ok my dad wants to know what the pipe off the back cover on your engine is for? if it is blocked will it casue oil to blow out the dipstick hole? becasue that is what is happening to him. thanks in advance justin

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1964 smooth roof panel van
1967 Mk 1 X-Police cooper s
1970 mini k
1975 leyland

Cherry was having pressure problems and the revs were dropping when you took the dipstick out/also leaking a bit of oil from there. Turns out her breather pipe on the rocker cover was blocked. She runs a lot happier now with the new one with big ass breather pipe

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It's a breather. On most (smallbore and Cooper S) Minis it's the only one they've got. The tiny vent on the rocker cover (if any) is to take air in, not let it out.
Block the back breather, and you can blow air out the dipstick hole... and the oil seals.
Cooper S and Clubby 998 have a gauze mesh in them, if blocked they are real hard to clean. I have been known to cut the bottom off, swap the mesh for a SS pot scourer, then weld the bottom back on.

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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 thanks a lot fellas

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1964 smooth roof panel van
1967 Mk 1 X-Police cooper s
1970 mini k
1975 leyland

Getting the old gauze out is a bit like the gynaecologist learning to be a mechanic and changing the piston rings through the exhaust pipe.

There is a piece of wire in the shape of a W across the hole to hold the gauze in and it's a bugger to get out as it is very strong spring steel I think- took ages and a lot of sware words

Use stainless steel pot scourer and don't worry about the wire to hold it in as it won't fall apart like the original.

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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!

Gotta be careful, they're not very substantial like the older steel wool scourers. Some look like cotton wool steel and come apart as well very easily. I found a strand or two had made it's way to the PCV on one of my older cars I couldn't bear to think what stainless steel could do to the bores...

Gotta be sure to check the quality closely out of the packet. Luckily they're very cheap to buy and it makes you look like a male domestic god if you heartily discuss with your wife the qualities of various steel wool brands in the shopping aisle at woolies.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

The ones to get look like little pillows. They are a good fit.

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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.

cleaning the rocker cover, side plate & transfer housing breathers in a hot tank works very well.

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I doubt it cleans the breather gauze thoroughly tho, I usually cut them open and reweld as Kev does.

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Steve

i would probably find it easier to find another rocker cover than cut and shut one

but i havent had one that i couldnt clean as yet.

unfortunately the 1100 S block in mine does not have tappet covers so i miss out on that breather.

i have a clutch cover and a rocker cover one, piped back into the vacuum port on the carburettor which isnt ideal for performance or tune but it keeps my hair and clothes clean

regardless i get oil pissing out of the dipstick but some mini friends of mine showed me an awesome trick, you use a spring like a throttle return spring and drill a small hole in the handle of the dipstick.
attach the spring to the block and the other end to the dipstick to keep pressure on it to remain in place.

works a treat, and it saves a lot of cleaning up.

I have been cleaning them in the hot tank for years and there allways clean. the hot tank needs to be agitated or have air bubbing through it. just dunking them in wont work. Wash them out with airated water afterwards allways gets them perfectly clean. Happy to use them on any engine afterwards, including the race motors and have never had an issue.

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Have a Nice Day.
If already having a nice day please disregard.