Turns out my suspected ignition problem is in fact because one of the locking nuts on the rocker is missing (no.4 cylinder inlet) and so the rocker has gone WAY out of adjustment. Now sticking another nut on and adjusting the tappet again wouldn't be an issue....but....where has the nut gone??!! Guess it would've got chewed up by the valves springs then slowly worked its way done the pushrods or into the cylinders and ended up going all over the shop. Also what would people reckon the damage to my cam is??!!
Basically guessing its engine out and strip down and inspect? Has anyone had this before? Why would the nut have come undone and is there a fool proof way of stopping this happening again?
Also, I did the L2B like this (well the journey to Brighton then the journey home to Somerset) as I suspected the ignition module on the dizzy..
[url=
Nut From Rocker Arm Gone Awol In Engine
Started by
Craig Tett
, May 22 2012 05:41 PM
5 replies to this topic
#2
minidaves
-
- Traders
-
- 4,933 posts
Up Into Fourth
- Location: kent
- Local Club: mine
Posted 22 May 2012 - 06:11 PM
urm the nut can only go down via pushrod so remove tappet covers if a 998 and clean the cam followers 1 at a time
dave
dave
#3
Craig Tett
-
- Noobies
-
- 129 posts
Mini Mad
Posted 22 May 2012 - 06:22 PM
It's a 1275 :-( gonna drain the oil and see how much swarf I have on the sump plug but the head really has to come off at least I guess.
#4
Craig Tett
-
- Noobies
-
- 129 posts
Mini Mad
Posted 22 May 2012 - 06:22 PM
:-(
Edited by Craig Tett, 22 May 2012 - 06:24 PM.
#5
tiger99
-
- Members
-
- 8,584 posts
Crazy About Mini's
- Location: Hemel Hempstead
Posted 22 May 2012 - 06:56 PM
If it has gone down a pushrod hole, which is the only place it could go, it may possibly be still in the tappet chest region. You will not have removable covers on your engine, so try fishing down every push rod hole with a magnet. Taking the head off will give you more reach, but will not help all that much.
If you can't find it that way, and it does not come out with the oil drain plug magnet, I am afraid that it has to be engine out, with the expectation of finding some damage to various bits, most likely the gearbox. But before you have the engine out, you may as well remove the end housing and speedo drive from the gearbox, just in case it has gone down that end and is accessible, or at least visible, from there. Taking these bits off is a lot quicker than lifting the engine.
Also, try taking the distributor off, pull out the drive gera with a long 5/16" UNF bolt (don't drop that, like I did many years ago!) and have a look, and fish with the magnet, down the hole.
If you had a flexible endoscope, you could have a look around via the dipstick hole or a pushrod hole. Few of us have such a thing, but I predict that they will become much cheaper, and commonplace, fairly soon. Having had medical endoscopes in all possible orifices, I can see that they would be really great for occasions like this.
The nuts should not come loose if they are torqued up properly and are in good condition. But just maybe, if the valve springs are past their best, and you have had valve bounce at high revs, the shocks due to the resultant hammering action may have shocked it loose.
If you can't find it that way, and it does not come out with the oil drain plug magnet, I am afraid that it has to be engine out, with the expectation of finding some damage to various bits, most likely the gearbox. But before you have the engine out, you may as well remove the end housing and speedo drive from the gearbox, just in case it has gone down that end and is accessible, or at least visible, from there. Taking these bits off is a lot quicker than lifting the engine.
Also, try taking the distributor off, pull out the drive gera with a long 5/16" UNF bolt (don't drop that, like I did many years ago!) and have a look, and fish with the magnet, down the hole.
If you had a flexible endoscope, you could have a look around via the dipstick hole or a pushrod hole. Few of us have such a thing, but I predict that they will become much cheaper, and commonplace, fairly soon. Having had medical endoscopes in all possible orifices, I can see that they would be really great for occasions like this.
The nuts should not come loose if they are torqued up properly and are in good condition. But just maybe, if the valve springs are past their best, and you have had valve bounce at high revs, the shocks due to the resultant hammering action may have shocked it loose.
#6
Craig Tett
-
- Noobies
-
- 129 posts
Mini Mad
Posted 22 May 2012 - 08:30 PM
Thanks Tiger99, the valve springs are only about 10k miles old so would hope they're ok, so it's either fault on my part when I last checked and adjusted the tappets or a dodgy nut....dodgy nut it is then! 
Thanks for the tips for finding it, think I'll whip the head off and get searching! Luckily I have a flip front and quick release engine mounts but would still rather leave it in place.
What do you think the chances are the nut has survived in tact? If I pulled it out in tact on the sump plug magnet I would actually be the luckiest and happiest man in the world!!
Thanks for the tips for finding it, think I'll whip the head off and get searching! Luckily I have a flip front and quick release engine mounts but would still rather leave it in place.What do you think the chances are the nut has survived in tact? If I pulled it out in tact on the sump plug magnet I would actually be the luckiest and happiest man in the world!!
1 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users
