Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Broken Centa rubbers

How many cars that did the Bleazy upgrade experienced broken Centa rubbers after the upgrade?
Are there any drivers who need to do a repair after this upgrade?
So far as I know, nobody has experienced any more problems with broken rubbers.
Could this be because more cooling is available with the big hole in the bell housing? (which is necessary for the Bleazey upgrade)
Was the heat in the bellhousing the cause of the broken rubbers?

I am aware of one M3W where the Centa rollers failed with a Bleazey conversion,but they were able to be replaced at the side of the road.

Just read of another Bleazey conversion with failed rubbers in Germany

Phil advises the rollers are lubricated with silicone grease now. I have been doing this since the Centa conversion about 20,000 miles ago and not had any problems with the standard rollers. Maybe this is also helping with roller life as well as smoother operation?

They may not have failed - the owner just hadn't changed them previously as they were the original PB rollers still fitted from the Centa upgrade when the PB rollers were still being fitted before the PB roller issues became evident - and the owner was having difficulty in removing the rollers.... and contrary to what was posted on fb, the core plate bolts x4 were only just tight, perhaps the post author had forgotten to have his Weetabix that morning...

Just been informed by the owner that the rollers had not failed and he drove home without any problems.

Hi Roger,
As many know Maria and I have just been on a tour of Eastern Germany in the first week then back into Holland for the second weekend to the Dutch MTWC meet.
Apart from a couple of ignition gremlins which caused delays our little 1,000cc Matchless Supersports was a star. Just under 2,000 miles completed on Autobahns and highways and she returned 55mpg too on E10 fuel.
When we arrived at the Dutch meet a five speeder owner whom we have known for years said to me that he would like some advice.
In the past he had a Bleazey conversion done by a "specialist" and he still had the Bleazey rollers in. He was concerned about the noise the Centa area was making. The "specialist" had sent him a new set of Morgan rollers to fit himself.
He had tried to change the rollers himself and had found it impossible to undo the four allen head retaining bolts.
He wanted me to see if he had been trying to undo them properly.
If you know me you know I deal only in FACTS.
His M3W sounded like a bag of nails and my first view was the Centa was loose on the splines.
I have been around these long enough now.
We got his M3W up quite high using a trailer as a base for car ramps.
I decided to test for crank spline wear so we took off the cam cover and with a socket on the crank nut I could not feel any play at the Centa end.
I then attempted to undo the four Allen headed bolts that hold the retaining plate.
This is something I have done as routine on my M3W and other owners M3W too.
Using Phils supplied tools it only takes a quick pull and the bolts should undo easily.
Not so with this M3W.
It became apparent the bolts were done up extremely tightly, exactly as the owner himself had found previously.
Phil Bleazey himself explains these bolts do not need to be overtightened.
The Allen key extension that Phil supplies even bent and the head slipped on one bolt they are so tight.
It is simply ridiculous to have tightened these four bolts to such an extreme strength, how in heck are you supposed to achieve the whole aim of the conversion to simplify change if you cannot access the rollers.
We had no option but to leave his M3W as it is and he drove home.
MORE FACTS.
until the rollers are changed I am not convinced the rollers are making so much noise.
The noise is so like many others I have heard with Centa spline rattle.
So rollers is the first step.How to undo those stupidly tight bolts, well I spoke with Phil this morning and he says a narrow chisel and hammer.
Good luck with that !
FINAL FACT.
Pointless comments about my breakfast choice does not get away from the simple fact someone has tightened those bolts WAY too tight.
It needs putting right. They should know better.
On a lighter note, our 1934 Matchless MX4 engined Supersports is pictured here in Eastern Germany last week.
Ian Parkinson.

FACT - all the Centa core bolts are tightened by hand with a 3/8th ratchet when on the bench - not over tightened in any way - just tight - FACT
FACT - Never had any issues with the other 30 plus Centa's I have done FACT
FACT - That's not how you check for crank spline wear or loose crank nut - FACT
FACT - The MMC rollers had been sent July 2022 with an instruction to fit immediately due to the issues that we were aware of being caused by the PB rollers and the crank nut - FACT

So before you start throwing accusations around - check your FACTS.

As you yourself have carried out plenty of these Centa core conversions yourself, you must be also a "specialist"...oh wait a minute I believe you never done a single centa upgrade, even on your own car yet you seem to think its okay slagging off other peoples work - not the first time for you is it and no doubt won't be the last...

Go have another Weetabix...FACT

Calm down everyone!

Good to hear from the owner that you picked his M3W up and took it away for rectification of the problem. Exactly the right solution.
I have been on the 3w scene long before you appeared.
Though Vintage Morgan 3W is much more appealing to me.
I carried out one of the first Centa conversions even before the issue of Centa spline wear or drive roller hardness was known about.
Phil asked me if I was interested in being a South West agent in the early days of his business taking off. I declined, however,
I fitted a kit to a Swindon based owner, Gerald Lawford. There were issues that I spotted in the parts supplied and Phil came down to Somerset to take a look. He then supplied modified parts. The kit was fitted and the car put into use.
A few weeks later a rattle developed that neither Phil nor other M3W experts could identify.
Much discussion with Phil led to him asking us to get the car to him.
Sadly on the day we were to drive up to Cumbria Gerald suffered a heart attack driving his M3W to meet up with us.
His car crashed into a lorry and he died on the M4.
We reckon this was the first time the issue of Centa spline fit was to raise its head.
But we will never know.
I worked with Phil fitting my Centa and spent time with him to understand the important fitment.
The whole set up is flawed and has ongoing issues.
In Holland this owner asked for help as he said he had been sent rollers to replace Bleazey ones. We all know why.
He never said how long he had them he simply said he had tried to change them but was unable to as the bolts on the retaining plate were too tight.
Working in a hotel car park with only the small ratchet and allen key I found the bolts were way too tight, so tight the allen key gave up on one of them.
The owner and I agreed to not proceed any further as to do so we may have left the M3W in a situation where he could not drive home.
The whole point of the conversion is to enable roller replacement at the roadside, this was not possible.
Someone overtightened those four bolts.
The list of who it could be is rather short.
IBy the way I don't eat Weetabix, I am a Shredded Wheat Man, AND I have four !
Ian Parkinson