15 replies to this topic

[Mk1cooper]

My problem is that at 40mph and above and at very low idle there is a loud grinding metal to metal noise underneath the engine bay. I noticed that the down pipe exhaust manifold is touching the shifter housing. I didn't want to spend $500 to have a local shop to make adjustments and I'd like to do it myself. I noticed the exhaust manifold has two mounting boots but if I loosen that, will I be able to have enough play to move it farther from the shifter housing?

I just got the 1963 mk1 Austin Cooper and this is one of few issues I have noticed. A lot of unfinished issues but in driving condition. Any suggestion would help.

The down pipe is touching the housing as in I don't see any way of heating it to be moved. I also checked the engine mounts and they're brand new so I know for sure the engine isn't leaning. Please help

[nicklouse]

there should be a clamp and bracket holding the exhaust to the gearbox casing down there.

 

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and

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[Mk1cooper]

It's raining right now but when I'm able, I'll take a photo and see what pieces I am missing. Thanks so much!

[Cooperman]

On the Mk.1 Cooper & Cooper 'S' the remote gear shift housing has a tapped hole near the front of it at the top of the housing going down at about a 45 degree angle.

There should be a clamp bracket which attaches this to the remote housing with a 5/16" UNC bolt (I think it's 5/16").

It is very different from the other types of Mini as the Cooper/S gearshift is unique to those cars.

 

Raining in San Diego? It is one of my favourite places and I envy you living there. My friend in LA has a beautifully prepared 1963 Cooper 'S' 1071 rally car (for sale if you know anyone who might be interested).

 

[Mk1cooper]

Here's mine. Original rust free North American left hand drive 1963 Austin Cooper. Got this Cooper from a straight trade deal with my 1972 Australian Clubman. I might know that guy or might be the same guy collector I got the cooper from. Here's a rough photo of where it is touching. I attached the two clamps that came with the car. I want to find out if I can loosen the two exhaust manifold bolts to push it sideways to create a gap then secure it with the bracket and clamp you're talking about but is there a wiggle room? I'll try that when I get home.

Yes it's raining now but it should be sunny again tomorrow.

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[Mk1cooper]

I will look under again and see what other parts I have that I forgot to install but that bracket isn't familiar. I'm just worried the exhaust manifold is an upgrade that did not fit perfectly. Crossing fingers.

I'm not a collector by the way. If it's just a bracket I might as well just make it myself but glad to see what the original bracket looks like so I can look around what I got. The car is a daily driver.

Edited by Mk1cooper, 02 March 2015 - 07:01 PM.

[nicklouse]

Ahhhh not an original spec exhaust.

The original only had a single pipe there.

BUT it should fit better than that. The dent shows that has made contact with something and I would say it has been moved closer to the housing.

A new Maniflow manifold would be nice.

[Wigeon Incognito]

Yep a Maniflow Cooper Freeflow manifold should fix that, although you'd then need a longer RC40 centre section to fit too as per original.

Matt.

[nicklouse]

I would not bother changing to the cooper one just another as fitted but un bent.

[Cooperman]

A modified mounting bracket will be needed to fit to the alloy gear-change unit. It is a bit of a 'fiddle' to get the bolt in and in fact a lot of people don't notice the tapped hole for this which is high up on the casting near to where it bolts onto the gearbox casing at the diff cover.

I don't use this on the 'S' rally car as it has a big-bore LCB and I have made up a pair of large brackets to fit the bottom of the LCB to the diff casing cover plate bolts. You can't easily use the original tapped hole with an LCB.

[Mk1cooper]

Ahhhh not an original spec exhaust.
The original only had a single pipe there.
BUT it should fit better than that. The dent shows that has made contact with something and I would say it has been moved closer to the housing.
A new Maniflow manifold would be nice.

Oh ok one pipe.... Does make sense why it doesn't fit. I was worried the whole engine is leaning or because of something else.

[nicklouse]

Yep I run basically the same set up and no issue. If the engine was leaning then the manifold would also move with it.

One thing that I was thinking is this. Un mount the rear silencer and see if the manifold swings away from the casing. If it does you might need to take a bit of care when assembling a new manifold set.


In the mean time I would get a bar and do some levering.

But that is me.

[Anthony30]

On the Mk.1 Cooper & Cooper 'S' the remote gear shift housing has a tapped hole near the front of it at the top of the housing going down at about a 45 degree angle.

There should be a clamp bracket which attaches this to the remote housing with a 5/16" UNC bolt (I think it's 5/16").

It is very different from the other types of Mini as the Cooper/S gearshift is unique to those cars.

 

Raining in San Diego? It is one of my favourite places and I envy you living there. My friend in LA has a beautifully prepared 1963 Cooper 'S' 1071 rally car (for sale if you know anyone who might be interested).

 

[Mk1cooper]

Yep I run basically the same set up and no issue. If the engine was leaning then the manifold would also move with it.
One thing that I was thinking is this. Un mount the rear silencer and see if the manifold swings away from the casing. If it does you might need to take a bit of care when assembling a new manifold set.
In the mean time I would get a bar and do some levering.
But that is me.

Yeah I was thinking of the same solution too. But this can be forcing the manifold mounts to break or no? Not sure how flexible those two pipes are.

I know the previous owner mentioned the cooper had a 1275cc engine upgrade before but when we did the trade he stuffed a period correct 998 cooper engine in it maybe he left the large bore manifold thinking it will still fit. So when I got the car he left all the clamps in a box for me to figure out.

Edited by Mk1cooper, 02 March 2015 - 11:09 PM.

[Cooperman]

From the photos there are no attachments from the bottom of the inner LCB pipe to the diff casing.

I would slacken off the bolts at the Y-piece clamps, make up and fit some bottom clamps from LCB to diff casing, make up a wooden wedge and knock it into place to get some clearance. Clamp it firmly in position with the new clamps, heating up the pipes with a blow-torch if necessary, then once the LCB is properly positioned, do up the Y-piece clamps again.

It might be worth finding the tapped hole in the alloy gear shift unit, which is sort-of at the top behind the Y-piece and see if an additional clamp can be fitted there.

When doing this make sure the manifold is bolted securely to the head so that it can't move.