Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Engine removal

I have a 1958 +4 roadster. The Moss box is out of the car. Is it possible to remove the engine and bell-housing together or do they need to be split.

Yes, But it would certainly better to split engine from bell-housing for clearances Etc.

Nice to hear there is another 1958 plus 4 car on here we have the tr4 engine and are about to buy tyres crossply or radial apparently the radials don't allow clearance for exhaust etc crossply have more clearance recommended by Longstone tyres are 500/525 x 16 Avon Tourist tyres that car came with were 550 x 16 Avon tourist so were looking at a diameter difference of .5 inch x 2 = 1 inch less diameter car would be .5 inch lower? What did these cars originally have fitted at factory?

Easier to remove the bell housing from the engine then take the engine out then remove the bell housing.

Otherwise you have to have the engine/bellhousing at quite an angle to get the lot out!

Arwyn

Bang on, hell of a lump all together, post any pics on progress though and good luck

Yes, like this, but be aware of the quill shaft into the gearbox (gearbox input shaft). This is separate to the gearbox and easily bent if it snags on the clutch plate as the engine is dragged out.

Simon @ SiFab.co.uk

Ah yes, I'd assumed the quill shaft had been removed with the gearbox!

You know what they say about assumptions!

Arwyn

It all depends upon how much space you have in front or behind your car , and what equipment you posses.

With a standard engine hoist and little space , then your only real choice is to follow Arwyn's suggestion of splitting the engine/bellhousing.

However if you have a load leveller attached to the hoist it is possible to lift the engine and bell housing as one unit, then use the leveller to get the front end right up in the air. The bottom of the engine tends to foul on the crosshead (or cowl if you have not removed that) and the top of the bell housing on the bulkhead and the bottom of the bell housing on the bulkhead crossmember, so you have to be careful , and I would say have another competent person with while doing it. Once the whole unit does clear the car, you put the unit on the ground. I used to find it safer to push the car away and then put the engine on a trolley.

Try not to damage the elektron bell housing , they are irreplaceable.

Good luck

Rob,

Where is the clearance issue? at the frame front top lug, the inner part of the front wing , or on the exhaust system? Each of these issues can be resolved with some planning and a few hand tools, but it won't be a case of "plug and play". I used to drive a +4 flat rad on 550 x 16 Michelin (but they are long since gone I think) . I believe Tony Quinn is the only other +4 driver to use cross plies, and I may be wrong but I think he uses 550s. 525 will be fine , but your contact patches are now smaller so the car will be more "lively" with a lot more rear end breakaway (which you may prefer, it depends upon your driving style) and it will be more sensitive to tyre pressure changes so check them more often.
In the end I ditched the cross plies for some 165 x 16 radials, and the car felt much better (even though they were the ill-reputed Michelin X) .

Following on from my earlier posting and assuming the gearbox is still in the car, I can't remember if I used to take the water pump off to increase clearance to get the engine forward enough to disengage the quill shaft. Or am I thinking of a crossflow engined 4/4?

My Dad bought a new bell housing for the Plus 4 from the factory in 1985, apparently the storesman said that 'thats the very last one left' when he bought it! Although I understand that the bell housings are available once more but cast in more modern materials

Arwyn