Associate
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- 23 Apr 2020
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- Close enough to OcUK that my wallet hurts
Is that from the Austin?
What have you done to your car today?
- Thread starter mattyprice4004
- Start date
Its the head I'm putting on the Austin, from a Mini Cooper 998. Should pick up a few ponies, much freer flowing combustion chambers, bigger ports, bigger valves, and it will be skimmed for higher compression as well! (somewhere around 9:1 up from the standard 8.3:1), also combining it with a tubular exhaust manifold.
A standard A35 produces 34HP at 4750RPM, the Cooper 998 produces 55HP at 5800RPM, mine should end up somewhere in the middle since it has 50CC less (same stroke length just a smaller bore), a softer camshaft, different mechanical advance curve, and a single SU HS4 instead of a pair of SU HS2, but over the Cooper it has a freer flowing exhaust manifold, high power ignition, and of course modern fuel. It should be capable of 50HP with some expert tuning. Which I will seek out at some point... Until then though, it should at least give it a noticeable boost to seat-of-the-pants performance.
I am also replacing the timing set and a few other things so the rest of the engine doesn't absolutely hate life.
I did finally get all of the valves out, the penetrating oil and hitting with a nylon mallet plan was not working, so I clouted them out with a big unfriendly hammer and bought a set of replacement valves.
It is now all soaking in evaporust and degreaser. What a delicious looking cocktail.
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Is it definitely a cooper head?Pray for me as I try and get valves out that are absolutely seized solid in the guides of this head...
So far I've probably wasted £7 worth of PlusGas, that stuff is expensive.
Plenty of useful and historical Identification info here
Is it definitely a cooper head?
Plenty of useful and historical Identification info here
Yes its an early 12G295 head.
They are getting difficult to find these days it would seem! This one wasn't particularly cheap despite being in quite crusty condition!
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Associate
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- 23 Apr 2020
- Posts
- 213
- Location
- Close enough to OcUK that my wallet hurts
I do like the earlier engines for learning things like head swaps. Not just the practical side if the gasket goes up the Swanny, but what tweaks were done in the day. Don't forget to let the insurers know about the 'modification. 
.
I remember helping my brother swap out a Morris minor (van) engine for a Sprite engine, was a straight swap mount wise.
.I remember helping my brother swap out a Morris minor (van) engine for a Sprite engine, was a straight swap mount wise.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 22 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 28,961
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- Boston, Lincolnshire
I do like the earlier engines for learning things like head swaps. Not just the practical side if the gasket goes up the Swanny, but what tweaks were done in the day. Don't forget to let the insurers know about the 'modification.
I remember helping my brother swap out a Morris minor (van) engine for a Sprite engine, was a straight swap mount wise.
You can still get that simplicity in a newer engine as well. The FIAT Fire engine used in pretty much all Fiats from 1986 to today have it. The engine is modular and very easy to work on.
My daughter has a variation in her Grande Punto and it is such a pleasure to work on. I can do a cambelt in an hour tops.
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48 hours of soaking in my knackered old evaporust that I've used 100 times, degreased, a bit of a scrub, and a light coat of oil to stop it flash rusting.
The valves look alright, could clean them up on the lathe or something, but I bent one of them and new valves are cheap and better, so I have new valves, retainers, and other bits.
Now just need to clean up the ports and areas above the valves with a dremel attachment, press a couple of the valve guides back down so they're fully seated, lap in the valves, then I can measure the combustion chambers to calculate how much needs skimming to get the compression ratio I want.
One step closer.
The valves look alright, could clean them up on the lathe or something, but I bent one of them and new valves are cheap and better, so I have new valves, retainers, and other bits.
Now just need to clean up the ports and areas above the valves with a dremel attachment, press a couple of the valve guides back down so they're fully seated, lap in the valves, then I can measure the combustion chambers to calculate how much needs skimming to get the compression ratio I want.
One step closer.
Associate
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- 19 Oct 2002
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- 619
- Location
- Manchester
Just had a full set of Michelin PS5's fitted, front Contis were down to just under 3mm and stating to notice it as it's getting colder. Decided to do the rears even though at 4mm as Bridgestone runflats and want to get rid of them, damn things are rock hard and wont wear down....
With the £40 off on blackcircles and the £100 Pistonheads redemption - £580 all in fitted for 225/40/19 and 255/35/19.
With the £40 off on blackcircles and the £100 Pistonheads redemption - £580 all in fitted for 225/40/19 and 255/35/19.
Changed the supercharger oil in the Eaton blower on my GT500 often overlooked by service intervals and owners. The supercharger manufacturers tend to recommend 3yr / 30,000 miles whichever comes sooner:
Judging by the colour of what came out it was overdue and probably on original fill car is on 28,000 miles and is 17 years old.
Also gave the Cayman R a ceramic top up:
Forgot to photograph but smoke tested the E30 intake system as though it’s running well invested in a smoke machine so had a play, smoke absolutely pouring out the ICV thankfully had a spare one to hand so fitted that and all good.
Judging by the colour of what came out it was overdue and probably on original fill car is on 28,000 miles and is 17 years old.
