gearbox leak

[cadetchris]

sump and head gasket. i have used my spares up

[les]

Caps and rods are usually stamped 1234, but obviously not in this case! Roy in my experience nobody wants 's' bits anymore, presumably that why you've still got those rods!!

[bmcecosse]

Chris - your gaskets will be fine - just reuse them. The 970 S rods will be sold when I find a buyer! I have a brand new 1275 S set too.....

[alex_holden]

I wouldn't reuse a head gasket unless it was an emergency and I intended to replace it later. You might be able to get one at your local motor factors if you're lucky (same as used on lots of classic Minis).

[bmcecosse]

He hasn't run the engine -the gasket will be fine!

[cadetchris]

i have run the engine with this head gasket, i replaced it in january when i did the pistons and should of done the crank as well.
no matter, i ordered one from esm lastnight, so it should be here tomorrow, gives me time to whip out the diff and find what it is, so i can eventually get the right speedo head for primrose.

[bmcecosse]

Oh - so you were already -re-using the head gasket ? No matter - I have re-used gaskets many a time when I was a poor student (as opposed to current status of poor pensioner!). Seriously - get stuff like this locally - no need to pay fancy ESM price and postage!!

[cadetchris]

i do usually have a spare set of gaskets in the shed, but owing to recent engine fettling, i have used them all. however, i do endeavour to source my bits locally when possible.

slightly related query as well, when i was taking the sump off to have a little look, i stupidly stupidly managed to thread a bolt just next to the front bearing.
is this easily fixable or do i have to drill and retap? (bearing in mind i am lacking re-threading equipment)

[linearaudio]

You could try what I often do in such circumstances ( after the bout of bad language). Find a screw of same thread but longer and hope you have some unused threads left at the bottom of the tapped hole to pick up on. If it is so much longer that it bottoms out before clamping the joint, the difference can be packed out with washers.

[bmcecosse]

Or -with some difficulty - use a long bolt and put a nut on the block side........

[cadetchris]

hows that one work?

is it like a very long bolt going through the block and a bolt on the end of that? or something else?

[bmcecosse]

I assumed you had stripped a thread in the front plate - not the block!

[cadetchris]

nope, in the block, on the sump, just to the left of the front bearing, cannot really think of a worse place to of threaded a bolt, as that's the place they are needed

[bmcecosse]

Ahh right - it's probably just the screw that has stripped. But - if in the block - just drill out and tap a new thread next size up - the Mini lads do it all the time - but then they have an important gearbox to bolt on there! Not just a tin sump!!

[alex_holden]

But - if in the block - just drill out and tap a new thread next size up

IIRC there isn't room for a larger bolt head in that space. I suppose you could use a cap head screw instead.

[bmcecosse]

Exactly - although on a Mini there is room for larger heads - they do indeed use cap head Allen bolts.

[cadetchris]

whats a cap head screw?

could i drill the hole deeper, thread it with a 7/16 thread and use a longer bolt? or would i run the risk of breaking into the crank case and stuffing the engine totally

[les]

Google 'helicoil kits' they replace bad threads back to the original size. Depends how far you want to go with this!

[bmcecosse]

There isn't room for a 7/16" thread - blimey!! Next handy size up would be M8 - yes metric = likely to be available.[frame][/frame]

[cadetchris]

would this do it?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/THREAD-REPAIR-KIT ... 45f1ddb4dc

abit extreme, but if it repairs the knackered thread and means i can use normal 7/16 bolts, it might be worth it,

if not, i might as well get a M8 bolt and just pop that in