Seeing how may minis have gone to their final resting places as a result of vacuum pump implosions I've decided to do a delete of my own design. One thought I've had is the exhaust cam and thrust issues with a deleted vacuum pump. Does the vacuum pump act as a thrust mechanism to keep the cam centered? Or does the cam have a mecanisim other than the vacuum pump to keep it popping out of the motor? I've done a search here and looked at dozens of pictures of exhaust cams and can't find a difinative answer. I'm in the process of gathering parts and haven't got the cover off an engine myself to actually see what's going on. When I do the swap I'd like to be in and out in one shot and not spread over several days. My thoughts were to remove the innards of the pump and tap a set screw into the oil gallery of the pump housing, with lock tight, and no one would be the wiser of the modifications.

 

Are you planning on adding an electric pump? I remember seeing an old thread (not sure if it was this forum) where a guy made his own plug for the end of the cam and installed an electric pump with pressure switches, etc. If I remember correctly, he concluded after a while that he didn't even need the electric pump...I think he added a vacuum reservoir, so maybe that saved up enough vacuum. The plug he made had no provision for cam thrust, only a means to keep the oil in the engine.

 

Here it is:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...mp-delete.html

 

After repeated searches I've only come across two others who have done this. Yes I will be using an electric 12 volt pump and another resovior. There does appear to be a vacuum tank on the mini but I will add another small one as a back up. I'm thinking I won't need the electric pump but it's going to be there for back-up. There will be more to this than a vacuum pump as I'm also redoing the pcv system in conjunction with it. I will be gutting the valve cover pcv system and using the intake pcv port as a brake booster and turbo valve signal.

so can anyone answer the exhaust cam thrust question? Is it held solidly in place by a captive bearing?

 

Can anyone answer the exhaust cam thrust question?

 

RPM power tuning has a billet vacc-pump delete on their race cars.. im waiting for them to fab and sell but they havent dont so yet. **I believe it also requires swapping the stock turbo too, for correct wastegate operation.

 

That's the point of my question lol. I'm not going to install a block off plate I want to leave the old pump in its place. I'm going to gut it, so I need to know what prevents the cams from moving forward and backwards, as in a trust plate or bushing or whatever. Does the vacuum pump act as a thrust plat or bushing?

 

Stock turbo change is not required with this upgrade. An electric pump is replacing the mechanical one.

 

The new vacuum pump has arrived from China. I'll be doing a few things all at once when I install the new vacuum system. I'll be doing a new vacuum system for the brakes and turbo, new PCV system with occ and walnut blasting to valves. If there is interest I'll do a thread on my progress.
I'm still interested in the exhaust cam thrust issue if anyone has knowledge on this I'd be interested in hearing about it.

 

 

I would assume the block-off plate used in the removal of the OEM vacc pump would serve the same purpose in securing the end of the cam, preventing thrust. From the pics ive seen it appears to have the same indent/machining on the inner face as the vacc pump, where it mates to the cam..maybe the block-off has a part that spins in the center. *Why dont you send 'GP garage Italy' on FB, a DM and ask them for some details? They always answer my questions.

*as for that china pump: You plan on creating your own vacc system/source/tank to remove the OEM? For what purpose, or what result are you expecting here?

 

I'm at the point in my life that I try not to assume anything anymore. If no one here knows for sure I'll get it figured out once the valve cover is off.
yes I'm creating my own vacuum system. Purpose? To prevent engine damage from poor vacuum system design. Result? Preventative maintenance to prevent engine damage.
I've been looking for a mini for a while and have ran accross a large amount of them with blown engines. Some are the timing chains and some are the vacuum pumps seizing up and locking the exhaust cam. I can only put in a new timing chain but I can eliminate the vacuum pump.

 

why not remove the guts (the moving plate inside) of the vacuum pump and keep it in place? The noise might still be there, but you know it will never seize up.

 

I've thought of doing just that, leaving the rest of it together. Just removing the vane that produces the vacuum will definitely will work. I just want to eliminate the small drag and oil feed also. The noise , however small, would be a bonus also.
I don't think that the pump actually prevents the cam from moving by the looks of the pictures I've seen.

 

our engines actually have really good vacuum which is part of the reason they are so efficient.. Im not sure how much the parasitic loss from the vac pump on the cam is.. but Im sure you may gain some rev/response, similar to putting in a low weight flywheel.

*warm idle, my JCW sits ~ -23in/hg

 

its not the actual vacuum produced that's the problem, it's the fact that they seize up and grenade an engine that's the problem.