andy - it's starting to bug me

Post by **newagetraveller** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 11:37 am

The front panel that the radiator fits in (radiator cowl) should have a slot in it where the starter handle goes. Yours quite plainly does not. It addition the radiator looks as if it is sitting too low. As these front panels are no longer available I suspect that someone has attempted to fabricate a new one and made a rather poor job of it.

Post by **glyna2006** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 8:18 pm

looks like rad panel has been cut and welded back in the wrong place...glyn

Post by **Sidney'61** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 5:02 pm

I finally got round to checking it out this week, I fitted the bumper bar so that I could check. It turns out that the radiator and front panel are in the correct position in order for the handle to fit, it is the engine that is in the wrong place

I don't really know where the problem lies regarding the height of the starter dog but I think I'm just going to leave it well alone...

Post by **bmcecosse** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 5:14 pm

Hard to believe - because if the engine sits high - the gearbox bellhousing will foul the steering rack.