Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing changing oil and filter

Unfortunately due to work I am unable to drive my Morgan as often as I would like and in the last 3 years I have only driven about 1800 miles, the advice I seek is; should I change the oil and oil filter (changed 2 years ago and still clean) and also replace the cam belt etc (changed 4 years ago and about 3000 miles) My Morgan is a 1983 4/4 with a CVH engine. Any advice would be gratefully received.

Oil & filter yes.

Cam belts should withstand not being used for many years, so I think you'd be ok leaving it for now.

I would disagree in part to the previous advice as with lots of things it 'depends'. You did not state the type of oil used, if its mineral oil then it does degrade with time and also absorbs some of the carbon deposited within the engine during normal running so it should not be left for long periods even if clean to a visual inspection. However if its synthetic or even semi you can get away with it as it is mileage changed more than mileage/age changed (old minerals were generally 12K miles or 12 months whichever came first, some even as low as 10K miles).

As to the cambelt, your fine for a time but remember Ford specify an age and mileage also, its rubber (OK with some rayon and or Kevlar in some) and can and will degrade.

Thing is though, this is your pride and joy. If you get away with it you have saved £50 in the case of the oil and filter and a couple of hundred or so in the case of the belt and tensioner (good to change the tensioner at the same time and use a genuine belt), isn't your baby worth it?

Balance the cost of doing it and risking it against knowing that your car is sorted for many more miles and several years in the case of the belt, whilst your at it a good grease, spanner check everything and top all fluids and if not done in the last 3 years a brake fluid change and your up to £500-600 at a dealer but isn't your car worth it? If you can do it yourself its half that and much more fun ;-).

I'd change the oil and filters, not really all that expensive or a difficult job and you can give the car a spanner check at the same time.

With the cambelt, you are probably ok but I'd take the belt cover off to have a quick look. Probably better access on the Morgan than on a FWD Escort.

One issue I did have with a stored CVH engine was the belt tensioner bearing had seized causing a hell of a racket on startup

Arwyn

would change the cam belt on the time recommended & the oil.

I'm with Colin, the saving gained by stretching intervals isn't worth it and if it's your baby it's ok to spoil it. I always change the filter every time I change the oil and I do that at least every year regardless of whether im using mineral or synthetic oil. Overkill yes but then no engine ever suffered from too many oil changes and if your doing short runs the nasty stuff will build up more and condensation won't get burnt off. If you lay your car up over winter then change it before storing not after.

Cambelts do deteriorate over time, change always on the guidelines. My LR should go to 140k but I did at 80k and on age. Looked ok but peace of mind is important and who wants the bother and cost of it failing?

You can't change oil too often.

If you have mineral oil in your car I would definitely change it. CVH engines, especially the hydraulic tappets, are very sensitive to decent oil and as SpannerJuggler indicates, mineral oils can degrade over time. CVH engines should really have their oil changed every 6k miles anyway, so you're not 'wasting' much anyway.

And if it was me, I'd change the cambelt. It's a simple job and gives great peace of mind. You could even go the extra mile and bung on a vernier camwheel, that way you can set the valve timing up a bit more accurately for those vital few extra horses.

I once didn't change the cambelt on our Ford Motorhome because I had still about 40.000 km left before changing. However it was already 5 years on the engine and on returning home from our holiday all the teeth came off, resulting in bend pushrods. So lesson learned now.

+1 a mate of mine had that happen at speed on the M1 in the 70s in his 3 l Capri Ghia.

Luckily one of our mates in Clapham who drank at the Bowyers Arms was a mechanic as otherwise it was goodbye car.