hi im about to be putting my engine back together and was just wondering if all those lock tabs i took off are necessary , do i have to put them all back , are they really important ???

In answer to your three questions.... Yes, Yes and Yes

And if the tabs are looking a little worse for wear it is better to replace them with new ones.

A Mini cruising the highway at 100kph will be running at around 4,000rpm (give or take a few hundred rpm depending or ratios) - that's around 60 to 70 revolution of the engine per second - pistons coming to a dead stop and reversing directions at twice that rate. Do you really want the chance of something metal coming loose at those speeds? - like maybe a couple of kilos of flywheel just a few inches from the drivers feet . The tabs are there for a reason.

_________________
..

Lock tabs these days are made in the far east, the steel is too soft.
Many good engine builders no longer use them. If you overrev the engine the lock tab flattens, then you have a loose bolt. Bad news...
Just oil the bolts and torque up. The bolt stretch keeps them tight. ARP competition bolts don't use tabs, anyway.

Tabs are OK on the clutch straps, but if you can't buy new, use Loctite 262 or equivalent.

I use Loctite 262 on the crank pulley bolt, camshaft nut, and flywheel bolt. No tabs, never had a problem.

_________________
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.

cheers guys , so some people use them and some dont , i guess i will flip a coin when i get to them

Don't flip the coin, just omit the locktabs on the big ends and mains. Locktabs were needed before adhesives such as Loctite were invented.. these days they're just asking for trouble.

_________________
Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

ok cool so thats 2 against 1 for , i guess i wont be using them , cheers for the help