New Member from Down under.

[locky1800]

Hi All, 
New member here from Tasmania (Australia). Just been given FOC a January build 1968 Mk1 Auto in superb condition. White with blue interior. Been in the owner's family since purchased new in April 1968. Continually registered but hardly used for past 30 odd years. Not driven in last 4 years.

Drives beautifully. I am almost 75 and did my Mech apprenticeship at local (Hobart city) BMC Dealer starting 1966.
This is my 5th A1800; 1 manual and 4 Autos. Love them.
My most recent A1800 was a 1968 Mk2 which I made a Replica London-Sydney Marathon car and which I subsequently sold to a chap in Sydney. 

My only gripe with the autos is that the Engineers should have incorporated an auto oil cooler, particularly for Aussie conditions.
What were they (not) thinking!
Am looking at modifying the end cover/speedo drive housing/governor oil feed to fit out/in connectors to run to an oil cooler.
I am sure the tranny life will be enhanced with cooler auto oil.
Has anyone attempted that mod?

This one I might name "Jane" (although that happens to be my wife's name). Jane as in Jane Austin, as this car gives me lots of Pride..... (Ha!)

[Penguin45]

Hello, Locky. Welcome aboard to you and Jane... and Jane.

Sounds like you've picked up a nice car and at a proper Yorkshire price.

I've just been having a rummage through the auto workshop manual and there's no mention of an oil pump at all. I presume that there must be oil circulation with all the moving parts, but where you would drill into the casing I'm afraid I've no idea. Autos are rather black magic to me.

I hope you will enjoy the forum, pics are always welcome and feel free to ask anything, although with your lifelong experience of the cars I suspect that you'll be able to tell us plenty.

Chris.

[brianr]

Hi Locky,
the transmission oil cooler is a good idea.
It was apparently recommended, at least, for the 6 cylinder cars & a combined cooler with separate sections for engine oil & transmission oil was available.
This is discussed in the LOCI magazine for Spring 2020 (vol. 31-01) where the club Membership Sec. Rob Galloway, describes fitting separate engine oil & transmission oil coolers to his car.
Perhaps someone can make it available to you.
rgds
Brian

[dave1800]

Hi Locky

Just a thought, maybe the transmission cooler was available on the Australian Tasman and Kimberley models? It is illustrated in the UK A/M/W 2200cc workshop manual showing the hydraulic connections that seem fairly straight forward. That engine was developed in Australia for the Tasman/Kimberley. It would require a bit of ingenuity to mount it in the 1800 but should not be an issue as there is more room with the side mounted radiator.

I thought Tasmania was not so hot as most of the continent .



David

[locky1800]

Mar 1, 2024 10:41:51 GMT brianr said:

Hi Locky,
the transmission oil cooler is a good idea.
It was apparently recommended, at least, for the 6 cylinder cars & a combined cooler with separate sections for engine oil & transmission oil was available.
This is discussed in the LOCI magazine for Spring 2020 (vol. 31-01) where the club Membership Sec. Rob Galloway, describes fitting separate engine oil & transmission oil coolers to his car.
Perhaps someone can make it available to you.
rgds
Brian

[locky1800]

The Tranny is a Borg Warner 35 and common for many cars of that era, so internal parts such as clutch plates/bands/servos etc are readily available.

The end housing is used to supply/transfer auto oil pressure to the Governor and also a used for the speedo drive.
Within this housing is a (part of the alloy casting) feed line for the Governor oil supply.

I am looking at "blocking off" this feed line and inserting two "unions/connectors" so that rather than the oil simply travelling along this internal feed line, the oil has to exit my new "union", travel through the oil cooler, then re-enter the feed line above the point through the second "union" where I blocked it off. 

(have I confused you? oh dear , sorry!)

I can't see why it is not possible to be successful, providing I make the connectors/unions strong and reliable.

That is pretty much the only spot where oil feed pressure can be externally accessed and enable an oil return feed back to the tranny.

