So dismantled most the engine peripherals, head about to come off in the next hour. Timing was intact which is always a good sign....

If it helps anyone, I did it all without having to jack up the car, it is still sat on its four wheels, but the steering is turned full lock, and with the arch liner folded up out the way, it gives me more than enough room (if its in service position and front bumper off) to remove everything I need to do a timing chain change. I can reach the water pump, friction wheel, belt tensioner, take the engine mounts off, all the timing chain cassette bolts etc I didn't even undo the bottom engine mount, there is enough play (just) to undo all the bolts. The only awkward bit is the friction wheel, I used a 10mm ratchet spanner for the top 2 bolts and a small thru drive low profile ratchet for the bottom one. But if you are willing to take 15 mins to do it a turn at a time it can be done.

Images to follow. Absolutely no water in the oil whatsoever, do you think its still worth removing the head? I am going to do it anyway I think, because for 10 or so bolts its worth it for the price of a head gasket and new bolts to at least check the valves, seats and pistons. I think I might also do the rings while I am in there. May as well, better to do a thorough job and spend a couple more weeks than a half hearted one...👍

 

I wasnae gonna do this today but thought, may as well no waste time as I were repairing the fence anyway...
Multiple head gasket failures (no bad it lasted 17 years and is the original MLS one) 3x coolant, 4x oil gallery - basically the whole front edge is oil.
3 possibly 4 dropped valve seats. (don't overheat your car)
New head it is....
Bores look ok, carbon build up on piston crowns, probably needs new rings. No coolant in oil, so was probably minor coolant leakage that burned off in combustion. No wonder she drank a bit of oil though....

 

So probably a stupid question, but what is the best way to remove the sump when the head is off and there are no engine mounts? Its on a jack at the moment....

 

oh... I don't think there is a way round it because engine mounts are bolted to head.

 

Sounds like you need one of these:
https://www.harborfreight.com/1000-l...bar-96524.html

 

Thank you white46, thank you Nik
I will have to get one of those looks a useful tool...
Watching on YouTube this morning someone supported it off the aircon pump with a bit of 4x2 but it looked a bit sketchy
Cheers John

 

If it helps anyone, as long as you have an aircon pump you can do the following without jacking the car up and its sat on its wheels:
Just place an axle stand under the aircon pump and then you can remove the jack from the sump and it will sit quite solidly on the axle stand and gearbox mount with the timing chain end engine mounts removed.
This allows you to:

Remove oil pan/sump
Remove oil pump and oil baffle plate
Remove con rod end caps and remove pistons out of top of block
I did not remove the main exhaust pipe, its still on the hangers and I could reach everything with it in place with a 6" plus extension.

So the sequence roughly was:

• Remove thermostat housing and pipes
• Remove heatshields, sensors, exhaust manifold and cat
• Remove intake manifold
• Remove radiator support, headlights etc
• Service position obviously although removing the bumper and radiator support probably means you dont have to
• Remove any harnesses, clips, connections etc
• Remove vacuum pump
• Remove coils etc
• Remove cylinder head cover
• Lock engine in timing position
• Remove top chain guide
• Remove friction wheel
• Remove belt
• Remove crank pulley
• Remove timing chain tensioner
• Remove dipstick
• Remove timing chain cassette after removing three bolts from side of block
• Remove head, pay attention to which order bolts are undone, keep head gasket for reference. check locating dowels are in place in block
• Remove oil pan after draining oil
• Remove plastic cover off oil pump, just ease it off with a flat bladed screwdriver
• Remove three oil pump bolts, best to support it and let oil drain from it, turning cog helps pump the oil out of it
• Uncouple oil pump from its chain, its normal its loose
• Remove oil baffle plate
• Unpin crank and remove con rod end bolts, one piston at a time, you may have to rock the crank to get the journal ends out, place in an orientation you know which way round they go for refitting
• Tap piston out of top of block with a long extension gently.

Pictures below for reference.

 

 

All the pistons and rings were intact, minor scuffing on piston sides. There were no scoring on the big end journals or crank, still nice dull metal, I think these may have been done before recently?

The issue is I can feel a ridge on the left and right side of each bore, its probably only a thou if that on either side of each bore, in other words the cylinders are oval like the pistons have been rocking in the bores from left to right.
I think its bad enough it might need a rebore, you can see it visually as well as feel it, but the trouble is being an ex-engineer I am very sensitive to ridges on surfaces, the bores are not scored in anyway but pretty glazed...
The thing is it didn't burn hardly any oil when it was running...only on startup from overnight which was the stem seals...

This is a project car now anyway, I cant justify being off road and not getting out in scenery with all our lovely hills, so bought a cheap VW Golf run-around and will refurbish the Mini over a few months as its no a rush now.
Some folk say to hone the bores and just go with new rings...but I don't know...
While I am in there, may as well put a new clutch in? It feels ok though?

I will salvage the Mini though because its sentimental...