Thread: 51 MG restoration.

Got into the bottom this weekend, before I started drinkin Guinness and Strong Bow and likin most of what I see.

End play on the crank is only around .005” but I don’t have the thrust washers in hand yet to inspect. Stopped short cause I need to tidy up before I pull the crank.

Piston connecting rod bearings are pitted and ugly, but the journals ok smooth. Think the years dormant before she got to me took its toll on the bearings.

Gonna measure the journals and cylinder sleeve bore tomorrow. Noted the cranks been turned before as the rod bearings are .040 over

Get all my specs and get my Moss order in before their spring sale ends next week.
Cheers lads.

A productive day up here.
Got all my measurements taken and happily all the specs are quite tight. At least to the last rebuild anyway.
Will get new bearings at the aforementioned under sizing for the main and rod journals. New rings for the pistons, but the liners and crank/camshafts all check out within spec still.
Even the cylinder taper is almost non existent.


Everything is on order now and hopefully rebuild will start next week sometime.
Now I’ll just tidy up some, and await the next steps.
Was a worthy exercise, just to know whats what. Plus those dimpled bearings would eventually become a problem. Maybe not in my lifetime, but eventually, depending on how hard the ole girl is driven.

During inspection and clean up I noticed that #1 piston has a crack between rings 1 and 2.

And it looks like it has been cracked a while, but held in place.

So,, looks like this just got a bit more spendy.
And yes, I could now go with bigger piston/sleeve combo’s.
#1 is the one that had the lower compression too, so. Very happy I decided to tear her down.
Time to go order some more parts..

A little JB weld on that and you'll be fine!

JB Weld almost would, but part of me thinks just leaving it in would have also been fine for who knows how long.
Im thinking this happened when it was last put together possibly as the piece was held in place between 1 and 2 rings with very precise spacing and was not the primary load surface. The carbon staining suggests it’s been like this some time.
Regardless, I’m upsizing and gonna just know, that much more, that everything is inspected and in top form next season.

JB Weld would likely do it and I have used it (on top of a head where it pitted under the intake manifold) but I never trusted it. I never had a reason not to but in the back of my mind I always wondered about it.

Oh boy you had to mess with it!

Funny how what we don't know won't bother us.....

That could have evolved to a disaster.

(Then, the tojo 6 would come in)

True dat!.
I was this close to leaving the cylinders alone and just pull the crank for the new rear main, but this is all for the best.
Decided to leave the camshaft as it is the upgraded TR4 already, and all 8 lobes still show .260 lift so like new.
Everything is on order, and I find if I ship stuff to work, the duty is less, or not at all. Usually arrives faster too and faster is good now that spring is in the air,.
These wet sleeves, cool design. Change to a bigger bore very easily.


And the block, stripped right down for easier cleaning.

Seems we need an intermission.....

https://www.google.com/search?sca_es...TzZrAfNFg,st:0

Maybe two??