Are there any real advantages/disadvantages of have a head without the bypass? To go on 1412 stroker.

And if this sounds real dumb i'm sorry, but what the hell does the cluster gear do?

Hi,

The bypass is there to allow water to circulate a small amount when the thermostat is closed. It is reasonably common for they bypass hose to split without much warning and it's an abolute btch to change at the side of the road.

The alternative is to drill a few holes around the edge of the thermostat and do away with the bypass altogether, or run the wierd thermostat-bypass arrangement as fited to late Minis and Metros.

The cluster gear is in the gearbox.

Cheers.

_________________
Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

The cluster gear is 4 gears in one that spins on the layshaft. It is basic to the operation of the gearbox. It transmits power from the first motion shaft (i.e. the input of the box) to the other gears and depending on which one is engaged, the mainshaft (which has all the other gears spinning on it) will spin at a different speed.

Hope this makes sense.

Cheers
Pete