Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

mid · Joined: 10 Jun 2008 Posts: 136 Location: Northampton

hi all, spent this weekend stripping the top end of the engine down on the morris - we were down to about 40psi on 2 of the cylinders!

anyway what i found was a bit of a mess, you can see for yourselves here:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/martin.i.dickinson/MorrisEngine

going to put 8 new valves in and a complete new set of gaskets. the head is already cleaned up ready to go back on as you can see form the pics but the main problem is going to be the state of the valve seats - any one got any tips on regrinding these?

i dont suppose there is anyone in the northampton area who has some valve grinding equipment i could borrow for a day or so?

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22780 Location: UK

Thanks for the update mid, if they are really bad you might need to get hold of a cutting tool even?? are there any similarities between your engine, and the '8' unit that ukdave is overhauling?

Rick
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Jim Walker · Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 4:15 pm Post subject:

There appears to be a gas leakage path across the gasket between cylinders 3 and 4. Are these the two which were low on compression? If so, perhaps the head and block need flatness checking with a straight edge, and facing if a hollow is detected.

Jim.

mid · Joined: 10 Jun 2008 Posts: 136 Location: Northampton

no 1 was about 40psi, 2 was about 55psi, 3 was about 40psi and 4 was about 60psi

there was water on top of the pistons and the gasket appears to be delaminating between the valves and the main water ways. most of the smaller water ways were clogged solid!

the valves themselves are in a bit of a state but possibly salvageable but for the effort i'll put new ones in, the seats on the other hand are un-believable - It looks like in the past some new valves have been put in but no work done on the seats - most of the exhaust ones, especially on 1 and 3 show no recognisible mating surface for the valve, they are all extremely pitted!

dont think it will take much to create a new seating face, just got to get rid of all the crustyness, but just need the tools for the job!

if they were in the head then i'd take it to a machine shop and get them done, but as they are in the block they are still in the engine! seen it done on youtube... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-KB0qQRgps this is the same engine as mine too, again easy if you;ve got the tools!

Jim Walker · Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:12 pm Post subject:

It seems to me that, as Rick suggested, you need cutters, not grinding equipment (initially). If cutters recess the new valves too much you will have to go as far as having inserts fitted. That is possible in situ IF anyone has the equipment these days. Otherwise it is an engine out and an engineering shop.

Jim.

I had not looked at the u tube bit before I wrote the above. What that does not mention is that the grindstones in that system need checking, and if necessary 'dressing' to the correct angle as far as necessary to remove any ridge from previous use. They will need 'dressing' fairly frequently if the seats are very bad. Personally (from experience) I prefer cutters.

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4231 Location: South Cheshire

Hi , looks pretty much the same as the 8 engine I am rebuilding. Did you do a cylinder leak test before the strip down?

I had new valve guides fitted in mine and the seats recut, it only cost a couple of quid per seat to have the valve seats cut.

Dave

mid · Joined: 10 Jun 2008 Posts: 136 Location: Northampton

hi dave - i think the 8 and 10 were very similar.

the car was actually running - it always struggled to start and was becomming more and more lumpy and underpowered, considering we use the morris for a wedding car it needs to be reliable!

first thing we did was compression check, this showed that they were all over the place, there was no blow back through the carb so assumed that an exhaust valve had burnt - hence taking the head off.

the bores look ok, and i've put some oil on top of the pistons and it stays there so hopefully a bit of work on the valve seats and some new valves to match will sort us out.

I asume that you had the block out of the car to get the seats done?

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4231 Location: South Cheshire

Hi yes engine out mine needed a rebore new liners in the end! (and yes I do need to update my thread!) so so I got the machine shop to fite new guides and cut the seats. I do have a Sykes & Pickavants Valve Seat Cutter set, which can be used with the block in situ, if that all that needs doing.

Cheers Dave

mid · Joined: 10 Jun 2008 Posts: 136 Location: Northampton

bit of an update and some more pics....

the valve seats have now been recut - managed to find a valve seat cutter set in a local tool hire place - had been put in the back room as it hadnt been used for a few years now apparently (didnt want to sell it to me though!!)

also took the sump off and cleaned that up a bit.

just need to get all the new gaskets and valves ordered then i'll start putting it back together!!

all the photo's can be found here:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/martin.i.dickinson/MorrisEngine

47p2 · Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 2009 Location: Glasgow

Looking good, great what can be achieved with a little determination and elbow grease
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mid · Joined: 10 Jun 2008 Posts: 136 Location: Northampton

well as it turned out i had a few days of holiday left at work to take before christmas... I usually save some for christmas shopping.

problem is that on my first day of holiday all the new valves and gaskets arrived in the post! I thought it would be rude not to at least check that they were the correct parts...

anyway, 3 days later she is now all back together and running like a dream! i'm getting just over 90psi on all 4 cylinders and even after 3-4 months of sitting in my garage in bits she started on the first press of the button. been out for a short test drive and the difference is amazing, I'd put the lack of power down to the fact that is only a 10HP car but it just shows how bad it must of been - it now pulls like a train in any gear. I'm well chuffed!

now it just leaves me christmas eve to do the shopping! oh well.

all the pics can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/martin.i.dickinson/MorrisEngine

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22780 Location: UK

Great stuff mid, always feels good to put something back together and notice a real improvement. Equally, putting things back together and finding it worse than it was before you started can be really annoying Smile

R
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