Mini - Timing Cover Oil Seal & Cooling

[Chrome_GT]

My engine upgrade has gone well with only a few headaches.

1) Remote shifter rear mount is different but that will be sorted.

2) I have a leak!! The only leak on the whole engine is coming from the timing cover oil seal. I had the cover off while it was out of the car - i should have replaced the seal! damn.

So- Can the timing cover be removed while the engine is in the car. It looks to me like there isn't enough room to slide the pulley out. Anyone done this?

3) Overheating problems - What can actually go wrong in a cooling system that would cause overheating?

All i can think of is

blocked radiator

block water jackets

wrong or stuffed thermostat

leaks

water pump

or other things like bad timing or lean fuel mixture

I'm tempted to just buy a new radiator from trademe, they are $200 but at least i know for sure that isn't the problem. Probably bout time i got one anyway.

[Chrome_GT]

I LOVE MINISPARES

check out what I found!

http://www.minispares.com/Article.aspx?aid=90

Fitment of an auxiliary radiator will help if the two-core is not enough - say on a race or rally car. Use the matrix out of the heater box, and plumb this in going from the heater tap take-off, into the back fitting of the matrix, then out of the front fitting and into the bottom hose. Mount the matrix behind the grill for maximum benefit - around fifteen degrees temperature drop can be expected. If you pass the water coming out of the heater tap take-off down the front of the matrix first, you will be blowing hot air across the water going back out of the matrix and into the engine. It is important to know that not taking water out the heater tap take-off will increase the temperature that the number four cylinder runs at substantially due to reduced flow around that chamber. Some folk make the mistake of taking the water out of here and connecting it back to the bottom hose. This is putting un-cooled water straight back into the engine.

If you do not want to run an auxiliary radiator or internal heater, plumb the hose from the heater take-off into the top hose. This is the least that should be done.

Guess what I did - I removed my heater and just connected each end together. Dumbass !! shame!!!

[Mk1Mad]

Re. Your timing cover leak. You can remove the cover with the engine in the car.

Have a look at my Mk1 project thread as I did this after getting my mini on the road. I renewed the waterpump (quite cheap and worth it), fan belt, timing chain, timing chain tensioning rings, timing chain cover oil seal and gasket. You may need to remove the radiator lower mount that attaches to the engine mount as it might be in the way when you take the crack pully off.

Re. Your overheating, check the rad is flowing freely, that the thermostat is good and flush the engine through. Also maybe a new rad cap would be good.

Hopefully this is all right.

Cheer.