187 replies to this topic

[ajperry]

Picked the car up yesterday morning and its fair to say I am ecstatic!

Decided to pick it up with a trailer in the end as Storm Jorge and 60miles of max 40mph didn't appeal to me!

 

Anyway, I've been out at every opportunity and any minor errand that needed to be run. It's such a sweet little car and the 850 engine is great. It does get a bit hot though, had to let it cool down after a longer drive yesterday as it didn't want to start again, but it was fine after that and been great today. The speedo is out, reads 45 but really doing 30, so have resorted to the trusty phone speedometer...

 

Pics of the pick up and a few of the mini adventures over the past few days:

 

https://i.imgur.com/Tv4AzhN.mp4

 

At the end of the drive today (fortunately just around the corner) a big burst of steam came from under the bonnet, and it seems the heater take off valve has blown. So fortunately nothing major just waiting for it to cool down so I can take a better look. 

 

Now all tucked up in the garage with an eye on it's future heart transplant...

 

A fab weekend, and I'm still grinning like a cheshire cat!     

[tankertanker]

What a beauty , love it

[imack]

Looks like a very nice original car.

[ajperry]

What a beauty , love it

Looks like a very nice original car.

Thanks guys! Not planning any styling mods at all at the moment so it’ll stay looking original for a long while.
I’ve just spent a small fortune at MiniSpares (thanks Simon for sorting the member discount!) on a disc brake conversion plus cones, hilos and adjustable dampers so I can get it sitting a tad lower.
Update on the gearbox, it’s a 22G1128 so I’ll be sorting out the remote extension when it’s time to get the gearbox done.

[ajperry]

...and within a week of my last post, looks like it's time to pull the 850 engine and get the gearbox sorted.

 

I fitted a new DSN heater take off (originally bought for the new engine) to replace the blown valve and was ready to roll on Saturday morning but i couldn't get it started. Long story short (link to my Problems topic: http://www.theminifo...-the-cylinders/) the head gasket seems to have failed. The spark plugs were wet and I could see through the plug holes that cylinders 2 and 4 had pools of coolant sitting in them, with a visible drip from the top of cylinder 4. Draining the oil on Sunday confirmed this as a spurt of water exited the oil drain hole along with the milky brown oil. Oh dear.

 

So this has fast-forwarded my plans to get the new engine in, therefore I have borrowed an engine hoist/crane from a friend and have a helper coming over Saturday to help me remove the engine with the aid of the trusty Haynes manual. Any tips/tricks/things to look out for when removing an engine please shout!

 

As I'll be re-using the gearbox from the 850 and because I am getting impatient I will probably send this and the rod change 'box off to Guessworks to use the best parts from both.

 

All this just as I'd got a lovely minispares delivery containing my front drums-to-discs conversion, hilos, adjustable KYB dampers, tie bars, lower arms and camber/toe brackets. So looks like I'll be attempting these works while the gearbox is off for rebuild.

 

Still excited but I thought I'd get a bit more use out of the 850 before making the change...

[frankm]

If you want to drive the 850 a bit more then maybe you can just install a new head gasket?
Not expensive and not difficult to do.

For removing the engine, the right size tool to undo the pin from the gear selecter shaft can help.

[ajperry]

If you want to drive the 850 a bit more then maybe you can just install a new head gasket?
Not expensive and not difficult to do.

For removing the engine, the right size tool to undo the pin from the gear selecter shaft can help.

Thanks do you mean this tool: http://www.minispare...sic/TOOL17.aspx

I know what you mean, I could replace the head gasket fairly easily but I’m using the head gasket as an excuse to get on with my plans really. So rather than spend time repairing I’ll put that time towards finishing my new engine and get it in the car.

[imack]

The original 850 box shouldn't be rod change so wont need that tool.
Your 850 box should be a pudding stirrer gear lever, depending on the age of the rod change box many of the components may not be interchangeable.
Your age 850 box should be able to be converted to remote shift with the right parts.

[ajperry]

Your age 850 box should be able to be converted to remote shift with the right parts.

That’s what I was going to do. And yes it is currently a pudding stirrer. If I don’t need the tool then great! You said you’d done the conversion before so even though it was a little while ago any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[imack]

Your age 850 box should be able to be converted to remote shift with the right parts.

