Whilst fitting the water pump to my recently rebuilt 65 Deluxe 998cc motor, I noticed these numbers (YY8228) stamped into the block. Any ideas?

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1964 998 Cooper , 1968 Morris 1100

What area of the block is that?

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Respect mine and I'll respect yours.

Have a look at Your Main bearing caps they should have the same numbers
stamped on each cap

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" A Hundred Years From Now It will not Matter what my Bank Acount Was,
The Sort Of House I Lived in, Or The Kind Of Car I drove ... But The World May Be A Better Place
Because I was Once Important In The Life Of A Child"

Thanks John, wish I could but the motor is now assembled, minus the head, and ready to go back in. I've had this motor for over forty years and it is the first time I have ever seen those numbers stamped near the water pump. I have now learnt something new about our venerable little cars.

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1964 998 Cooper , 1968 Morris 1100

Thank You, It is a handy thing to know

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" A Hundred Years From Now It will not Matter what my Bank Acount Was,
The Sort Of House I Lived in, Or The Kind Of Car I drove ... But The World May Be A Better Place
Because I was Once Important In The Life Of A Child"

Do they all have this? Why would you need to know the bearing cap number from the outside?

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Flute - 68 MK I Cooper S
Member: VMCI #2474
Member: International Mini Model Collectors Club

Mains caps are not interchangeable from block to block once machined, so they had to stamp it on the block somewhere.
BMC/BL just chose to stamp it on the front of block, up the top RH corner.
Other cars are usually stamped on the bottom flange...

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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.

Yes Every Mini Block I have ever checked Has a number stamped there
They are stamped there so that when an engine is being put together, You can check
that the correct caps are fitted. to the correct block
The reason they are stamped there is it is a nice flat area, so stamp is clear, and not in a position to be de faced often

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" A Hundred Years From Now It will not Matter what my Bank Acount Was,
The Sort Of House I Lived in, Or The Kind Of Car I drove ... But The World May Be A Better Place
Because I was Once Important In The Life Of A Child"

Interestingly, I have seen one Cooper S block with the Main cap number stamped on the pad where the fuel pump would mount,
Was puzzled when I couldn't find it in the normal place,above and to the right of the water pump, so went looking for it....

Dave

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so if caps are not with block , what are the options please, cheers

Paperweight
Doorstop
Anvil

thanks

Seriously, the block is pretty much useless with the wrong caps. You can get it machined for a lot of money but then you will run into problems with the timing chain.
Try to get the matching caps for that block or get another block with caps.

Luckily i haven't bought a block without caps). My non mechanical mind was trying to reconcile the availability of high end replacement main caps such as http://www.swiftune.com/Product/1000/swiftune-steel-main-cap-set-1300-mini-4-bolt-centre.aspx , given the block and caps are matched.
Again , I don't have any experience or knowledge in engine rebuilds, but i guess throwing big money at something can offer partial solutions. Cheers

It certainly is an option and it can be done. It is not cheap though.