Mini turbo

[alastair]

I have finally got round to taking out my engine again to give it a once over and change a few things. Third gear is difficult to select so I have to fix this, but I will probably change back to original gears and diff as straight cut close ratios are too close together for my liking.
Anyway, whilst the engine is out I thought I would move the oil cooler to try and get more air flow to it. This means cutting a hole in the wing and making up an air duct to direct the air to the cooler. I have started making the duct from an old carbon fibre door card i had laying around. This is what it looks like selotaped together for the moment:

[Moleman]

Well it's about flipping time mate.    It must be nearly a year now isn't it? 
Should be ready for Llandow in May when you last used it. 
Hope it all goes ok, it will be nice to see it on the road again. 

[alastair]

Im not sure it will be ready for llandow in may colin, but it was last llandow track day last may that I drove it. Im hoping to get it on the road asap and get at least one track day done this year.

[Moleman]

No worries mate. Let me know when your thinking of doing one. 

['The Gaffer']

Keep us updated alastair Shame the straight cut didn't work out.

[alastair]

So, I have managed to get the engine and gearbox put back together and back into the mini. Its taken longer than I expected due to sourcing gears, getting the turbo reconditioned and making some modifications such as fitting the oil cooler to the inner wing which meant making and fitting a new air duct to direct the air through it & re-routing the oil pipes and relocating the wiper motor inside the car so I could move the air filter away from the radiator etc.



In addition to this I purchased a mig welder and welded up a crack in the footwell where the subframe bolts to the car. I also welded a few extra plates to these areas to help strengthen them and hopefully spread some of the load.

[Moleman]

Nice one mate. 

By the way did that crack in the foot well happen because you keep stamping on the brakes too hard because you keep missing the braking point on the track days?   

[alastair]

Nice one mate. 

By the way did that crack in the foot well happen because you keep stamping on the brakes too hard because you keep missing the braking point on the track days?   

Haha, I wish, but I think it has more to do with the solid subframe mounts and much more power than the car was originally designed to produce.

I bought a new sump plug with extra long magnet, but I am unsure about using it as the magnet is only  held on by a spring ( no glue ). I'm not sure if I trust it. What are other peoples opinions about it?

['The Gaffer']

It might be held on by magnetism too

[Hairy Santa]

well done on the car mate, you have been busy

why do you want the magnet that far in ? it should pick up anything magnetic wherever you position it as the oil swills around the gearbox

I would have thought the spring was amply to hold it but if it did get loose it is gonna head straight for the diff or the gears, not a nice thought   

[Daley Down Under]

Hi Al - that's a masterpiece of pipework engineering.  Good looking job

Cheers Adrian

[benchmark51]

I wouldn't fancy using that extended magnet. If it looks like it could come apart then it may do just that.
On my pinto sump, I have an external magnet that I swiped from an old speaker. It is mounted near the drain plug. When I change the oil I remove the magnet to let any nasty bits flow out, then refit afterward. 

[alastair]

Hi Al - that's a masterpiece of pipework engineering.  Good looking job

Cheers Adrian

Thanks, I wish I could say it was my own handywork but it wasn't.

With regards to the magnet I have decided to use the standard one as I can pull the magnet off of the extended bar and dont fancy having it floating around the gearbox.