How to Power Tune Mini on a Small Budget

New Zealander Des Hammill is a professional engineer with engine oil running through his veins. Des has been building race and high performance street engines for over 30 years.

Using this book & essential information 7 Using this book 7 Essential information 7 Introduction & Acknowledgements 9 Introduction 9 Important equipment 11 Engine testing 11 Measuring acceleration 11 Measuring fuel consumption 11 Acknowledgements 11 Chapter 1. Engine condition 12 Used engines 12 Reconditioned shortblocks 13 Chapter 2. Which engine? 14 1275cc A+ 14 1098cc 15 998cc A+ 16 Other capacities 16 Chapter 3. Which cylinder head? 17 1275cc engines 18 1300 MG Metro, 1275 Metro Sport and Vanden Plas leaded fuel heads (pre 1989) 19 1300 MG Metro Turbo head 20 Cooper S heads 20 850cc, 998cc and 1098cc engines 21 850cc, 998cc and 1098cc standard head 22 295 casting number heads 24 295 head on 850cc engine 24 1275cc cylinder heads on 850cc, 998cc and 1098cc engines 25 Measuring exhaust valve to deck clearance 28 Summary 29 Aftermarket modified cylinder heads (all engines) 29 Valve seats 31 Exhaust valve seats 31 Inlet valve seats 32 Valves, collets/keepers/split locks, valve spring retainers and valve springs 33 Small bore engines 33 First combinations 33 Second combinations 35 Third combination 35 Large bore engines 35 Single carburettor 1275cc engines 36 Metro engines 36 1300 Metro engine 36 1300 MG Metro engine 36 1300 MG Metro Turbo engine 37 New Mini Cooper engines 38 Summary 38 Small bore 848cc, 997cc, 998cc and 1098cc engines 38 Larger bore 970cc, 1071cc and 1275cc engines 38 Chapter 4. Camshaft, timing chain & oil pump 40 Camshaft choice 40 Camshaft timing 44 Summary 45 Oil pump 46 Timing chain 46 Pushrods & rocker shafts 48 Lifters (cam followers) 48 Chapter 5. Ignition system 49 The importance of ignition advance 49 Contact breaker-type distributors 50 Advance springs 52 Contact breaker points 53 Coil 53 Electronic distributors 53 Vacuum advance system 56 Checking ignition timing 56 Chapter 6. Fuel & octane ratings 58 Heads without hardened exhaust valve seats 61 Fitting hardened valve seats 62 Cylinder heads with hardened exhaust valve seats 63 Chapter 7. Compression ratio (CR) 64 Calculating & altering compression ratio 65 1275cc head on 850cc engine 66 998cc, 1275cc or 295 head on 998cc engine 66 1098cc, 1275 or 295 head on 1098cc engine 67 1275cc head on 1275cc engine 67 Chapter 8. SU carburettors 68 Inlet manifold 68 Carburettor tuning 69 1275cc engines 71 850cc, 998cc & 1098cc engines 71 Chapter 9. Exhaust manifold & exhaust system 73 Exhaust manifold 73 Exhaust system 74 Chapter 10. Clutch 75 Cera-Metallic clutches 77 In summary 79 Crankshaft taper problems 79 Removing a flywheel which won t come off using a conventional puller 79 Chapter 11. Engine assembly & other tips 81 Cylinder Head Fitting 81 Cylinder Head Gaskets 81 Head and water pump bypass hose stub modifications 83 Crankcase ventilation 83 Engine cooling 83 Chapter 12. Gearbox & final drive ratios 85 Close ratio gearboxes 85 Checking gearbox ratios 86 Determining final drive ratio 86 Determining gear ratios (method 1) 87 Determining gear ratios (method 2) 87 Possible gearbox and final drive combinations 91 Final drive ratios 92 Straight cut drop gears 93 Chapter 13. Brakes & wheels 95 Drum brake system overhaul, adjustment & maintenance 95 Drum brake system modifications 97 Finned aluminium drums 97 Rear brakes 97 Disc brakes 98 Postscript 99 Index 110