11 replies to this topic

[Sask_Mini]

Hey Guys, 
 
Have been on here for a while because the Mini has been sitting in storage for the winter.  It's back out now and I am continuing getting it back into shape.  
 
I've only had the car for a couple of years and I have never heard how another mini engine sounds in person so I have no real frame of reference when it comes to how the engine should sound.  That being said, I think the ticking coming from the engine is louder than it should be.  I though the ticking may have been the valves being out of adjustment, but I re-adjusted the rocker arms just last year and it didn't seem to really change anything.
 
The ticking is less loud when the engine is cold and gets noticeably louder once the engine has come up to operating temp.  The first video link is the engine running when cold and the second is once its warmed up.  Would appreciate if someone who has a little more experience would be able to tell me if something sounds off.

 

https://drive.google...iew?usp=sharing

 

https://drive.google...pNezMKIq_Np42zG

 

 

 

[minimans]

Try adjusting the tappets first...............

[cal844]

Valve clearances by the sounds of that, what can are you running?

[Northernpower]

It sounds like the valve clearances. How many miles has the engine done, the reason I ask is excessive wear on the rockers does not allow you to insert the feeler gauge correctly. You need to set them up cold. If you want to pinpoint the noise, use a listening stick, a long screwdriver will do or a socket extension. With it running place the end of the stick on the engine where you think the noise is coming from and hold the other end to your ear, take it off and place it in other areas of the engine and you'll soon pinpoint it. Be careful you don't go anywhere near the fan.

[Sask_Mini]

Thanks for the replies guys.  I adjusted the valve clearances just last summer and probably only have 100km on the car since I last adjusted them.  I thought I followed the instructions in the haynes manual pretty well and adjusted them to within spec.  Maybe I will have to go through the process again though and double check my work.

 

The sound seems to be coming from the rocker cover area and using the long screwdriver trick the ticking is the loudest when putting it against the rocker cover.  

 

I'm not sure how many miles are on the engine, I havent owned the car long and the odometer doesn't work.  I am pretty sure its the stock cam, but I don't know how to verify that.  Also, the previous owner didn't give me much in terms of car history.  

 

I thought maybe it was the timing chain, but I guess the frequency of the tapping sound probably wouldn't increase with rpm if it was the chain.  

[Northernpower]

If you're very careful you can listen to the timing chain with the long screwdriver, just be very careful not to catch the moving parts with the screwdriver, your body parts, hair etc.If it's not that, although it gets a little messy take the rocker cover off and start it up and you'll be able to identify which rocker it is with the long screwdriver. If it is a rocker, you need to back it all the way off to look at the face of it to see if it's worn.

[Sask_Mini]

Thanks Northernpower I appreciate the tips.  I never thought about running the engine without the rocker cover on, but I guess it wouldn't do any harm to run it that way for a short amount of time.  

 

I'll take the rocker cover off and take a look at the wear/adjustments this weekend and let ya know what I find out.  

[Northernpower]

Just a final thought, dont forget you'll need a replacement rocker gasket to go back on before you start.

[spin]

Eng running without valve cover with a ticking valve

another way to pinpoint it.

 

Not a Mini but an MGB

Valve bit is about1:18 mark

 

[Sask_Mini]

So, I finally got a chance to get out to the garage and take a look at the valve adjustment.  Before I even started up the car I went back through the valve adjustment procedure and everything seemed to be really close.  I adjusted a couple of the valves just a hair tighter but it's not like any of them were way off.  

 

I then started the car up and there was still a noticeable tick.  I tried the trick that Spin had posted a video of and found that when I put a thin feeler shim under the #1 valve the ticking decreased quite a bit.  So I turned the car off and tried adjusting that valve a little tighter to see if it helped.  Started it up again and the ticking was still loud coming from the #1 valve.  I even tried adjusting the valve to the next sized feeler guage 0.275mm instead of .30mm and the #1 valve still ticked.  

 

I have a video of me trying the trick from the video above, but the sound doesn't come through well.  https://drive.google...iew?usp=sharing

 

Does this mean that the rocker on that particular valve is excessively worn?  The engine in the car is a pre A+ engine with the stamped steel rockers, but I have a spare A+ engine with the solid rocker arms.  Can I swap the solid rocker arms in from the A+ engines into my pre-A+ engine?

 

Thanks,

Kyle

[Northernpower]

Did you back the adjustment right off and have a look at the face of the rocker?

[Sask_Mini]

I didn't, but mainly because I don't really know what I should be looking for.....how do I tell if its excessively worn?