We all know that you set the gap on a standard sort of mini engine to 12 thou. when they're cold.

My question is in two parts :-

1) Can you set them when they're hot????

2) What would be the gap when hot????

Thanks boys and girls.

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Rod
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v607/Rodney/

Yes you can when hot, about 1-2 thou difference when hot (so it 12 then 11) or there abouts. Best to do them cold...

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

Don't know about hot vs cold but I was shown years ago to adjust them with the engine running. Don't know how 'koscher' it is engineering wise but it sure is quick. Have the lock nuts loosened and just nipped up. then with the engine ideling just slip the feeler gauge in the gap and it should be able to pull though with just gentle pressure. . You use a ring spanner/screw driver as normal but keep the engine running and when you get used to the process it is a lot quicker than turning the engine over by hand and working out which valve is open and which is closed

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

best to run most road mini engines at 15thou clearance & do them via the "Rule of nine"

fully open #one, & adjust #8... ---> one plus eight = 9

etc etc etc

& no,,, you don`t have to start with #one, you can start wherever the donk is when you take the rocker cover off,,,

so, lets just say for example that if # 3 is nearly fully open, then just turn the donk over a tad more till it`s wide open, & then adjust #6---> three plus six = 9 (doesn`t it?)

you get the idea???

It`s just so easy-peasy that way tho

open #7 & adjust #2

open #5 & adjust #4

etc etc etc

& if you`re really smart, you can actually see how the valves open in sequence in relation to the crank & work out all the "Suck, Squeez, Bang, Blow" part of how piston engines actually work

yeah??? get it???

Ok,,, i`m done,,,, if you havn`t got it after all that then get someone else to do it for you

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

Let me get this right, you can do the valve tappets when the engine is running??? GET OUT NO WAY!!! Serious? it's bouncing up and down at like 4-5 times a second, not to mention the hot oil being thrown around everywhere... how do you tighten them up when the rocker is going up and down at like a million miles an hour??

Are you talking about the same thing???

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

The first time I did my rocker/tappet clearance (way back when I didn't know anything) I had a mates dad help me (he's a mechanic) and he got me to adjust them with the engine running... don't remember much about it though... about a week later I brought a service manual and have done it by "the rule of nine" as per the book since then...

I reckon if you want to know the clearance when the engine is warm (so you can adjust in the future when warm) set them cold, then warm up the engine and check them just makes sense to me...

Chong, back in the 50s it was the accepted way to do FJ-FB Holdens, if you wanted quiet tappets- yes it works, I used to do it too.
But you want it ticking over, like 400-500 rpm. No way you will do yours at 1300...

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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.

Oil at the top of the engine comes out between the rocker shaft and the arms and mounts in more of a dribble that a spray. Take your cover off one day and have a look, it really is quite interresting. Must try that adjustment technique one day just to see how it goes.

I was taught with the engine running as well - but with lumpier cams its harder.

having said that - I always check a tapprt adjustment by starting the motor and shoving the feeler gauges into the tappets to check the accuracy of our setting. You think you have them right but varius factors make them wrong.

You simply note which ones are loose and which ones are tight (the motor struggles when you stick the feelers into a tight one and the tap tap tap stops when you stick it into a loose one).

Do it a couple of times and you get it right. Oil splash - negible

Hots cams - naw do it the proper was with a cam protractor (dial cirlce and a dial gauge.)

Hi Rod remember me telling you about this ?
I'm prolly gonna order one (have an Ezibleed already) Gunson's quality is pretty good.

http://www.gunsons.co.uk/product.asp?u= ... &deptid=13

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'98 Mpi Sportspack + 7 port alloy head

Try this, a bit closer to home and will work out cheaper.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... Track=true
Cheers Pete

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A recent study found the average Aussie walks about 900 miles a year
Another study found Aussies drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year
That means, on average, Australians get about 41 miles per gallon

Kind of makes you proud to be an AUSSIE

Thanks for the replies there folks - I know how to do the job (rule of 9 and so on) but I was just curious about the measurement, say 10 or 11 thou ??????

Cheers

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Rod
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v607/Rodney/

Learn a new thing every day...

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

Old Holden engines, Grey and Red with hydraulic lifters were adjusted with the engine warm and idling as you wound the rocker post pivot up and down to get them silent. ( quiet plus 3/4 turn of the lock nut) On sloid lifter cams you had to wind the engine over by hand and if I remember correctly with cold or hot clerances. The first car I saw being adjusted running was a Zephyr wagon by the older teenager acros the road. With spurts of oil spraying out the top of the rockers it definitly impressed us.
Steve

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68 Deluxe. All the Options and Mods. Bling-Bling.

All grey Holdens up to EJ were solid lifter cams, they had a real rocker shaft, just like a Mini.
The red motor (EH onwards) had the hydraulic cam, and ball type rocker posts.

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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.