1275 A+ Engine Build

[MiniDave]

Yes, it's a breather tube.....I expect Dan will just put a filter on it rather than running a pipe over the cover to the intake.

Dan will be handling the paint as soon as he gets the engine back.

[MPlayle]

I don't have the transfer pipe, but I think I have a spare filter housing as I got the "spin on filter adapter" kit for the 850 in the Moke (still has the original canister filter) and the 998 is already a spin on filter unit.

I will have to look for it (got packed for the apartment move) as well as what I paid for it.

I recall ordering it from 7Ent.

I will PM with the details when I find them a bit later today.

[MiniDave]

Thanks!

I can get them from MiniSpares but if someone has them and doesn't need them that's even better.....

[MiniDave]

More progress today, the transmission is now mated back with the block, and after tapping all the holes on the clutch end, I locktited and installed all the studs.

I also tapped all the holes in the clutch housing and cover so it's all ready to go on, but I don't have the clutch end crankshaft seal, so I'm stuck till I get one.

Other than that I think I have pretty much all I need to complete the build except for a few bitza. Still have to finish the cam timing, then I can button up the front cover too.

The first pic makes the engine look huge and tall - but I measured it at 27"

[BruceK]

Nice progress

The first pic makes the engine look huge and tall - but I measured it at 27"

Yes!  I have always thought it was sort of an optical illusion:  when you look at a Mini engine and gearbox sitting outside the car it looks so tall like it will definitely stick up through the hood.  Yet somehow it sorta shrinks once you drop it in.   Magic!!   77.gif

[John Gervais]

Dave, I'm particularly interested in the cam timing.  Because you've got the head already on the block, are you going to use a 'stick' down the number 1 spark plug hole to find TDC?

Doing the cam timing is one of the reasons I haven't pulled my engine yet.

I did, though, just buy one of these, from a classic British motorcycle supplier (Ebay has them also):

Top-Dead-Centre-TDC-Timing-Tool-GENUINE-WASSEL

[MiniDave]

yes, I can do it that way, just a bolt welded into an old spark plug body, works just fine. I printed out a degree wheel and had it laminated up at school, so I'll install that first, along with a pointer. £11 for that tool seems pretty reasonable.....

Still haven't found the exact timing specs yet, Kent emailed me back and said they were on their web site but I haven't found them yet. 

[MPlayle]

Try at the top data chart of this page:

http://www.kentcams.com/product-details/240/Camshaft/Camshaft/MD266-Fast-Road/


It appears that for timing you look under the page for just the cam and not the kit.  I found the A-Series engines under "Rover".

[MiniDave]

Full lift - Inlet 106 Deg ATDC

I assume this is where they want me to set it, but usually they give an amount of lift in thousandths at 10* (or something), and you set it there.....

It's also interesting that they list the same cam for engines from 850-1300cc

[94touring]

I was planning on buying this 266 cam when we build up the 1098.  Specs would be the same from 850-1300 like they say. 

[MPlayle]

Dave,

Would the LTDC at the bottom left of the chart be what you are looking for (assuming LTDC means "Lift Top Dead Center")?

[MiniDave]

No actually, what I needed was the other spec - 106* ATDC at full lift.

[MiniDave]

Dan decided to order the new oil filter housing (£12) and since you can't buy the pipe anymore they offer a braided hose kit instead, so that is also winging it's way to me. Braided hoses look pretty cool anyway......

Of course, as these things happen, one of my Sprite buddies called me today as he found one for me on one of his old engines!

[MiniDave]

More progress.....today I set the cam timing, took a good long time cause I had to set the cam gear back one tooth....and the first time I went the wrong way, that meant setting it the other way 2 teeth.....anyway, I finally got it dialed in.

Friday I should get it all buttoned up, then with any luck I might hear it run this weekend.

I've got a KC MINI club joint run with the Iowa MINI club on Saturday so it will be Sunday before I get back to it.

[MiniDave]

OK, things are moving along pretty smoothly, with the cam timing done I buttoned up the front end, then traded ends and installed the new lightweight Verto clutch and flywheel assembly, then buttoned up the wok. With that done it's time to take it off the engine stand and install the rest of the ancillary parts like distributor, alternator and oil filter assemblies. once that's done I'll mount it into the test run stand and fire her up. That won't happen till Sunday tho as I have a KC MINI club event tomorrow......

[94touring]

All these new light flywheels I have on my cars sure do look good!

[towjoe]

Hi Dave ,
Looking good. What is the weight of the flywheel?
Mine was 9 1/4 lbs. I used a turbo clutch sys.
My vision is pretty gone in my right eye. Damn tumors.
Regards
towjoe

[MiniDave]

Oh boy Joe, you'd have to ask Dan, I didn't weigh it before I put it in but I can tell you it was significantly lighter after picking both the new and the old one up! It still has plenty of mass so I don't think it will make the car hard to launch, even with the taller diff ratio (3.1:1) he has.

[94touring]

9.3 lbs is what spares has it listed as.  I believe my rx7 one is 11lbs down from 20, and even with a 6 puck clutch it's surprisingly easy to drive.  Revs like no ones business though.  I'm hoping for similar results here.

[MiniDave]

Getting closer.....even tho the cam timing checked - intake valve fully open at 106* ATDC - it still wasn't right, so I went at it again today - as the gears don't have any marks on them to give me a general starting point I had to use my experience to set it to a good relative place, from there it was just a matter of fiddling till I got it dialed into spec using a degree wheel and dial indicator. Now I know it's dead right.

Once that was done I installed the distributor drive and then the dizzy itself.

I'm going to recheck the valve clearances one more time just to be sure then it'll be time to mount it in the test run stand and make some noise!

I'll use my spare HIF38 and intake, plus the header Dan sent me off another old car he had and it should be just a matter of adding fluids, cranking up oil pressure and give it a go. But first I think I'll install a new shift shaft seal, just to be sure.....

[MPlayle]

When setting the valve clearances the first time after installing a fresh rocker set, what approach do you use?

I know about the "rule of 9's", but if all have been backed off completely where/how do you start?

I have to do the valves on the 998 for the Moke.  Having a starting approach would be nice and give me something to do on it while waiting for the flywheel locking tool and puller.

[MiniDave]

Because they're all loose it's hard to know when the valve is fully open?

Set them at TDC firing instead, when both valves are in "rock", then go back and check them via rule of 9. Set the crank at TDC, pop the dist cap off and see that it's pointing at #1 and set both those valves, then rotate the crank 180* and do #3 and on thru the firing order....that will give you a good baseline, then if you want go back and recheck them via rule of 9.

[MPlayle]

The "fun" part for me is that the distributor was already removed when the engine arrived.  I have the distributor(s) that go with it (were packed separately).

The recommended process would then be: put one of the distributors in to be able to find firing TDC on each cylinder and "assume" firing for #1 when at TDC for the 1/4 if the distributor initially seems to indicate firing at the traditional #1 position (approx 1 to 2 o'clock)?  Then set each at its respective TDC through the firing order?

[MiniDave]

Watch the valves as you crank it over, after the cylinder #1 intake closes continue to crank it to TDC, that's where you can adjust both valves, then just turn the crank 180* to do the next one, then back to TDC for the third valve set and so on....should be a doddle with the engine out like this.

[MPlayle]

I'll give that a whirl and see where I get.

Parts and tools got ordered and confirmed, so now is the wait for them to arrive for the next part.