Also gave the Cayman R a ceramic top up:
Forgot to photograph but smoke tested the E30 intake system as though it’s running well invested in a smoke machine so had a play, smoke absolutely pouring out the ICV thankfully had a spare one to hand so fitted that and all good.
So it seems that for cast iron parts, citric acid dissolved in water, is every bit as effective as evaporust, and by comparison is basically free...
I dumped 250 grams of citric acid into about 10L of hot water and the difference it has made in just 6 hours is amazing.
Need to check what other metals it will work well with, without causing surface damage.
I dumped 250 grams of citric acid into about 10L of hot water and the difference it has made in just 6 hours is amazing.
Need to check what other metals it will work well with, without causing surface damage.
Caporegime
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- 22 Oct 2002
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- 28,961
- Location
- Boston, Lincolnshire
Diluted hydraulic acid is something else but don't let the fumes anywhere near your nose.
Associate
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- 23 Apr 2020
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- 213
- Location
- Close enough to OcUK that my wallet hurts
I remember that SC oil being super expensive when I did the same on my XJR. I got 250ml imported from the USA, but still expensive.
Yesterday:
New OEM sump gasket, all the 1 time use ally bolts torqued in sequence to an eye wateringly uncomfortable amount
, new engine mounts, Millers Nano Drive, brand new shocks, top mounts, bump stops, springs, re-sealed the diff, Fuchs Titan diff oil, OEM gearbox oil, sevice light reset, replaced headlight washer pumps and their covers springs.
New OEM sump gasket, all the 1 time use ally bolts torqued in sequence to an eye wateringly uncomfortable amount
, new engine mounts, Millers Nano Drive, brand new shocks, top mounts, bump stops, springs, re-sealed the diff, Fuchs Titan diff oil, OEM gearbox oil, sevice light reset, replaced headlight washer pumps and their covers springs.Today I are bin mostly swearing at the Volvo.
Power steering has been a bit crap for a while, was fine when in motion but was getting to be proper hard work during low speed manoeuvres. I’ve been living with it but it was bad enough that the MOT man said ‘No’ last week.
Research suggested the pump was the most likely culprit, managed to source one and bend space and time sufficiently to get the old one out and the new one in (It sits beneath the alternator and above the AC compressor and is held in by bolts which have to pass through holes in its own pulley, which is obscured by the chassis rail). All was good on a quick test drive down the lane and back, very happy with my newly working PAS. Took it back for retest at lunchtime today and got my ticket with no bother. Then on the way home it started making some progressively worse halloween appropriate squealing noises.
By the time I got back and had a look under the bonnet the fluid was low so figured I’d just had an air pocket somewhere which needed a proper run to bleed properly. Topped it up and it was better but it soon started getting noisy again then I noticed fluid ******* out from somewhere around the rack.
Not entirely sure what’s up with it now, I barely resisted the urge to just set it on fire, have parked it up in the garage and will probably have a proper look tomorrow. Best guess is that maybe a banjo on the high pressure line has worked loose whilst wrangling the pump into position, otherwise I’m at a loss, didnt touch anything near the rack so will see what transpires upon further inspection. Could do with it being something simple though as I need it to tow the MR2 up to Oulton next weekend for the last sprint of the season, backup plan might involve having to rent a van or something.
Power steering has been a bit crap for a while, was fine when in motion but was getting to be proper hard work during low speed manoeuvres. I’ve been living with it but it was bad enough that the MOT man said ‘No’ last week.
Research suggested the pump was the most likely culprit, managed to source one and bend space and time sufficiently to get the old one out and the new one in (It sits beneath the alternator and above the AC compressor and is held in by bolts which have to pass through holes in its own pulley, which is obscured by the chassis rail). All was good on a quick test drive down the lane and back, very happy with my newly working PAS. Took it back for retest at lunchtime today and got my ticket with no bother. Then on the way home it started making some progressively worse halloween appropriate squealing noises.
By the time I got back and had a look under the bonnet the fluid was low so figured I’d just had an air pocket somewhere which needed a proper run to bleed properly. Topped it up and it was better but it soon started getting noisy again then I noticed fluid ******* out from somewhere around the rack.
Not entirely sure what’s up with it now, I barely resisted the urge to just set it on fire, have parked it up in the garage and will probably have a proper look tomorrow. Best guess is that maybe a banjo on the high pressure line has worked loose whilst wrangling the pump into position, otherwise I’m at a loss, didnt touch anything near the rack so will see what transpires upon further inspection. Could do with it being something simple though as I need it to tow the MR2 up to Oulton next weekend for the last sprint of the season, backup plan might involve having to rent a van or something.
Associate
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 1,205
- Location
- Northampton
Been cutting the front lower control arms out of my s2000 as the adjustment bolts are seized, took a good 3 - 4 hours with a saw to remove both front lower arms.
Got a 12 ton press on order for the next job of replacing all the bushes....
Went down the route of pretty much removing everything for better access, a lot of the bolts and dust boots all need a refresh.
Got a 12 ton press on order for the next job of replacing all the bushes....
Went down the route of pretty much removing everything for better access, a lot of the bolts and dust boots all need a refresh.