JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

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Jpallis001
Posts: 207
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 8:08 pm
Location: Durham

Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by Jpallis001 »

Does anyone know whether the Front Backplates and the Rear Backplates are the same?
Ian Grace
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Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by Ian Grace »

Yes, they are identical. And I need a set of four for the McEvoy!

Just make sure you don't get the early OHC ones - they fit but they have a smaller diameter for the early brake drums that had narrower flanges.
ayf395
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2011 10:02 pm

Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by ayf395 »

Ian, I am surprised that you claim to be the only DVLA approved club/person for Morris cars as I can't find you on the latest list.
Both Gideon Booth of the Morris Register and Roger Bird/Mike Kent for IAMO are on the list.
JF is a Leicester registration and all of the records have been destroyed - DVLA may accept such records as sufficient evidence but it depends on the local officer.
If Ken Martin has Harry's records with details of the chassis number this may be enough evidence but that would probably have to go through the Morris Register.
Ian Grace
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Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by Ian Grace »

Nope - I'm not on the list and hope I haven't given that impression anywhere. I use and recommend Mike Worthington-Williams, as he did a very professional job for me with KR 5670. I do invite members to contact me if they need the service, so I can explain the process to them, check the register and build records for any supporting evidence and refer them to Mike if it looks like they have a case.
Jpallis001
Posts: 207
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 8:08 pm
Location: Durham

Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by Jpallis001 »

Now how did I not spot that when I re-bushed the cam?
brake pivot alignment.jpg
brake pivot alignment.jpg (81.65 KiB) Viewed 5782 times
I have made a jig to ensure the housings are square to the backplate -will see if I can grind off existing weld and braze it while it is held in the jig.
Jpallis001
Posts: 207
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 8:08 pm
Location: Durham

Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by Jpallis001 »

Slow progress this week, backplate brazed and painted, now need to see if I can find the washer that Ian mentioned. Better check that I have fitted them on the other backplates.
There should be a large steel washer under the head of the brake cam - not visible in John's photos.
brazed backplate.jpg
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Ian Grace
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Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by Ian Grace »

The washer is there to stop the inside face of the cam wearing on the bronze bush and is also part of the alignment of the brake shoe in the drum. It's like the one riveted to the end of the brake cam, but with an inside diameter to slip over the shaft of the cam.
Ian Grace
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Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by Ian Grace »

Talking of locking brakes up, here's a little snippet from the Austin Magazine of January 1936. Although related to the Austin 7, it could easily translated to our Minors:

HOW FAST WILL IT GO MISTER?

Next to "I used to have one of those!" and "How much is it worth?" the most popular question in the public interest is in what sort of speed your Austin Seven can do. Perhaps it would be more realistic to consider what speed your Austin should be capable of maintaining comfortably in modem traffic.

Any Austin Seven, from an early Chummy to a late Ruby, should be capable of running all day at 40 to 45 mph if it is in good tune and condition. If yours is not comfortable at this speed, what are the likely reasons?

Number one is probably ignition timing which will then be followed by worn valves and bores, and finally worn bearings which cause the engine to rumble so badly that you simply don't feel confident driving it at a reasonable speed.

However, at the end of the day, it might just be you because you have the final choice in how fast or slow your car travels - the only thing is that depending on the time and place, you might need to consider the effect on all the traffic behind you, the sort of comment and stress you might generate by causing the queue following an old car at 25 to 30 mph!

But if you do decide to cruise at 40 - 45 mph, you need to consider a couple of things. Frstly, can you anticipate traffic movement far enough ahead of you and secondly, can you stop in time?

A lot has been said about Austin Seven brakes but a well adjusted set of brakes in good mechanical condition should be capable of locking your wheels in a real emergency (however good, or bad, a thing that is!). No finer advice on brake adjustment has been written than that by Bill Williams in his Austin Seven Specials book, when he says of adjusting coupled brakes, that all four wheels should be off the ground to do the job properly; the front should come on before the back and the rear off side before the rear near side. Use cable adjusters to fine tune it and look at your skid marks in gravel!

