Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Centra Compensator falling apart.....

I've got chunks of rubber from my Centra compensator falling out of the bellhousing

The car is running fine, but I don't know how much longer before I completely lose drive.....

Has anyone else suffered this problem?

Didn't Phil Bleazey have something similar happen?

Actually Phil was trying to limit the number of rotational degrees between the inner and outer Centa components. He thought this might be the "slipping" sensation that a lot of guys have been experiencing.

He took out the round rubber rods and fashioned oval replacement parts that fit more closely to the housings.

You are right, but I thought he had some chunks of rubber come out first? I'll have to try to track down the post now!

What a worry. Centra as you all know are a highly respected mainly marine transmission company. So let's hope that the rubber Cush drive is not breaking down. I would have thought that MMC and Centra would be more than interested in what is going on here.

I have this problem







I think it is necessary to pierce the crankcase to make more aeration, no centaflex rubber is guaranteed above 80 ° Celsius.

It was mooted some time ago on TM that the Centa compensator would have a finite life and the question was asked whether the MMC had given service/inspection intervals and how easy/difficult it would be to inspect and change the rubber inserts.

No one seemed particularly interested at the time.

This type of drive is commonly used between prime movers and pumps etc. The load in these cases being rather more constant, and unidirectional than in a vehicle, which may be a factor in their longevity.

The rubber buffers are not for life and are a consumable item.

That's exactly the sort of rubber bits I had sitting on my garage floor GLLOQ

How many miles have you guys put on the compensators???
The main reason I sold mine was worries about the longevity of the drive train.
I put around 15,000 miles on my centa but it was pretty rumbly and rough after a couple of thousand miles. I didn't really think it was working as a torque damper( just a Cush drive) and was concerned as to how the gearbox would hold up.
I do really miss the old girl but seeing this has confirmed that I did the right thing.?
A total loss of 22K over three years (11K devaluation and 11K in so called upgrades and repairs) has been a bitter pill to swallow.
Morgan have to get a grip. They can't expect owners to fork out for this, although they will try.

Ouch!
1. I liked Phil's analysis of his Centa drive - he also added a bearing to reduce movement vs the transmission alignment.
2. If temperature was a root cause I'd have thought M3Ws in the USA and other hot climates would have started showing symptoms?