604 replies to this topic

[Vinay-RS]

 

Interesting use of tyres as axle stands. Does it work well? 

 

It looks like there are no axle stands being used and its purely on the jack. Usually what I do when using a jack/axle stands is have the front wheels in the same area, that way if the jack/stands fails, the wheels act as a fail safe. 

 

But isn't there a risk of damaging the wheels? 

[GreaseMonkey]

I guess so yes but its useful when its the only thing you have to hand. I'd rather risk damaging wheels than getting squished under a car! The likelihood of a car coming off axle stands is pretty low unless you're really yanking on something. However I wouldn't trust being under a car with just a jack as I've seen hydraulics jacks fail and some which creep under load slowly. 

Edited by GreaseMonkey, 17 May 2018 - 02:41 PM.

[johnR]

I was being lazy not putting it on axle stands so as you rightly guess I put the wheels there as a failsafe - not because I was working underneath (in which case I would have used axle stands) but because as greasemonkey says the jack can lower and this gives you a bit of space to remove the jack, fix it and get it under again if necessary.

[johnR]

I had look through my pics of the 1275 engine when I bought it and you can see the fan clearing the un-flattened vent can.  I also noticed on checking again that I hadn't fully tightened my timing cover - now that I have it's given me full clearance so it was the two 2mm washers that were used before - mystery solved - could have saved myself the cost of the 4mm spacer!. 

[johnR]

Thought I'd make a start on the vent hoses and fuel supply - I'm thinking of cutting half an inch off the rocker cover vent tube and putting another 'T' there.  There's a slight issue with the vacuum take off for the brake servo which has to pass over the bolt which holds the throttle bracket on the manifold - the bolt is too high to allow the banjo to be tightened to the manifold with the pipe running directly towards the servo. I might have to angle it towards the carbs then put a 90 degree bend back towards the servo.

[johnR]

The last brass vent hose fitting, the 'Y' piece for the carbs, arrived today so I was able to complete the vent circuit. I had to remove about 10mm of the rocker cover vent and the 'T' piece joined to it in order to fit them in but I'm pleased with the setup.

Still haven't quite decided on a colour for the rocker cover and whether to fit the alloy Monza flip cap from my other cover - probably will though because I haven't seen many/any? others like it.
Need to get a longer head stud for the coil bracket, some M needles for the carbs and a few other bits and bobs then exhaust, distributor and 130mph speedo.

[johnR]

A metre of fuel pipe and four clips arrived from CBS with their massive catalogue - plenty of useful goodies in there!
I fitted the pipes then bit the bullet and cut the rim off my rocker cover oil filler neck ready for the alloy cap adaptor. Sods law being what it is the neck is fractionally smaller than the later type so now I'll need to have a whisker turned off the adaptor to fit. I also cut down some longer bolts for the radiator fan as with the two spacers the standard ones are a few millimetres too short and the next size up were too long and fouled the water pump - never easy,is it!
I also completed the fitment of the water pump, fuel pump and timing cover. Not much left to do now - paint the rocker cover, waterpump head steady and gearbox steady brackets and order the last bits and bobs including the heater pipe kit from Catmint when they're back in stock.

[Avtovaz]

the fitting out of the oil filter housing is JIC??? is that right?

[johnR]

I would say so - why do you ask?

[Avtovaz]

ive never taken one off, i just was surprised, didnt think you would find jic on a mini. Work is looking good mate! keep it up!

[johnR]

There's no pipe on it at the moment because annoyingly the one I bought on Ebay as being for a Mini is about 1 1/2" too long and the wrong shape!

And I only noticed after I'd had it zinc plated!

[johnR]

I'm not a great fan of chrome in an engine bay and this alternator bracket is annoying me - I'm thinking of lightening it as in the mock-up pictured - what do any engineers think - are the holes OK like this?

[johnR]

Catmint heater hose diversion kit fitted after cutting the stud extensions down a little to get just the right height (temporary knackered heater valve). I then torqued the head down. 

Still summoning the nerve to start painting the rocker cover in crackle black. Can't final fit the thermostat until I have the exhaust headers because the thermostat  head steady shares a mounting stud with them.

[johnR]

rocker cover painted - now need an 'Austin' plate for it. The crackle paint is a bit of a faff - I had to go over several areas again where it didn't initially crackle up - a hot air gun helped.

[Vinay-RS]

I love the crackle black paint on the rocker covers. It looks great!