Blue 1983 "Window" Van

Started by MPlayle, March 26, 2022, 04:39:44 PM

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BruceK

So just an improved head and carburetion? 
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

94touring

Toss in a 1098 crank. That's easy (almost) free power.

MPlayle

I am trying to avoid completely tearing the engine apart and also trying to keep to a reasonable budget.  I have been going through several threads on the Mini Forum and a bunch of Calver's articles.  The goal is to improve the road driving of the car - not really make a hot-rod out of it.

It already has an alloy intake and proper LCB exhaust, so changing the head and rockers, and air filter I will have the same as in the typical "Stage-2" kit.  The HS-4 carb already on it will be just fine with a possible needle change.

That should bring it up to close to a base pre-A+ 1275 which wouldgive me the extra oomph to support changing to a 3.1 final drive.  Changing the final drive won't require a complete tear down either - just pulling off the differential and speedo drive cover.


MPlayle

All the parts I ordered for the engine "upgrade" effort have arrived and I began some of the teardown yesterday and today.

I have the oil and coolant drained.  I have the hubs and axels out for pulling the engine.  I have the carb and intake pulled.  The alternator is removed along with the coil/dizzy cap/rotor/wires/plugs/horns/starter.  I have the wiring tucked out of the way and the oil pressure line disconnected and out of the way.

Next up is getting the LCB exhaust out of the way, the shifter disconnected, the clutch slave cylinder out of the way and various hoses out of the way in order to then loosen the motor mounts and pull the engine.


MPlayle

Smallish progress today, but where I wanted to be by the end of this week: the engine is out and on the bench for inspection/cleanup before undertaking the upgrades.

I need to order some new motor mounts - one fell apart as I lifted the engineout of the car.   :(


MPlayle

Some more progress on the engine upgrade project.

First = where I started today:
While waiting on the additional bits to arrive (got here yesterday), I had disassembled the differential to swap the crown gear, removed the speedometer drive housing, swapped the pinion gear and speedometer drive gears, reinstalled the speedometer drive housing, cleaned and painted the radiator shroud, mounted the new alloy radiator in the shroud, and started preparing some of the new heater/cooling system hoses.


MPlayle

#31
Second = where I finished today:

The differential is reassembled and back on the transmission, the pot-joint shells have been cleaned and reintalled, the old head off the block, The old rocker arms assembly removed for swapping springs and spacers to the new assembly, started preparing the new rocker arm assembly, and started preparing the new head.

I also removed the mechanical fuel pump and installed a blanking plate as I am going to change over to an electric fuel pump.



MPlayle

 :-[   And wouldn't you know it, ... after posting the progress I realized I forgot to bend over the new lock-tabs on the crown gear bolts in the differential.  I get to pull the differential back off and take it apart enough to set the lock tabs and put it back together.   :-[


MiniDave

What did you use to pull the bearing off the carrier?

Gaskets will be on the way as soon as you get me the shipping cost....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

#34
Dave,
I have a set of bearing pullers that fit under the bearing and lifted it off intact.

I sent a direct email with the shipping cost of the speedometer and the tracking information.

Thanks!

BruceK

Looks like it will be ready for Cars & Coffee this Saturday?  ;D

Nice progress!
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MPlayle

Quote from: BruceK on September 08, 2022, 10:17:47 AM
Looks like it will be ready for Cars & Coffee this Saturday?  ;D

Hardly!

Yesterday felt like a "2 steps forward, 1 step backward" day with the "oops" on the differential crown gear lock-tabs.  Fortunately, Dave has the gaskets I need and I had the speedometer he needs for Clancy's Moke.  I get to redo the differential next week.  Meanwhile, I will try to finish up the head this weekend so I can put the engine back up on the bench to do the diff.

I'm thinking even considering the TXABCD in Round Rock Sept 23-25 may be overly optimistic.


MiniDave

Yeah, diff gaskets probably won't make it till Sat at the earliest.....they went out with this morning's mail, but the post office no longer operates at anything resembling speed.

I'm now wondering about the big parts order I placed with spares today - if it will be delayed due to the days of mourning over the Queen's passing?

I also wonder if Charles will be "King for a Day" and then abdicate in favor of William or if he'll wear the crown for a while? He's 73 already, I think it's time for some of us old farts to let those with say more flexible thinking take the reins, and we just act in an advisory role - if asked.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

Hi Dave,

I am not really expecting the gaskets to arrive until Monday, so no problems there.


