1926, Bullnose Morris Oxford 3/4 coupe

Post by **Old and Slow** » Wed Aug 02, 2017 9:02 pm

Interesting feedback on the oil issue.
For lovers of old engines, this clip is quite interesting, the owner said it was missing....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDtBGoTiQ90
Philip N

Post by **philhoward** » Wed Aug 02, 2017 9:19 pm

Shame it didn't take kindly to the modern oils

3000 miles running in? Blimey

Some race engines don't even last that long.

Post by **jeff hoole** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 5:03 pm

Hi Alan
Interesting about the 20/50 oil. As I have just bought a pre war car. I was wondering which oil to use as the po has been using 20/50.
Have you any recommendations for straight 40 oil ?

ocheye · Post by **ocheye** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:01 pm

Unfortunately HH ran a big end some 1300+ miles into the Round Britain trip and has come home for a rebuild. Needs a new bearing and shell and it probably makes sense to change the rod as it has been subjected to quite a stress. While it is apart I'm going for a rebore and o/s pistons, new bush for the mag drive, lightened flywheel and a balance. Currently trying to find a workshop that I can visit personally while the regrind is being done. I think it needs an offset grinder rather than the 'Prince' type. I hate the idea of sending the crank off and never seeing it again!

Post by **alan.wells** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:58 pm

Hi Andy, Sorry you didn't complete your challenge, my engine had rebore, crank reground & balanced, all bearing re white-metaled, flywheel lightened an balanced, head & block scimmed and new 75mm + 30 pistons, the work was carried out by Jel Bearing of York, I will send you an email with more details tomorrow sometime, Ian only does 10 engines per year and he will be taking bookings in excess off the next 6 months.

Jeff,. Send me a pm with vehicle details, my brother 1934 MG PA runs on 20-50 with no problems, pumped water system, the Bullnose water system is gravity circulation and runs just under boiling, thus making the 20/50 far to thin, causing my oil problem
Hope this helps
Regards
Alan

ocheye · Post by **ocheye** » Wed Oct 04, 2017 3:56 pm

Hi

I've got my crankshaft back and all the big ends have been reground (mainly because of ovality). They decided to just polish the mains as they were pretty good.

I'm waiting to receive a replacement con-rod that I'm going to have re-metalled but have been told that as my others are still very good, I can get away with removing shims and scraping in the white metal (I'll be leaving that to an expert). I thought I'd need to re-metal all the bearings but apparently I don't need to because of condition and plenty of 'meat'. I bow to their greater knowledge.

Still looking for a set of o/s pistons but until I can remove the studs which are very stubborn, I can't take the block to the engineering shop (Lancaster Engines in Morecambe). Once properly checked they will decide how much oversize I need to go or indeed if it is just a question of rings.
I'm hoping that I don't need to go to + 0.060 because they are £200 dearer than +0.030 (They are the same make of piston but different suppliers - the cheaper firm do not have any +0.060's).

I have read a number of articles on upgrading the oil pump (BNMOC mags) but the level of success or failure is very mixed. Do you have any advice on this?

I believe the flywheel on the Flatnose (Cowley) was lighter on later models though mine is the original heavy 'T' section. I'm thinking of having both webs machined down prior to balancing. Did you do both sides or just the rear face? I'm told it can make a huge difference but going too far may compromise hill climbing. Any advice on how much would be gratefully received.

I'll keep you posted re progress

Andy

Post by **alan.wells** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 8:30 pm

Hi Andy,
Glad to hear your making progress, now regarding the oil pump, my original engine now fitted has a single lobe on the camshaft to drive the oil pump, which registers oil pressure between 6 & 10 psi when warm and constant, which is about right, now my later flatnose engine which I fitted initially, has a four lobe camshaft to drive the oil pump, the pumps are the same "I think", which didn't register any oil pressure until the engine had warmed up and had covered approx. 10 miles and then it fluctuated quite a lot and not accurate at all.
The only suggestion I have is to renew the ball bearing at the suction end as this may be worn, this was renewed on the original engine before rebuild.
Regarding the flywheel, I had approx. 1. 25 " of metal removed from the clutch end of the flywheel only and then balanced, this reduced the weight from approx 50 pounds to 36 pounds, I think the flatnose flywheel may have been reduced in its earlier life or its original, but don't know. Andy, I'm on Oxford engine not Cowley, but only bore size different, I think
Hope this helps
Alan

