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Video is boring, was mainly to record the noise... Didn't know my exhaust sounds like that...  Driving it I mainly hear the engine screaming, but not so much of the exhaust. Cool! Door panels are due to be shipped tomorrow or tuesday. |
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Soooo - little update on this. I noticed a moderate power drop. A compression test confirmed that #2 & 3 were down to 6-7 bar compression. Turned out that the gasket was leaking coolant which destroyed the bores. And in turn the rings probably went too.  So I though 'curse word that' and just replaced the head gasket as I needed to concentrate on the Merc. Took only 4 weeks and two days ago the gasket went again. Well I think it's the gasket, #2 & 3 are down to 1-2 bar compression, #1 & 4 are at 7 bar now.... They were at 10-11 four weeks ago. So the engine basically has had it...  On the other hand I never treated it kindly with the throttle. Problem is: I don't havea good 1300 engine Ican justreplace it with. Neither do I have the funds for a engine rebuild. I have some 1300 engines stashed away. But the one which always was stored away as replacement-engine for the corrent engine tunred out to be majorly fooked...  So - what to do? Well - I also have severall 998 engines. Took the most complete and threw it together.  Along with this I build a spare gearbox yesterday. To basically have a complete replacement-unit.  This is going to be fun ;D It's a A+ gearset with a very short 1st gear - and I made it a lot shorter with a 3.76 diff ;D I hope it's not too short... Pre-A+ gearsets have a longer 1st gear and closer ratios & 'short' diffs (3.44 and 3.76). A+ gearboxes have 'long' diffs (3.1 mostly) and wide spread ratios, making it basically a 3+E gearbox. Well. It's going to be interessting. 60MPH will be ~4200RPM To make the engine a bit more revy, I put in a 1300 camshaft and will be putting a 1300 head on top. Compression will be around 11:1. Also rebuild a HS4 carb - but I think I might finaly go and try one of my Reece Fish carbs on that engine.  And this is the 1300 engine I'm going to build whilst I destroy the poor 998: a very early A+ from a Allegro.  It's allready a +.20 so will give 1293cc. Bores have rust, though. Ihope I can save them with a hone. If not, I'm building a 1275 out of a good SPI block I have. But I'd like the bigger one ;D Pulled the knackered engine today. And now I'm waiting for some screws, a manifold and will crack on with the Merc. Cheers, Jan |
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Oh my. These A series pictures are bringing back some serious Metro Turbo nightmares for me. Get me Xantac.
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eBay Rare
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Did you used the Metro Turbo gasket (BK450 or something like that)? The story is that they are stronger.
Good luck!
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 Click picture for more |
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Did you used the Metro Turbo gasket (BK450 or something like that)? The story is that they are stronger. Good luck! First gasket was badged as BK450. I blew it (in 2009) and discovered it was a AF460. This was at the time they sold those dodgy gaskets. I replaced it with a NOS TAMidontknwoanymore from 1985. This didn't blow, but let water in the bores. The latest was a copper gasket which lasted those 4 weeks. My parts dealer also builds a lot of engines and according to him Payen gaskets are still trouble. But everyone tells a different story and I'm actually not sure whom to believe.  Anyway; calculated CR for the 998 is 10.5:1 without valve pockets. The exhaust valves don't hit the block without a head gasket - so I guess everything is fine.  Removed the old engine yesterday evening.  Cheers, Jan |
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Today I sorted the cylinder head. Lapped the valves (exhaust were a PITA) and smoothed the step in the ports from the locating rings,as I'm going to run without them (manifold has i/d as large as the o/d of the rings). Filled the ring gapswith JB Weld (yes! ;D) and ground it back and smoothed the ports entrance a bit.   And the rest of the day I spent with trying to pull the snapped thermostat housing studs... What a curse word!!  Ende up with drilling them out. Of course one drill snapped whilst drilling a pilot hole. So I messed up that hole, and the second hole the drill wandered about and left me with an oval hole. F@#%$!! Fortunately a bit of the original thread was left and I managed to cut all threads to M8.   And then I realised I have no valve stem seals... Mmm. Of to get some tomorrow. Cheers, Jan |
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Aug 27, 2011 18:47:32 GMT
