For a long time I've suspected that I've been burning oil leaking past the valve guides on either #3 or #4 (or both). The plugs in those are always oily, and on long freeway runs I tend to use half a litre of oil to every tank of fuel

Since it has never blown any smoke to speak of under load, I figured it's not the rings and lately it's been getting increasingly hard to start when cold, running on two or three cylinders for a minute or two as it cleared the oil from the cylinders.

The last straw broke a week or two ago when reversing down the lane from the garage, into a small cloud of blue smoke...

So this evening I gave it a headectomy, and this is what I found...

Nos #1 and #2:


Nos #3 and #4:


Number 3, the smoking gun...


Cylinder #1:


Cylinders #2 & #3:


Cylinder #4:


Lots of carbon buildup on #3 piston from all the oil, this probably explains the run-on too.

So, time for a freshen-up

Can anyone recommend a head shop in inner-west Melbourne?

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

Mate, that's not (much) carbon build up... You should see what my pistons had when 1018cc and I pulled the head the other week. You've got less on all 4 pistons than I had on one! And that was without oil leaks - all just from running rich.

Good luck with it.

Do it yourself!

Guides are easy!

Then drop it in for a snappy hot tank and valve seat job...

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

Well, lots on #3 compared to the rest of them

I'm actually pretty pleased with the state of the pistons & cylinders, I've not had the head off this thing in 10 years since it was rebuilt. No measurable lip on the bores, they look brand new



Mick, I'm severely time poor these days and with this head I'd rather not take any risks -- it's a 295 which has been faced to within an inch of its life (or a few thou, anyway) so I think I'd rather give it to a pro this time around. You interested?

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

Ha ha, usually I would jump onto it like a News of the World Journo on a dead girl's mobile (Sorry, topical...Rupert's getting reamed on telly atm..), but I'm only home for another 3 days...

Unless you can drop the head over with a set of guides PRONTO...could do it while you wait...

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

Hah, the way I'm working at the moment it'll be three WEEKS before I get a set of guides for it!

I'll drop the valves out of it tomorrow night perhaps and see what state they and the seats are in. How do you normally attack the guides? I don't remember seeing a press in your garage...

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

You can knock them out plain with a suitably sized drift. They push out very easily. I've put my own back in in a similar manner, with a collared drift many times without a problem.

I've got a press now..they're not expensive, and are useful for other jobs as well.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

Heh, I've drifted guides out before myself in ghetto engineering style, but never really thought that was the right way to do it

Is there any need to ream the new guides once they're installed, or are they supplied the right size these days?

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

No further work is required, they fit straight up. If you put them in carefully, there won't be any damage to the top of the guides either.

You will still need to get the valve seats cut.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

Ghetto hahahahahhahaha...

Sgc, that just made my night!

Oh, I'm well versed in Ghetto Eng 101. I have a DeWalt recipro saw which is the perfect tool for removing stubborn suspension pins and other such things.

Never used it on the flywheel though.. maybe one day.

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

This is true for standard AE cast iron guides, they don't seem to shrink when you press them in and a 9/32" solid reamer usually takes nothing out.
However...
The same is not true for bronze guides (the current Minispares supplied ones anyway). They close in.
If you don't ream them before fitting the valves, they will probably grab the exhaust valves when hot. Then- tears before bedtime.
Don't ask me how I know...

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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.

That's just begging me to ask, "so how do you know?"

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You're only supposed to blow the BLUDDY DOORS OFF!!

It happened. To me, and also to a well known Sydney Mini racer recently.

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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've seen this recently on a 202 head using standard iron guides. All the valves worked fine except for number 8 which closed up once it got hot..

...but usually no problem.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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