I need to get my hands on a s/hand housing so I can play with it. 

Having said all that, I had one of my MK1's for 17 years and did around 120,000 klms with no auto probs, but I didn't use it for long trips which I believe is where the tranny life could be shortened due to continual high oil temps.

[locky1800]

Mar 3, 2024 7:29:32 GMT locky1800 said:

Mar 1, 2024 10:41:51 GMT brianr said:

Hi Locky,
the transmission oil cooler is a good idea.
It was apparently recommended, at least, for the 6 cylinder cars & a combined cooler with separate sections for engine oil & transmission oil was available.
This is discussed in the LOCI magazine for Spring 2020 (vol. 31-01) where the club Membership Sec. Rob Galloway, describes fitting separate engine oil & transmission oil coolers to his car.
Perhaps someone can make it available to you.
rgds
Brian

[locky1800]

  An auto oil cooler was not used on the 2200cc 6 cyl Tasman & Kimberley models which also used the BW35 tranny.
 
Can't understand why the engineers didn't use one, because at that time virtually all other auto cars had one in the form of a heat exchanger using the lower section of the radiator. Maybe they did all sorts of tests and came to the conclusion the oil didn't get hot enough to warrant the design?

My understanding is that it is undesirable to have your auto oil continually around or exceeding about 115 deg C. 
Interestingly, on a hot 26-30 deg summer day here in Tassy my L/Rover Disco 4 8 speed auto rises to around 110 deg when towing my 3.0 Tonne caravan up hills. Engine coolant temp goes to 106 deg at same time. Both temps quickly drop back to early 90's when going down the hill.

I'd love to know what the 1800 auto goes to on a hot day.

Yep, Tassy is generally a bit cooler temp than mainland Aus, but we still get some high summer temps. eg, this week, from March 5th we are due for 25, 26, 26, 24, 32, 27 respectively. Late summer!

[1800heap]

Hi Locky

Welcome to the forum.

Australian crabs did have a fair few mods compared to the UK counterparts to help with Australian conditions so the lack of an oil cooler does seem odd. Either they didn't see it as a problem or there was no money for a redesign of the gearbox.

As an easier alternative to gearbox casting mods you may want to add an engine oil cooler. As there is such a close link between the engine oil and the gearbox this is sure to bring down auto trans oil temps.

Nick

[locky1800]

Hi 1800 Heap, 
The idea of an engine oil cooler is very good and probably the easiest/most practical method.

A long story short, I've been aware of a "clonk" when engaging Reverse or Drive, together with a slight diff whine. Just to prove that Alzheimer's is not yet setting in I recalled back in the late 1960's when a BMC apprentice here in Hobart Tas, we had several 1800's with very low mileage suffer this problem.

It was the large nut on the auto trans output shaft which retains the diff pinion. It was loose 'cos either never tightened fully during assembly or more likely the pathetic lock tab not fully retaining the nut.
This caused the "clonk" and also the pinion would move almost out of mesh with the crownwheel but not quite, but caused a whine.

Fairly straightforward job to remove the speedo housing/end cover, remove Governor (NB. anyone doing this be careful to note which way the Governor goes as the early W/shop Manual is WRONG!) replace lock tab, Locktite nut and reassemble. I would have done half a dozen or so cars I reckon.

So over the last few days I checked mine and yes it was loose. I reckon its been loose for past 55 years or so, and the nut thread was knackered. The output shaft thread "looks" ok but will not know until I try a new nut. I'll "update" (ha!) and fit a Nyloc nut but necessary to machine inside of nut to clear the output shaft. (anyone doing this will see what I mean). 

So, what I am (finally) getting around to say is that I've had a good look at the Governor housing and it doesn't lend itself to any sort of modification for an auto oil cooler. So that's that. 

Interestingly, there appears to be two types housing as there are two different gaskets in the gasket set I have.

So I'll consider an engine oil cooler as per your recommendation,

Cheers, 
Richard.