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So today I assembled the 998 and put it in the car... Isn't it pretty?   Also installed a Metro oil/water heat exchanger (the better choice over an oil cooler for this engine, IMO). It looks like the oil filter catches, but it doesn't. I rocked the engine back and fore without steadys - it never catches. All that's needed is a 5mm spacer behind the filter head The original Metro filter head is too long...  However, the large water pump pulley doesn't fit... It catches the head Would've liked to use that, to slow down the water pump a bit.  Didn't get it to run today, only some misfiring. But monday is another day. And I think I know where the problem is... Rookie mistake... I think I put the dizzy drive in 180° wrong...  And I'm still amazed, that the engine turns But I don't want to know, how close the exhaust valves are before hitting the engine block... ;D [edit] The old 1275cc engine tunred out to have oval, verry worn bores & pistons (huuge ring gap). Though the main & big end bearings & crank journals are still in very good order - at least I can re-use the crank for the next 1275cc And that's some good, good news! Cheers, Jan |
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Aug 28, 2011 11:02:53 GMT
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;D ;D No the plumbing can begin. Too bad I'm out of water hose...  Good sunday! Not so much for the neighbours... Teehee Cheers, Jan |
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Aug 29, 2011 20:23:50 GMT
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Attention: messy engine bay ahead... ;D Plumbed the oil/water heat exchnager in (instead of the heater ;D).  basically inlet from thermsotate sandwich and outlet to bottom radiator hose. Just liek the heater was plumbed in...  Didn't find my heater hoses yesterday, so took a piece of pipe. Only to find the hoses first thing in the morning. In the Mini's boot. *D'oh!* And as 0.002" clearance was a bit too cloe for my likings, I filed some metal off the waterpump. Much better:  And then it was time for a test drive. Well - what can I say... For a 998 it is STRONG. Feels like my 1275cc engine in it's Evo1 guise. Surprising! And verry funny, as Ialways had to remind myself that this is a bl00dy 998 in front of me! ;D Though the short 3,76:1 diff surely plays a huge role. But it's all good fu,and for a engine build that cost me effectively omething arouf 45€ - it's immense! Cool engine!! I never though I would say it after my 1275cc fix - but a 998, THIS 998, can be big fun too!! Only thing is it lacks a bit of torque. well chuffed with the outcome of that experiment!! ;D Cheers, Jan |
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Cracking work. I would advise you fit an oil temp and pressure gauges. We had one of those coolers on our Metro Van and found that on a long motorway run it just served to heat the oil and the coolant up to the point of the pressure dropping and the engine running uncomfortably hot.
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Aug 30, 2011 11:23:00 GMT
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That's good to know! So far it's running too cool for my likings, though. I suspect the smal pulley is the culprit. Thermostate is a 88°.
Cheers,
Jan
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Nov 29, 2011 17:26:45 GMT
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Boooooo! It'S in his winter reservation, 60km away  And officially off the road. I'm sad, I miss my little, noisy, smelly and smoking car. At least he is stored dry and is acompanied by some other Minis Can't wait for summer.  |
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Nov 30, 2011 18:00:19 GMT
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nice to see such a fun looking mini, my mate has a 998 that seems to go better than most 1275s iv ever been in, great little engines |
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Feb 22, 2012 17:48:43 GMT
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Started to build the 1293 engine today... It's still too cold to work conveniently on the Merc - but I need something to keep me busy.  Gave the bores a fresh hone, they had a bit of surface rust. Cleaned the lifter bores and installed the MG camshaft.  And that's as far as I got ;D I realised, that the pistons have the wrong rods attached. The engine is out of an Allegro and it's actually a A/A+ hybrid. Has all the A+ features, but still the old A crank & grooved main bearings. And heavy 1275GT rods... A+ rods are lighter, as they don't have that huge counter weight.  GT / A+ Since I'm looking at reving the engine to the redline quite frequently (close to 7000RPM), I figured the A+ rods are neccesary and better suited. Need to find someone who puts the pistons on the A+ rods. In the meanwhile I'm going to build a helical 1275GT A+ gearbox with close ratios. Using the very last NOS laygear. <:-) I'm not in a hurry though, the Mini is still in it's winter domicile. Far far away... :/ Looking forward to have it back; but I realy have to finish & TÜV the W123 first. Yeah. Pretty pointless to start building that engine now, but anyway... Keeps me busy ;D Cheers, Jan  |
