Some progress with the 'new' engine and gearbox - my spare crank is being balanced and the new primary gear bushes have been fitted and reamed to suit the journal which needed to be re-ground because of some wear. Thankfully standard ones have enough extra material for light damage so I didn't need to go to Ac Dodd's custom ones. I was struggling to remove the first motion roller bearing in the gearbox to investigate it's reluctance to engage second if not preceded by first. The bearing kept pivoting and sticking despite repeated attempts to remove it by drifting, slidehammer and a cobbled together puller. I sought advice from an experienced mini gearbox builder who suggested using a copper mallet to knock the end of the first motion shaft out of line upwards, then drift as usual. It came out really easily! Although the baulk rings were new I guess they're the first thing to check as possible culprits for the stiff gear.
'89 Mini City To 'mk1 Cooper S'
#497
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Up Into Fourth
- Location: Dorset
Posted 09 May 2021 - 02:18 PM
Gearbox completely disassembled for a good clean following crank bearing and big-end failures. I also want to investigate the problem I had not being able to get first without selecting 2nd initially. There was no graunching so I don't think it was the new baulk rings so I guess I need to be looking at the selector mechanism from the gearstick to the selectors - more likely to be an issue in the box as I'm not having any trouble getting first on the 998 & box currently in the car.
#498
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Speeding Along Now
- Location: Wiltshire
Posted 05 June 2021 - 10:47 PM
#499
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Up Into Fourth
- Location: Dorset
Posted 06 June 2021 - 04:29 PM
What were you in? A Mini?
#500
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Speeding Along Now
- Location: Wiltshire
Posted 07 June 2021 - 12:18 PM
What were you in? A Mini?
I was in my 3 series, heading into Shepton Mallet, and thought.... I recognise that car 
#501
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Up Into Fourth
- Location: Dorset
Posted 07 June 2021 - 09:45 PM
I now have all the (clean) components of the gearbox and engine ready for a major building session. The spare crank has been ground and the primary gear re-bushed to match. I have all new bearing shells and a(nother) new oil pump. Hopefully this time the build (and the engine) will go smoothly. I'll photograph all the steps I take for peer review. The failed build knocked my confidence in my ability but I've just successfully re-built our Focus gearbox which had lost synchromesh on second so feeling more confident that this time all will be well! On that subject I wasn't very impressed when I opened my new Haynes manual on the Focus manual transmission section to be told it's too complicated - send it off to an expert! And the photographs are still crap after all these years of producing these manuals. Lazy writing!
#502
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Up Into Fourth
- Location: Dorset
Posted 08 June 2021 - 07:07 PM
The cleaned block loaded up on to the engine stand ready for build #2 - just need some more cam lube and off we go.
#503
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Up Into Fourth
- Location: Herts
Posted 08 June 2021 - 07:14 PM
#504
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Put's foolish ideas in peoples heads
- Location: Cape Town
Posted 08 June 2021 - 07:24 PM
The cleaned block loaded up on to the engine stand ready for build #2 - just need some more cam lube and off we go.
Keen to see more pics of the bike.
#505
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Up Into Fourth
- Location: Dorset
Posted 08 June 2021 - 07:47 PM
I'm looking forward to seeing what part the chainsaw plays in this...
that's what I'll be fitting if it doesn't run this time!
#506
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Up Into Fourth
- Location: Dorset
Posted 10 June 2021 - 03:25 PM
So, off we go again, cam followers fitted with a smear of graphogen - a bit of a false start really because now I've got to wait for an order of cam grease to arrive before i can fit the cam.
#507
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Up Into Fourth
- Location: Dorset
Posted 14 June 2021 - 05:01 PM
Today I fitted the gear selectors, cam and crank
Next I'll need to check the crank and primary gear endfloats then on to the pistons.
#508
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Up Into Fourth
- Location: Dorset
Posted 19 June 2021 - 01:40 PM
Some more work on the gearbox - had the usual problem of selector ring ballbearings being fired all over the place until I decided to place them on the ring then cellotape round all of it so I could put pressure on the centre then push each ball in one at a time increasing the pressure to keep that one in place as I worked round 'til the ring slid in place over the centre - job done. I'd forgotten that the central oil pick-up has to be left out until the main gearset is in place then inserted at the same time as the layshaft so that went in and came out again a couple of times! Next will be the speedo drive housing and finally the diff.
#509
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Up Into Fourth
- Location: NSW, Australia
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Posted 22 June 2021 - 04:19 AM
#510
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Up Into Fourth
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Posted 22 June 2021 - 06:44 AM
Good progress!
Yes, at least this time I don't have to make all the decisions about what to use or how to route things and any fettling of parts needed was done last time so it's just a straight build. Still going to be a bit (actually a lot) anxious when I turn the key this time as we were unable to pin down a reason for the failure last time. Still, lightning and twice eh?
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