You all motivated me to go at this one with a vise and a hammer, not very elegant, but works for educational purposes. The lash adjuster spins in the rocker. It is not pressed in. The wire clip seems to hold it in and it looks like half the wire stayed in the rocker arm, which doesn't bode well for installing a new lash adjuster. Definitely would require careful inspection.

Can confirm the diameters match and MINI does use a 12mm lash adjuster, my estimate was incorrect above.

 

I don't recall there being a special tool to remove them. They're just held in place with a wire retaining ring so should be able to be pulled out. I imagine that after 10 years of varnish they might be a bit stuck though. May have to devise a holding fixture to hold the rocker arm while pulling on the lash adjuster tip. They can get noisy when the oil feed gets blocked and the oil feed holes and vent holes are pretty small within the lash adjuster.

 

So I found the Chrysler part number for the lash adjuster today while I was at FCA HQ. It's an old number (pre-10 digit), which means that it was in use before the Tritec engine program. That means that it is common with the 2.0L Neon SOHC engine for sure. The P/N is 04573458 if anyone wants to try and look it up on any Mopar parts site (I couldn't find it). Since it's been out of production for more than 7 years, it might not show up on any of the Mopar sites.

 

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/NOS-OEM-CHRYS...item4af7a75587

 

Bring back this thread from the dead to see if anybody has positivity confirmed that the Dodge lifters, part 04573458 will indeed replace the R53 lifters? Can the mini ones be removed from the rockers?

 

On topic of those plastic clips,
I've read that late 2006+ are fitted with metal variants, so mostly on R52's, if true, perhaps it would would be advantageous to grab the rocker assembly if you come across a 2006+ cabrio at the junkyard...




Also,
there's a guy in Bulgaria who has made some of these clips in brass:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392939944357

 

Did you figure out the removal process?

 

What a zombie thread!


On my first rebuild I used clips from a Dodge Caravan, so I'm guessing the entire lash adjuster is the same, that's why this procedure is applicable. The lash adjusters varnish in hard with time so come prepared for a fight.

The Dodge Caravan rocker arms were too big overall, but the Mini ones seem to be machined down versions. I never did find a 2.0 Neon but I have a suspicion that those rockers are identical to the Mini's.

For what it's worth, on my second and third rebuilds (not the same car, don't worry) I didn't use any clips at all, I just used grease to stick the little wiggly cups in place until everything was in place, after that everything is held together with valve spring tension.

 

Well I eventually answered my own questions. I can now confirm the Dodge/Chrysler lifters part number 04573458 ARE the same as the R53 supercharged motor (probably the same as the naturally aspirated as well) lifters.

The hard part, wow, the hard part was actually getting them out of the rockers. You can snap the little yellow clips off (some will break, most of mine did). The rest of the lifter is only held in with an internal snap ring. A couple I got out by pinching them with a pair side cutting pliers and tapping them out. Others I used vice grips and a small slide hammer. A couple I literally had to grind down and drill out. But once I had one out, I compared it to the new pieces. I mic’ed them and they are identical.

The new ones popped into the original rockers with just a little oil and a small screw driver to push in the snap ring.

 

Hello. Im the guy from Bulgaria. The clips are still avaible. The are installed on my car. So far 30 000km no problem at all.

 

I know it's been a while but are these still available?

 

no but i posted how you can fix em with the plastic ones