i would like to know if it is possible to change a clutch whilst the engine is in the engine bay. what clutch do people use in terms of a heavy duty one.
could you change the flywheel at the same time with out taking the engine out. the engine has only done about 7000km so i don't really want to pull the engine out.

JIM

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(60 hp @ 5700 RPM) in my old mini.

yeah it can be done!

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what type of clutch do most drivers use eg. (fast road, road/rally) that kind of thing.
how much am i looking at. what weigh flywheels should i be buying if the car is for fast road apps.

JIM

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(60 hp @ 5700 RPM) in my old mini.

If it's a 1275 block or well worked over 998/1098, it's hard to beat a stock S blue dot diaphragm and clutch plate.
Orange (rally) diaphragms are usually overkill on the street, and wear your crank's thrust washers more. Grey (race) ones are even worse for this.

Only clutch kits worth buying IMO are Unipart, Borg & Beck or Delphi.
Beware of cheap crappy asian clutch kits.. the plates are pretty much cardboard

The only release bearings worth using are the UK ones made by RHP.
"The Jap bearings are crap bearings.." remember this rhyme..!

I once got 3 hours life from a new Jap release bearing- beat that!

re your flywheel- for road use a sensibly lightened stock one is fine to 7,500. Dimension details are in Vizard's book `How to modify your Mini'.
It needs balancing after machining, best done with your crank and balancer if motor is apart.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

hey thanx for the info.
what did you do to the jap bearing????
was it a race day or sumfin?
what camshaft would you recomend for a road car, it may see the track half dozen times a year but most driving will be on the road.

jim

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(60 hp @ 5700 RPM) in my old mini.

The jap bearings just go real noisy real quick. No track work, it was road driving.

What cam depends how you drive, what motor you have and its mods.

In my 1310's since 1982 I've had a Bert Jones 35/70, BMC 731, Camtech VP3, and a Graham Russell RE13. The latest is the greatest, even better with 1.5 rockers...

If it's a modified 1275 road car, don't go past 286 duration or it will probably be a dog below 3500 rpm.
For a well modified 998 or 1098 I'd stop at a 270 or maybe 276.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

i'm looking at the 266 cam cause i have the 1.5 roller rockers. i'm told that the high lift rockers make the the rev range higher. ie. the cam will be lumpier than it is rated for. is this the case. can you tell me if i'm right or not.

jim

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(60 hp @ 5700 RPM) in my old mini.

I fitted the Camtech VP3 cam with stock S rockers, then offset bushed S rockers, then 1.5 MiniSpares forged rockers.
Provided that you DO increase rocker clearance by .003" or so above the stock clearance for that cam, 1.5s don't make it cammy down low, but it sure goes harder up high! Midrange response is OK but mine catches alight at 5000...
If you leave clearances at stock it WILL make it cammy and you can get a `hole' in midrange response.
The Camtech was rated for .020" clearance with stock rockers, I ran it at .024" with the 1.5s..

I would not waste my time fitting high lift rockers unless the motor is a 1275 or bigger.
On the smaller ones just go buy a decent camshaft. Use the early pressed steel rockers, the late Clubbie sintered ones are crap- I found they wear the valve tips and the ratio is poor...

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

ok the procedure to do it with the motor in situ is remove the top radiator bracket the engine steady's and the bolts on the right hand engine mount useing a trolly jack raise the motor slowly have someone watch the fan so as not to punchture the radiator and then remove the service cover and do clutch as per usual
makka

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Anonymous moderation means the agro that is built up towards the mods isn't aimed at an individual (fewer "Makk" attacks). Less stress for mods means less moderator "retirements".

when i bought my roller rockers i read that i should
make the gap between the valve and roller smaller
than stock so you will get a rolling action instead
of a tapping action. is tapping bad for the rollers.
if i make the gap bigger will it damage the rollers.

JIM

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(60 hp @ 5700 RPM) in my old mini.

If you make the clearance LESS with 1.5 rockers it will run like a dog, and you will burn valves. Bad move. We run .020" with them on most race cams without problems.
The reason some roller rockers (MSport) do get flats on them is they are crap rollers- too soft and they don't roll....

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

so if i buy a cam that is said to have a power band 1,500 - 6,500. Will the small gap with the rockers make it even worse. like change it to 3,000 - 7,500 rpm power band.
what brand of cam is best for a mini.

JIM

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(60 hp @ 5700 RPM) in my old mini.

Running tight clearance on 1.5 rockers (roller or forged) will just f**k it up generally, performance wise.
You need to run the cam follower-to-lobe clearance that the cam was designed for. For any Kent cam including MD266, that is 0.016" rocker clearance (stock rockers) or (1.5/1.25 x .016) = .019" near enough, for 1.5 rockers..

Late last year, we dynoed Baracade's 1380 road motor on Graham Russell's engine dyno. We saw 110HP at the crank with .016" rocker clearance (offset bushed S rockers- maybe 1.3:1 ratio) but if we opened or closed the clearance by just .002", we lost about 3 HP.
So there ya go. By all means experiment, but don't assume you will get more power or wider power band with tight rockers!

As far as hot street cams go, I've gotta say my Graham Russell RE13 cam beats all the others I've used. My wife's 1293 has a Tighe 104 in it, dunno what it's like though as the car's not back on the road yet. It will have twin HS4 carbs.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

what is the power band for this cam.
thanx for the low down on the gap and cams, it has opened my eyes.

JIM

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(60 hp @ 5700 RPM) in my old mini.

I run a 45 Dellorto on a 1310, with big valves and 1.5 rockers. If I don't give it full throttle it will pull from 1800rpm. (under 50K) in top gear.
It will take full throttle (and noise) from 2700 approx, goes hard to 5000 then it gets a second wind and howls from 5000-7500+.

By comparison, my Camtech VP3 would pull from 2500, needed 3000 to get going, mid range was OK but top end was not as good. It wore most the lobes off in 40,000 miles...

Kent cams are OK, but they are way overpriced when you can get a regrind here from around $120-$180 or so. Kents are only regrinds anyway.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.