New BMC vedette owner needs some info !!

[nicjo]

Just purchased boat with a BMC Vedette engine..unsure mark / model has a brass circle plate stating V753? guessing the production line.  

 

Have zero info on it but manage to get off ebay a manual on it way fingers crossed

 

Questions..

 

The rear bell housing has a oil dip stick in it and dry at the moment. Is this gearbox oil ? if so where is the filler?

Engine oil what viscosity to use? 

 

Any members have similar ? 

 

Regards members  

 

Nick 

[Bee]

Well that is an unusual thing isn't it. I think the gearbox filler and dipstick is a bit further back than we can see in the pic. And is that the distributer on the bell housing? I don't think that many folks on here will have engines like this as we nearly all use diesel but I would guess that the MG owners clubs would know a bit more (Including where on earth is the carburettor????)

[Bacchus]

There will be some experts along, I'm sure (the forum is more diesel focussed but there's plenty of engineers and a wealth of knowledge) but are you sure it's a vedette? that looks more like a B-series engine to me. The Vedette was the old Moggy minor engine with a very short stroke. I had one in my ship's lifeboat conversion (which, also, had a dynastart so the alternator would be a conversion)

[nicjo]

Hi yes its stamped up a Vedette on the brass plate.. Believe yes was a minor engine that gets marinised by BMC.. Very tidy looking engine.. Im sure some one will know more ! 

[springy]

The first Vedettes were based on the original side valve morris engine, later ones used the OHV engine. The distributor mounted in the bellhousing was an alternative to a magneto, but the magneto was slightly bulkier possibly the reason for its relocation, along with a raised handstart, - hence no battery, ignition coil, dynamo or starter motor was actually needed to run the engine, and AIUI a typical lifeboat installation. Many years ago a friend had an Uffa Fox designed airborne lifeboat with one fitted. Inlet manifold and carburettor are out of sight under the exhaust manifold/heat exchanger.

 

springy

[PaulJ]

41 minutes ago, Bee said:

Well that is an unusual thing isn't it. I think the gearbox filler and dipstick is a bit further back than we can see in the pic. And is that the distributer on the bell housing? I don't think that many folks on here will have engines like this as we nearly all use diesel but I would guess that the MG owners clubs would know a bit more (Including where on earth is the carburettor????)

IF memory serves me right (its been a long time since I messed with one) its a side draught carb under the exhaust manifold.

Remember it only because we had to fit a drip tray to one to comply with the 'new' regs.

[Ken X]

IIRC the distributor on the bell housing was the 948 cc engine. 

 

The carburettor was a Solex updraught, possibly a type 26. 

 

Might well be worth chatting to the Series MM register guys at the Morris Minor Owners Club.

[Tony Brooks]

I THINK that is a BMC A type gearbox or possibly a B type. The distributor drive implies it should all be oily in the bell housing (don't know for sure) because I can't see an intermediate plate between the gearbox and bell housing, so the gearbox oil would get into the hosing. I think that you will find the filler is by removing a plate on top of the box further back than your photos show. These boxes seem to have much in common with certain Parsons marine gearboxes.

[ditchcrawler]

There are some bits on sale on Facebook, they are in Norwich

[nicjo]

Im thinking that she runs ok.. will once gets warmer fire her up on the trailer and see how she runs .. 

 

[Tony Brooks]

51 minutes ago, nicjo said:

Im thinking that she runs ok.. will once gets warmer fire her up on the trailer and see how she runs .. 

 

 

So why not give us a chance by taking a photo of the whole thing, engine & gearbox so we can see all of it. I thought your photo was of it in your boat, so could see why you could not show the gearbox.

[magnetman]

14 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

So why not give us a chance by taking a photo of the whole thing, engine & gearbox so we can see all of it. I thought your photo was of it in your boat, so could see why you could not show the gearbox.

I reckon the Boat is on a trailer

 

What sort of Boat is it @nicjo ?

