Spit 1500 Dual Valve Spring Lower Collars

[Peter Truman]

I'm rebuilding a Spit 1500 engine. actually it's a MG Midget 1500, I'm currently reconditioning the cylinder head & I'm missing one of the two lower spring collar washers, the one that locates the bigger outer spring, ie the lower bottom collar I lent one to a college but it was never replaced!

Ref the attached photo, top collar is the top unit and is machined (takes the collets), the centre holds the smaller inner spring at the bottom and the bottom collar fits under the centre one and locates the outer spring. The bottom collar is a cup washer with a raised cup on the inner and outer circumferences, the inner being a snug fit over the valve guide.

Rimmer's and other suppliers don't show the two part lower collar, but have a one piece machined unit with NO raised outer lip. In fact I cannot find anything in the parts catalogues that are similar to the two part lower collar.

What was the original fitment on the later 1500 engines, the two piece pressed steel lower collars or a one piece machined type, part No. 157510, or is that after market?

The inner spring is a snug fit over the raised centre section of the centre collar and the bigger outer spring a snug fit in the outer cup of the bottom washer.

Interestingly there's a bit of pitting on some of the bottom cup washers, but no apparent corrosion anywhere on the head or its other parts.  The corrosion is minor and won't affect the collars performance.

I have found a replacement  lower cup washer in my general parts bin, BUT it only has the raised cup on the outside and the inner dia is a little larger than the valve guide, but the inner lower collar holds the two lower collars in place and the two collars hold the dual valve springs? with virtually no side play.

Question were the two pressed steel lower collars standard fitment on the 1500 engine, or the single machined collar and if the two collars are original where can I get a replacement lower cup collar from.

Regards

Peter Truman