Watch the tappets in action!

The radiator went back in today, so I could fire her up for a bit longer. Number 8 tappet was opening far too wide causing backfire, so I tightened up the gap and here is the result!



Next jobs: Flush the cooling system and put in coolant, then replace the oil filter with a Moss spin on unit...

Progress...

Put in an hour and a bit tonight - wild weather outside...

- Replaced fan and fan belt
- Cleaned steering box
- Replaced manifold gasket
- New thermostat and gasket fitted
- Replaced tappet cover with new cork seal
- Put old spark plugs back in

I could not resist firing her up - she seems to run OK, bit lumpy. I did not run her for long though - the radiator is yet to go back, next job!

Valve tappet adjusting

Just a quick hour appeared and I adjusted the valve clearances after the head replacement. Can't wait to fire her up again - I have a busy two weeks ahead so the van will have to wait!

"New" timing cover...

The original timing cover had a felt seal (made of wool?) that "restricted" oil flow. Later BMC vehicles had a rubber seal. I decided to upgrade mine to hopefully slow the oil leaks. You can see the differences in the shot below. The cover can be purchased new for $300 AUD, or a second hand one for under $100, I took the later option!


I fitted the cover and loosely did up the bolts. Then used a series of ratchet extenders and a large socket to tap the crankshaft pulley into place. This (in theory) should help centre the seal and pulley join. I then did up the bolts. Used a paper gasket! Paper, wool, leather - amazing materials they had to use in the old days to prevent oil leaking.

Where's your head at?!?

Well, my head is back on and torqued up. The head has been cleaned and checked, run over the plane to ensure she is flat, a new valve sleeve put in (to replace a cracked one) and is ready to go. Can't wait to start her up, next job is the clearances on the rockers.

These people helped with the head, highly recommended: Frankston Engine Centre‎18 Kitson St, Frankston VIC 3199(03) 9781 5532‎

The chap at the above establishment raised his eyebrows VERY high when I told him the head was going onto a Morris JB. He told me that as an apprentice he replaced clutches on a fleet of JBs run by Princes laundry service in a bayside suburb of Melbourne (Mordialloc) in the '60s. I had a hunt around and found this photo - is that a JB van in the background(click to enlarge)?http://localhistory.kingston.vic.gov.au/home.htm
had some interesting photos - I found this one, also of the Princes Laundry with company vans out the front (Morris LD vans, perhaps?):

Head removal

Took the head off to solve the oil leaking from the head gasket area. The Gasket was so old that it was "made in England". I wonder if they still make the gaskets there... It was flat and showed signs of leaking coolant and blowing between the cylinders. The advice from the people who will clean up the head was the engine is burning a bit of oil, and we should do a light service without going overboard (or do a total rebuild of the engine). I will take the advice!

Crankshaft pully oil seal, water pump replacement.

Finally got around to getting the crankshaft pulley (harmonic ballancer) off. I was able to slide two spanners down behind either side of it and gently rock it off. Underneath the cover it all looks pretty good, the timing chain and tensioner all look fine.

This is the felt seal that was leaking oil - apparently it was never much of a seal anyway. I am changing the cover and seal over to a later Austin 1800 unit, which apparently had a rubber seal that stopped the oil coming out... quite as quickly...
The water pump was a bit noisy, the bearings were going. It was pretty straight forward to source a NOS unit and install it at this point.