Edited January 15 by magnetman
tag

[Tony Brooks]

Just now, magnetman said:

I reckon the Boat is on a trailer

 

That will explain it, but it still seems a bit odd to ask for advice about a gearbox and not show the majority of it.

[magnetman]

Just now, Tony Brooks said:

 

That will explain it, but it still seems a bit odd to ask for advice about a gearbox and not show the majority of it.

They asked for information on the bellhousing which is shown in the image. 

 

"

The rear bell housing has a oil dip stick in it and dry at the moment. Is this gearbox oil ? if so where is the filler?

Engine oil what viscosity to use? "

[bizzard]

2 hours ago, Ken X said:

IIRC the distributor on the bell housing was the 948 cc engine. 

 

The carburettor was a Solex updraught, possibly a type 26. 

 

Might well be worth chatting to the Series MM register guys at the Morris Minor Owners Club.

The series MM had the old side valve engine, The Morris Minor from about 1957 had the 948cc ohv engine

[Tony Brooks]

1 minute ago, magnetman said:

They asked for information on the bellhousing which is shown in the image. 

 

"

The rear bell housing has a oil dip stick in it and dry at the moment. Is this gearbox oil ? if so where is the filler?

Engine oil what viscosity to use? "

 

Yes, but the question he asked us to answer requires knowledge of the actual gearbox. I can not be sure what that second photo is actually showing. If it has a reduction box on the end, then I am fairly sure that uses gear oil, say around SAE 80. I can't remember what we put in the B type boxes, but suspect that may be gear oil as well. The manual he says he has bought should tell him IF it is a genuine manual. The gearbox was in the last few pages. I think that I told him where the filler probably is.

I found an online manual for the BMC 2.2 Commander diesel, but it contained the part for the B type gearbox, which might be what the OP has. Here are the oil recommendations

 

 

 

So the gearbox uses engine oil while the reduction box, if the OP has one, uses EP140 gear oil.

 

But we still don't know if it is an A type or B type gearbox. I think there is a better than 80% chance that both boxes use the same oil types.

[nicjo]

Gearbox under flooring to cold today to take up .. 🥶

[Tony Brooks]

I can't see the dipstick that you say is in the bell housing. I suspect that it is in the gearbox itself.

 

I agree, it is too cold to go taking floor boards up.

[Ken X]

45 minutes ago, bizzard said:

The series MM had the old side valve engine, The Morris Minor from about 1957 had the 948cc ohv engine

Oops, you're right.  Bit of brain fade.  Series III?

 

I suspect the bell housing is dry otherwise the starter will be thrashing around in oil and leaking like a sieve.  I cannot see the dipstick in the usual position so wonder if the sideways dipstick in the second photo is accessing the sump.

[nicjo]

on the second photo at start the dipstick to engine is bent and has paint flaking off next to brass drain.. below is the other dipstick looks very dry as if not used? 

[dmr]

Its going to be a right pain getting to that oil filter 😀

[Tony Brooks]

Thanks, by putting the second photo into an image manipulation program and messing with I, I finally saw it. B type boxes did not have the dipstick there, so I think this is an A type, that I have never even seen, let alone worked on. I now suspect there is a land cast into the gearbox to separate the box from the flywheel housing, and probably to support the front of the gearbox shaft. FWIW, the B type box had a separate intermediate plate with a seal and bearing in it to do the same job.

 

I hope that your manual has the gearbox in the back.

 

@RLWP, you once said you thought you had an A type gearbox in your scrap heap, can you give any help, It is out of my experience now. Thanks

[ditchcrawler]

[dmr]

and a complete engine+gearbox on eBay for £300.

I've got a real soft spot for the BMC A series (and the B's ) but not really suitable for my boat.

[Bee]

1 hour ago, dmr said:

Its going to be a right pain getting to that oil filter 😀

Nearly as hard as getting to the oil filter on my Kangoo with the air con pipes handily placed over the blasted thing!