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Feb 23, 2012 17:14:26 GMT
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Made a tool to remove the gearbox input shaft... Wanted to have a slide hammer for a long time - figured I cando it myself and raidedthe trash can... Consists of two pot joints, a differential output shaft and a headstud. 90% Mini ;D The smal adaptor screwson the input shaft after the pilot bearing isremoved. And is also made of 100% Mini parts (two pushrods, nut & washer from the suspension) ;D  I know why I don't throw anything away... Always usefull for making tools. |
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Aaaaaand, it worked great.  A few months back, I swapped a set of A+ conrods with AE +.20 pistons for a totaly worn out 1275cc block. Found out a beer can & hose clamp don't realy work that well for compression piston rings. Went to the tools store - and the man behind the counter was very surprised someoone needs a piston ring compressor. "Noone needs them theses days! " - uhm - well, Ok!? I for sure need one ;D Anyway, pistons installed & crank torqued down. And found out the hardway that smeone swapped the caps on 2 rods! That took a bit of timeto figure out...  And next is a bit of selecting the right gears for my helical close-ratio gearbox. I have two near-perfect sets of gears out of which I hope I can make one perfect set. It's a rare A+ cross-over gearset I have, fitted to the very last Clubman 1275GTs. It's got all the A+ bearing sizes & layshaft, A tooth profile and Cooper S gear ratios. They only build it for less than a year or so. And I own the last NOS laygear and one of the last NOS input gears - laygear & input gear are what make it a the close ratio. The other gears are std. gears.  That'S probably going to be the most expensive gearbox I've ever build  Which is a bit of a shame, as I'M probably going to be terrified of husing it too hard. And I can see myself putting the gearbox that'S under the current 998 engine into duty... Or maybe I just stay with the 998, trash it, kill it and replace it with the next cheap 998... God, I'm realy developing an averion against expensive engines... Cheap engines are so much more fun! No regrets killing them... ;D |
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Jun 11, 2012 10:14:26 GMT
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Woo! I've been wanting a set of those wheels for ages. Last week the only set of which I knew was offered for sale. Of course I hd to grab this chance by the horns - and spent all my funds on this set of wheels ;D 5x10" PEG Mistral, from '76. The only 'Minilite' style wheels I ever realy wanted. Why? Because they forgot to add two spokes... ;D  They were NOS, but had been outside one winter. They'll need a bit of care, but are otherwise unmolested and unscratched (no kerb damage). Due to the offset they have a good amount of dish. I'll probably have to modifie the arches to make them fit. In other news: the Mini is still in lockup far, far away Cheers, Jan |
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Jun 11, 2012 10:32:45 GMT
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Those wheels = simply A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.!!! I quite like Minilite wheels on the right car and Mini's are one of the few cars that they work really well on, but those are in a different league....dare a say a completely different sport altogether! The absense of two spokes is perfect, I've never seen a set before or even heard of them and reckon they'll look utterly superb on your car. Most excellent purchasing skills Dude |
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Jun 11, 2012 11:30:09 GMT
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Thank you!! It's a subtle difference to a Minilite-ish wheel, but makes them so much cooler. And it means, I found a set of awesome, different wheels that I can fit - and keep the 5.75" Momos safely stored in my sleeping room  (For these I searched over 5 years!) Cheers, Jan |
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Jun 11, 2012 13:14:15 GMT
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2 sets!.....thats greedy...sell one set to me.........
;D
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Driving it I mainly hear the engine screaming, but not so much of the exhaust. Cool! 
On the other hand I never treated it kindly with the throttle.
And officially off the road. I'm sad, I miss my little, noisy, smelly and smoking car. At least he is stored dry and is acompanied by some other Minis 
Which is a bit of a shame, as I'M probably going to be terrified of husing it too hard. And I can see myself putting the gearbox that'S under the current 998 engine into duty... 
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