That’s what I was going to do. And yes it is currently a pudding stirrer. If I don’t need the tool then great! You said you’d done the conversion before so even though it was a little while ago any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

It was a long time ago that I did the conversion but it was straightforward and doable with engine in situ.
You'll need the complete remote housing assembly and gear lever complete with the rear rubber mount and bracket that bolts onto the tunnel with 3 bolts, 2 in front of the cross member and 1 behind it. You need D shaped washers as the holes are right up against the cross member. Can't remember if the holes are already factory drilled in the tunnel. You need the 4 bolts (2 long and 2 short) that bolts the remote housing to the diff housing. You also need the 1/2 moon seal between the remote and diff housing.
Replace the smokers pipe linkage (clamped with the pinch bolt in the knuckle joint on top of the diff housing - you may need to remove carb/exhaust to access this)in the underside of the diff case with the linkage for the remote change (rod with a ball and socket at the bottom).
Theres also a pin retained with split pins that runs across the diff housing, I can't remember what the 850 linkage looks like that pivots on this but it needs replacing with the wishbone shape link for the remote. The wishbone has washers either side of it to space it in the housing.
The hole for the gear lever should already be in the floor, it has a metal plate screwed over it. You'll need the gear lever gaiter and retaining ring and make a plate to cover the 850 hole.

[ajperry]

 

 

Your age 850 box should be able to be converted to remote shift with the right parts.

That’s what I was going to do. And yes it is currently a pudding stirrer. If I don’t need the tool then great! You said you’d done the conversion before so even though it was a little while ago any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

It was a long time ago that I did the conversion but it was straightforward and doable with engine in situ.
You'll need the complete remote housing assembly and gear lever complete with the rear rubber mount and bracket that bolts onto the tunnel with 3 bolts, 2 in front of the cross member and 1 behind it. You need D shaped washers as the holes are right up against the cross member. Can't remember if the holes are already factory drilled in the tunnel. You need the 4 bolts (2 long and 2 short) that bolts the remote housing to the diff housing. You also need the 1/2 moon seal between the remote and diff housing.
Replace the smokers pipe linkage (clamped with the pinch bolt in the knuckle joint on top of the diff housing - you may need to remove carb/exhaust to access this)in the underside of the diff case with the linkage for the remote change (rod with a ball and socket at the bottom).
Theres also a pin retained with split pins that runs across the diff housing, I can't remember what the 850 linkage looks like that pivots on this but it needs replacing with the wishbone shape link for the remote. The wishbone has washers either side of it to space it in the housing.
The hole for the gear lever should already be in the floor, it has a metal plate screwed over it. You'll need the gear lever gaiter and retaining ring and make a plate to cover the 850 hole.

 

 

Thanks imack, much appreciated and well described - also been looking at the minispares catalogues which Timmy 850 kindly highlighted

 

 

Once you’ve checked the numbers on the front of the case and know it’s the right one it’s pretty easy. Looks like all the holes are drilled and cut in the floor for you already

On the gearbox side you need to replace these parts - remove red and add blue
 715C6CFF-5AC4-4458-91D2-9908DDDCD5AA.jpeg

And then the shifter side is these
 78BBD9AE-7A6A-4FCE-AA68-EC13004F71FD.jpeg

[timmy850]

Hopefully you can find someone with all the bits in one go. Even a remote case (3 or 4 synchro) with or without gears but all the linkage parts will sort you out.

[ajperry]

Saturday was a good day. 

Having drained the oil and coolant last week a friend and I set to work at 10am and didn't finish until 6pm. A few tricky/hard to reach bits we had to work around like the mechanical fuel pump and angling the engine back far enough to stop the diff catching on the bottom of the subframe, but we got there iin the end with lots of tea and biscuits. As little as it had, I made sure to label up all of the wiring as that is something i'm really not looking forward to putting back together.

Not bad for my first engine removal, but the real test will be putting it back in... Pics below, excuse the blinding shine from my bald head!

 

 

Next task is to split the 850 short engine from the gearbox so I can send that off for rebuild/refresh and use it below my 1293. Judging from the numbers and year it should be a 4-synchro so hopefully will cope with the added power after a refresh. I will speak to Guessworks about it when the time comes.

 

I've managed to source a remote extension with the gearstick, link shafts and knuckles etc so will show you that when it arrives and will be refurbishing it while the gearbox is away.

 

I now just need to find number 22 and 27 from the following image "22 - 22A253 Remote change shaft - when remote housing fitted" and "27 - 22G79 Ball end lever crank": https://www.minispar...ive.aspx?1~4~41

 

 Remote bits.JPG   33.1K   0 downloads

[ajperry]

Alrighty then. I got the short engine separated from the gear box today, so now I know (or someone can confirm for me  ) what i'm dealing with.

 

The gearbox casing shows 22G1128. What do I need to save and what do I need from the newer block/gearbox/engine to make this fit to my A+ block?

The 850 short engine will then be up for sale for rebuild as will the rod change gearbox once I know what I need to keep.

 

[timmy850]

I think the main thing that you’ll be missing is the 1275 primary gear to suit the earlier gearbox.

Is the rod change A or A+? If it uses the same parts as the remote box it might be a source of good gears etc - or are you replacing all the gears with a new set?