The 1275cc upper engine covers the components above the cylinder head: the rocker cover, rocker shaft assembly, pushrods, cam followers (tappets), and associated fixings. These are the most accessible area of the engine for routine maintenance, as the rocker cover can be removed in minutes to access the valve train for valve clearance adjustment.
Rocker Cover
The rocker cover is a pressed steel item sealed to the head by a cork gasket and held by two studs with spacers and cup washers. Aftermarket alloy rocker covers with a chrome or polished finish are available as an aesthetic upgrade.
Replacement engine nameplates, MG, Austin, Weslake, and British Leyland, are available for those restoring to period-correct specification, as many original plates have been lost or damaged over the decades.
1275cc Specification
Eight pushrods and eight cam followers (tappets) are used, and these components are interchangeable across the entire 1275cc range regardless of engine prefix. The cam followers sit in bores in the block and ride on the camshaft lobes, they should be inspected for pitting or concavity on their contact face whenever they are accessible, as a pitted follower will rapidly destroy a new camshaft. The rocker shaft assembly varies across production, with three rocker arm types (forged, pressed, and sintered) each requiring matched adjusting screws and locknuts as detailed in the cylinder head section.