14 replies to this topic

[mdickson]

Hello,

I am trying to source an MPi gearbox secondhand and have look at a couple on ebay. When asking the seller they are unsure if the gearbox is suitable. Does anyone know of any positive identifiers which would help. Also any picutres if you have them.

Thanks

Martin.

[minicooper1.3i]

MPi ones usually have a long red sticker on the diff housing which says the FD ratio ie 2.7 or something similar. Other than that, I've no idea as the only difference I'm aware of between the MPi box and those fitted since A+ is the FD ratio. Guessworks would know

[blackbelt1990]

You'll be able to tell an MPi one... it'll have cream and jam on the inside

erm... I can't help...

Ryan

[grumpy2]

I have what I believe is an MPi box going spare but don't know how to tell for certain if it's MPi. If you can find a way to tell I'll happily check. There's one for sale on the 'bay for £150 too. wouldn't want anything like that for mine, make an offer.

G

[Deathrow]

Out of interest, why are you specifically trying to find an MPi box? If the box on your MPi has gone the way of a chocolate fire guard, replace it with an older, more solid box and swap over the final drive .

[Asphalt]

Apart from the very long 2.75:1 diff ratio it's no different to earlier DAM5626 gearboxes.

DAM5626 gearboxes were used on about every Mini from 1984 on. But with various diff ratios, the MPI with the long 2.75:1 one. Though there were some 1275 Mini with carb in France that had the same 2.75 diff, If I'm not misstaken

[Wippet]

Mpi gearboxes are made of cheese.

[mininuts]

Mpi gearboxes are made of cheese.

They're the quality ones.

Mine appears to made from Weetabix

[mdickson]

Out of interest, why are you specifically trying to find an MPi box? If the box on your MPi has gone the way of a chocolate fire guard, replace it with an older, more solid box and swap over the final drive .

My gearbox has not gone the way of chocolate fireguard, it just has a cross threaded sump plug and I would like to repair it but need to keep the car on the road.

I am also trying to gather up a complete engine and gearbox to rebuild as part of the restoration project on the car.

[Globule]

Have a look for a helicoil/recoil kit, essentially puts new thread in the sump plug hole so then you can do it yourself! The kits are around £50 or so i think, or if you can find someone with the tool then you just need the thread piece which is relatively cheap, and the new threads are meant to be better than the originals

[icklemini]

Yeah - can usually helicoil them 'in situ'...

[Guess-Works.com]

MPi cases ( or rather those used to build the box for the MPi ) will either have TCP or JKD cast on the front alongside the part number, the latter of which will mostly be 5 speeds.

However, as mentioned above, the actual gearbox is no different to any other mini gearbox in terms of structure or internals other than the long final drive.

So an MPi gearbox is a specification not necessarily a physical object.

[grumpy2]

I've put mine up for auction (you know where) and some chap is asking about notches in the teeth of 4th gear.

what's all that about?, does anyone know. Thanks

G

[Asphalt]

A+ gears have a groove on all gears and on 4th on the laygear. But there was a wider ratio A+ gearset which had 2 grooves. Pre A+ gears had no grooves

[grumpy2]

so what is this from then? A+ but probably not MPi?