1982 Leyland Mini 1275E

[Miniac]

Definitely a good deal.

[Tiaan]

Does anyone know where I can get the unlead valve seats, valves and a head gasket set for a reasonable price?
With Rand seeing it's ass it is getting expensive to import from minispares.com

[DomMINIque]

Sean (forum member - posts in the supreme classic parts section) had/has a head gasket - send him a message.

Boyscout posted a thread in the mods that work section about the guy that he used and what it cost him.

Dez in JHB South also does the "conversion". His contact details should be in the recommended suppliers list.

Otherwise, if you not really keen to take the head off you can use a product called valvemaster. Most engen garages should be able to order you some. It's basically an additive to unleaded fuel for leaded cars. Comes in a syringe and is basically around one syringe per tank. If I can remember correctly a syringe was about R20.

[Tiaan]

Here are some more pictures with the new colour, but very dirty.

It needs to be resprayed again as the spray work was done incredibly crap.  It was firstly sprayed in the wrong colour than requested, then the rubber around the fuel filler wasn't even removed when it was sprayed.
The seats wasn't covered the way as requested aswell.

   
   
   


This is the old timing chain vs the new one
   
   
   
   

Old clutch thrust bearing vs new bearing
   

Busy changing the clutch
   

Busy cleaning the timing sprockets
   

[Tiaan]

I took the head to Johan Smith Engineering in Silverton, Pretoria, to be refurbished.
He is making and installing new valve seats, cleaning the head, he pressure tested it and is skimming it.
He also replaced the valve guides with ones I bought from Classic Mini Shop.
Hopefully this will sort out the overheating problem.
I got a Payen top gasket set from Alert Engine Parts.
I was thinking of using a Golf 4 heater radiator as an extra cooling radiator in the original Mini heater line as the Golf 4 heater looks nice and big and they go for about R400.

Then how do I stop an oil leak at the gear change rod? I have already used a double seal there, but it leaked the engine dry by standing in the garage for a year.

[GTSPhil]

Tiaan

For your oil leak problem you fit an anti-leak stop kit part number MSSK050 available at my shop.

[Boyscout]

Tiaan,

When you buy the Golf radiator, make sure you get the one with the flat cores. The cheapy radiators have round cores and are not nearly as efficient.

[Tiaan]

Thanks Phillip.
How much is that kit?

[Tiaan]

So I got the head back on Friday and fitted it on Sunday.
I know the plug leads are on wrong, I only pushed them over the plugs.

Here follow some pictures.

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

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I got the valve seats replaced, new valve guides, valve stem seals and skimmed.
Smiths Auto Engineering in Silverton did it.
They made the valve seats themselves and pressed it in. So apparently I can use ULP now.

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[Miniac]

Very nice work there, I wonder why more companies don't make their on ULP inserts locally.