Happy going and stopping,

Phil Whitter
Jpallis001
Posts: 207
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 8:08 pm
Location: Durham

Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by Jpallis001 »

Winter has arrived, so no rush to get an MOT. Thinking that I will wait until Spring now. I have been right round the brakes again, I found that I had not fitted the outboard, cam washer to the front brakes, now sorted. Brakes ready for testing. Being a bit paranoid about the rattles on the engine, I decided take the sump off and examine the newly white-metaled bearings. The engine had run for 3 or 4 hours in total. The bearings and cylinders bores look good. I moved the pistons up and down the cylinders, by hand, a few times - everything looks in order, nothing to generate rattle. I decided to replace all of the Big End bolts.

Does anyone know whether there should be washers under the nuts on the Big End caps on a SV Minor? If there should be, are they special, hardened washers?

John
Jpallis001
Posts: 207
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 8:08 pm
Location: Durham

Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by Jpallis001 »

Reassembled the Big Ends without washers engine runs complete with original 'clatter'. Brakes are improving the more I run it up and down the street.

Looked for a easy job; so fitted the spare wheel. I copied the angle from the original but not sure if the wheel should be held in a more vertical position?
spare wheel base.jpg
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spare wheel fitted.jpg
spare wheel fitted.jpg (34.19 KiB) Viewed 5634 times
Toby
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Location: New Forest

Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by Toby »

looks similar to my saloon.... :D
if it's got wheels or chips - it'll cost you dear
Jpallis001
Posts: 207
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 8:08 pm
Location: Durham

Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by Jpallis001 »

The engine pulls quite well and idles smoothly. The tappets are set at 18Thou cold (I tried setting them at 5 Thou but the engine, while running much quieter, it shut down after 15 minutes of running).

I need the assistance of someone who knows what these Sidevalve Engines should sound like. I have uploaded a video with Audio of the engine running. The engine is at Normal temperature and had been running for approx 1 hour. The tappet noise appears to increase after the engine speed has increased and then set back to idle. Does this tell me anything?

On the second clip you can hear an occassional 'tinkle' at high revs - can anyone diagose this?

The microphone is picking up some background noise/rumbles that I did not pick up when I was listening, hoping that it is interference/background noise.


YouTube Link--

http://youtu.be/JjP5SanPj-Y
Ronald
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Location: Dorset.........

Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by Ronald »

Sounds like the timing is too far advanced to me.........................!
Jpallis001
Posts: 207
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 8:08 pm
Location: Durham

Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by Jpallis001 »

Hi Ronald, I am using a DK4A distributor with the automatic advance retard. I had set the timing so that it is on TDC (ish) static. I did check that the advance was working - I wonder if the retard is 'sticking' a bit and perhaps causing the 'tinkle'? I will have another go with the timing light. Will have to be tomorrow, just discovered the lazy starter motor was due to a worn down brush that I had replace in Jan - I must have been turning the engine over a lot!

The video has proved quite useful. The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed a blue thread floating around on the cylinder head beside No 3 plug - need to tighten either the plug or exhaust manifold.

I think I might just let the tappets rattle for a while, I have followed all of the discussions about tappet clearances, but there does not appear to be any consensus about what they are best set at, apart from the 19 Thou that the manuals tell us they should be. I know that 5 Thou does not work on my engine.

Trevor has suggested that next time I have the sump off, I examine the mushroom heads of the Cam Followers to see if there are any bits missing. If they were damaged, this might explain the quick drop/rise (clatter) of the follower. I might try taking plugs out and turning the engine over slowly while listening for individual valves rising and falling - so far I have been using my £5 stethescope to attempt diagnosis with the engine running

John
Toby
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Location: New Forest

Re: JF 4238 1933 Minor Saloon

Post by Toby »

I had a similar issue with my engine although I set the tappets cold at 7 thou, the engine sounded a bit tappety but lost its puff after getting to middle of warm. I've had a quick feel and half the tappets feel excessively gapped after the refitted valves and springs have settled down, will need to see if they are too big or maybe the others have closed up!!! The engine was complete and supposedly rebuilt but had had the head removed and the valves robbed out but I can't work out how the gap could increase.
if it's got wheels or chips - it'll cost you dear
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