engine colour

[Vic Butler]

Paul, I'm going by Clausager. I converted the 18GB engine in my previous BGT to an inverted canister filter with a conversion kit and that was in the mid 1970's. Could your engine have been painted black or, and this does happen, the 18GG number transplanted on to an 18V engine?
Edit. Per Clausager 18V engines were black and had a boss on the front left of the crankcase with a hole for a mechanical fuel pump for Marina and Sherpa requirements. No mention is made of a blanking plate on 18 G series which was unique to the MGB.
All 18G series engines were painted red or maroon. I'd trust Clausager rather than Moss.
For canister type oil filter I should have said spin on.

[Vic Butler]

Further to my previous post I can confirm a notable difference between an 18GB onwards block and an 18V one apart from the blanking plate for the mechanical fuel pump.
The 5 bearing 18GB onwards block has 1800 cast into the left hand side of the crankcase near the front whereas the 18V doesn't. I have the original BMC issued mechanical and body parts lists that were issued to dealers and the 1800 is clearly shown in the illustration in this list and no blanking plate.
Paul, if your engine is like that then it's an 18GG, but if it has a mechanical fuel pump blanking plate then it's a renumbered 18V block.

[Ian F]

I have an 18GB engine which I obtained in the early 1980's as a spare - never used as I still have my original 18V engine fitted. Obtained from a scrap car and never rebuilt as far as I know.

The engine number is 18 GB RU "L" (indistinct) 79031.
It is now very rusty without much paint left on it, but it is black, apparently always has been as I recall, and no trace of anything red or maroon.

Just thought I would throw this actual observation in!!

Ian F

[Paul Hollingworth]

Hi Vic,
Thanks for your efforts on this. I can confirm that my block has '1800' cast on to the side and no cover for the lift pump, so I think that makes it an 18G. Whilst its possible that any amount of bits could have been retro fitted in 48 years and 7 owners, it also has a duplex timing chain. I know the cylinder head has has a date in 1971 cast into it. According to Moss the inverted canister filter came in in 1969. All this doesn't help us conclude what colour it should be of course. Strangely when my cylinder head cam back from Peter Burgess he had painted it maroon, I've since gone back to black to match the block. Peter must have a copy of Clausager too. I know from my time at Longbridge that its extremely difficult to track running changes in production especially in this case when much of the documentation is lost. (or buried somewhere at the Heritage Motor Museum)
Even with K series its hard with all the changes in ownership and the fight between Nanjing and SAIC over intellectual property. Unfortunately those who will remember have recently been thrown on the scrapheap.

[Vic Butler]

Interesting Paul. I agree the inverted oil filter was fitted to later 18G engines but it had a replaceable element. The 18V had the spin off type but earlier engines could be converted as I did with an 18GB engine.
I have an inquisitive mind and I like to take on a challenge. I use books rather than the unreliable internet. The genuine BMC issue parts lists cover all chrome bumper B's and GT's. The quality of the illustrations and text is far superior to the repros of today. I bought them from a local dealer back in the mid 1970's. The dealer had gone to microfiche. The ring binder lists of body and mechanical parts cost 50p each when that amount was worth a lot more.
I checked the BMC list and the inverted replacement element oil filter was introduced from 18 GD 101 onwards. No spin on filter was fitted to 18G engines. When I converted my 18GB engine to an inverted spin on I was able to buy the adapter as an MG part.
Ian, if that is an L in the engine number then it's a low compression version. Unusual for UK.

[Peter Cresswell]

It is important to use a machinery paint on the engine otherwise your nice black or maroon painted engine will go all gloopy from the oil! The engine black is listed as CCEP4BR (and CCEP1BR for MG Maroon) for a 500ml can to brush on in the MOSS catalogue. Both cost £19.00. This certainly oil resisting.

[Paul Hollingworth]

I hate to disagree with you Peter but my factory workshop manual is 11th edition dated 1970 and shows the inverted cannister or as they call it disposable cartridge oil filter. (see attachment) I acquired this manual second hand from the B register stall at Silverstone for £3 (what a bargain) so its possible, but unlikely, I think that the previous owner has updated individual pages. Certainly the engine data in it doesn't go past 18GG.

[Vic Butler]

My BL workshop manual is the same but this manual covers 18V engines from car number 258001 onwards to which the spin off filter was fitted (later type).
I checked the BMC parts list. 2 types of oil filter assemblies were fitted to 18G series. The first type was the downward hanging filter then from 18 GD engines onwards right to the end of the 18G engines the inverted replacement element was fitted. The spin off was never fitted to any 18G engines but parts were available to convert.

[Paul Hollingworth]

This is starting to be like an episode of 'fake and fortune'. Perhaps we should send for Fiona Bruce. I have to ask about the provenance of Vic's parts list. Is it a genuine factory one or one a third party has pulled together ? It doesn't explain how a manual printed in 1970 shoes the disposable cartridge type and how Moss, Rimmers and Manners think it was introduced before then. My 18GG engine is exactly how its shown in my manual. The page says its issue 7 although the manual says its the 11th edition.

[Tom Brearley]

Hi All

Here's a picture from the 1972 GT brochure which shows the engine in black.

Tom
1973 GT