ocheye · Post by **ocheye** » Fri Oct 06, 2017 11:20 am

Thanks Alan
According to the service information sheet CO/5 there is sometimes a problem with wear on the pin and blockage of the holes. I will give my pump a thorough check over and replace the pin.
14 lbs off one side of the flywheel is pretty impressive. I haven't got mine to hand to measure but I think it is the same as the Bullnose (I believe Morris had a lighter flywheel on later models) and I assume the Oxford and Cowley had the same flywheel. I would imagine that removal of the clutch side could also improve oil feed to the corks.
Cheers
Andy

Post by **alan.wells** » Sun Oct 08, 2017 1:01 pm

Hi Andy,
page 10 on this thread, shows the skimmed and balanced flywheel, only skimmed on the clutch side, and if your going to replace the oil pump pin, I would also change the ball bearing.
Regards
Alan

ocheye · Post by **ocheye** » Sun Oct 08, 2017 1:03 pm

Thanks Alan. I will change the ball bearing. That flywheel looks brilliant. I presume you meant skimmed not shimmed or am I missing something
Regards
Andy

Post by **alan.wells** » Sun Oct 08, 2017 2:18 pm

Andy, I edited it within the first minute, you must have been fast to read it
regards
Alan

Post by **alan.wells** » Wed Dec 06, 2017 2:24 pm

Bullnosephil, I replied to your pm I received from you on the 21st November, its still in my outbox, you need to log on and check you private messages.
Regards
Alan

Post by **alan.wells** » Sat Feb 17, 2018 8:52 pm

Hello Folks,
Well late last year the engine was creating a lot of back pressure and blowing a lot of blue smoke out of the oil fil pipe, which does act as a breather, I carried out a compression test and found that no3 cylinder read 40 lbs and the rest read 80 to 85 lbs, so, suspecting head gasket, I decided to remove the cylinder head, the H/G seemed ok, but on closer inspection of the bores, their was scoring mainly to no3 and also no1 cylinders and suspecting broken rings. Sump now to be removed and all pistons removed and finding that piston no3 and no1's rings had seized ( as per picture ) and damaged the skirt. With very delicate fileing and manipulation we managed to remove the rings and carefully tidied up the ring slots, we have more work to do on the pistons, but these are virtually unobtainable, so we are hoping for the best, I manages to get a half set of original compression rings and full set of oil rings but needed to have the second half set, which were the correct dia but the thickness ground down to the original size, these were obtained from F.W Thornton, Engineering Specialist in Telford, and very, very helpful, the bores have been horned out and look good.
Still as I said before more work to the pistons. Our conclusion at this moment in time is that the piston gudgen pins has been to tight and forcing the piston over to the bore, not allowing free movement, we only noticed this late in the day, but does seem feasible.
If anyone has suggestion, please nice ones only. Engine covered 550 miles since rebuild.
Regards
Alan

ocheye · Post by **ocheye** » Sun Feb 18, 2018 3:51 pm

If it is of interest, a friend of mine, Russ Hennessy, has a set of +0.060 Oxford pistons for sale (new old stock). He had advertised them for £220 but they failed to sell. I got quite excited when I saw them until I realised they were Oxford not Cowley.
Russ can be contacted on 01905 641749 or via Email hennessymotorsport@gmail.com.
His website is http://hennessymotorsportltd.com.
Best of luck
Andy

Post by **alan.wells** » Sun Feb 18, 2018 6:39 pm

Thanks Andy,
I am 75mm +30tho, the block had never been bored, but due to the engine being sat since 1957 with no sump or head, the bores were slightly pitted, I could have had a set of either +20,or +30 or +40, NOS, the bores have had a good horning out and are good. The two piston in question have been worked on today and improving , I have a contact that I will contact tomorrow to see availability, If not available will need to go with the existing, as long as we can get the rings seated well, the skirt is mainly its guide.
Thanks for the info from Russ, but a couple of weeks ago there was a set of 69mm + 60tho Cowley pistons on EBay NOS and went for £75 + postage from Ashbourne, one bid only.
I will keep update on the engine, until hopefully it breaths into life again.
Regards
Alan