MPlayle

Steady progess today:

I got the new rocker arm assembly done up, the new head installed (including a new water pump bypass hose), the rocker assembly installed on the head, and a preliminary valve adjustment done.

I did the valves in the "Ed China" style: find TDC for the compression stroke of each cylinder in the firing order and set that cylinder's valves, then move to the next cylinder in the order.

I then put the engine back up on the bench and removed the differential again to recheck the crown gear bolt torque and tap over the lock tabs.  I cleaned all of the gasket surfaces ready for the new gaskets Dave sent to arrive for reassembly once again.


MiniDave

You remembered the push rods then?   77.gif
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

Quote from: MiniDave on September 09, 2022, 04:58:15 PM
You remembered the push rods then?   77.gif

Yep.  I carefully numbered them in order when I removed them when pulling the old head: remove rocker arm assembly, remove push rods in order and inserted into a box lid with each labeled, remove the head.

Assembly was the reverse order: put the new head on the block (with the new bypass hose in place and a new head gasket), install the push rods in order, install the new rocker arm assembly, torque everything to proper specs, adjust the valves.

I plan on rechecking the head torque and valves again once the engine is back in the car before firing it up.



MPlayle

Back to making some forward progress again today.

I got the new electric fuel pump wired up, the differential covers installed with new gaskets (thanks again to Dave for the gaskets), and the engine bolted back into the car on new motor mounts.

Next up is starting to put all the accessory bits back on (engine steadies, manifolds, carb, alternator, etc.), fill it with fluids, check for oil pressure, etc.

Anyone have suggestions for how to best bleed air out of the cooling/heating system?

I installed all new silicone hoses, including to the heater which also got flushed.  As such, there is currently no fluid even in the heater.


MiniDave

I don't usually see any problems with air bubbles. I fill it up, run it a bit, then shut it off and top it up. Open the heater valve of course....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

#44
Yeah. That's all I've ever done. Fill it. Run it. Let it cool and top it off.  Repeat that at least once.

Think you might be able to go to the Texas ABCD?
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MPlayle

If I go to TxABCD, it will be as a spectator only.

I don't expect to have it all back together by next weekend.  I know I will have at least a couple of days of work that will keep me away from the Mini this week.

I "should" have it back together and start running it in the following week.


MiniDave

Still hot down there? Mid 90's her till mid next week....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

Yep, still mid-to-upper 90s.

I am working in a small 1-car garage with basically little to no circulation, so I tend to last for about 3-4 hours of effort at a stretch.  At that point, I am sweat soked clear through and "melted".


MPlayle

Time for the next progress report:

It ... Is ... Alive! ... ... ... (sort of)   ::)

I cleaned the carb and changed the needle (from an AAU to an ABD), installed it, and got all the cables and hoses connected.

I relocated the hors and got them wired back in and working. 

I then crank tested the engine for oil pressure.  First try got no pressure, so I primed the oil pump (remove the banjo bolt for the feed line to the filter and trickle some oil back into the block).  Second try started building pressure after about 3-5 seconds and built to good pressure (60 psi cold).

I then power tested the new fuel pump and got fuel up to the newly installed inline filter at the carb.  I connected the fuel line to the carb, cleaned and installed the spark plugs.

I then set the choke and tried firing it up.  It started right up and ran smoothly.  I did need to raise the idle a little bit as it warmed up and I could take it off choke.  I let it run until fully warmed up, then shut it off for a few minutes.

I went to try a warm start and got nothing.  The fuel pump would come on, but when turning the key to the 'start' position, there would be nothing - no click(s), no cranking of the starter, nothing.  I tried tapping the starter and the solenoid with a small mallet - still nothing.  A few more tries of tapping things and the solenoid would seem to give a "half-hearted" attempt at a click, then back to nothing.

I hooked up a test light to the solenoid terminal where the signal wire from the ignition switch connects to confirm power getting to there and that apparent extra jiggling made the solenoid work as the engine fired right up when testing for power to the solenoid.

Time to order a replacement since the current one wants to be dodgy part of the time now.

I called it "done" for today.  It will be a few days before I can get back to working on it, at which time I will recheck the torque on the cylinder head studs.  I still need to clean and regrease the inner portion of the pot-joints and reinstall the axels, hubs, and wheels before I recheck the valve clearances.

With a little luck, it will hopefully be done next weekend.

MiniDave

I think I have a spare new solenoid - it's the one on the fender, right?

Make sure you have a good ground connection between the block and body.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad