Sup guys, long timer lurker first time poster yadda yadda. So basically my R53 burned a valve in cylinder 2 and I'm replacing the head myself rather than giving the shop $2500 to replace a valve. I've done headgasket jobs before and I'm familiar with locking the timing in place for when you are putting the same head back on the car, but how do I go about setting the timing on a new head that I'm putting on the car? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance ya'll.

Udpate: does the cam sprocket only go on in one orientation? If so that would alleviate my concerns

-Stoney

 

There really aren't any timing marks on the MINI. One thing I would suggest, is watch these videos from Mod MINI. He provides a considerable amount of information regarding as well as a very good step by step how to.

 

Funny thats actually the video I'm going off of, the dude is super helpful but his video only covers locking the timing in place on the same head that you took off the car. I guess I'm trying to figure out how to duplicate that process, but for a new head if that makes sense

 

I think I'm just misunderstanding how to set my new head to the same timing as the old one and I'm terrified about putting a valve through a piston

 

I just swapped the head on my R50 this past weekend. All I did was mark the chain and cam, similar to Mod MINI, when I put the new head on, I put the chain back on the cam gear, lining up my marks and then rotated the cam so that the pin fit in the key way on the cam gear. That's all I did. If you take off the rockers, or at least loosen them, it makes turning the cam to the correct orientation so much easier.

 

Also, when you do reassemble the car, prior to reassembling anything (aside from torquing the head down), use a ratchet and turn the motor over by hand. I turned mine enough times that I saw the cam gear rotate 3 full times without any binding. That gave me enough assurance that I wasn't going to have any interference.

 

 

Mod Mini video's are great but there are flaws. His engine rebuild video details him using ARP studs which he is heard to say he lost the directions for (they're available on ARP's site), and he should know ARP are not stretch bolts. He goes on to turn them after an initial torque, through 90 degrees haha, overtightening them, so please don't do this if using ARP! They're a fixed torque stud. He also put the sump on without the oil pickup and only noticed when he saw it on a shelf!

Anyway, there are some references on the chain and the holes in the sprocket for the cam tool used to hold it still. There is an unofficial timing reference which is accurate so long as you check it with a flat ruler or straight edge against the 'rear' cam cover gasket surface and hold it against the mark which is a line on the sprocket. If you don't use this flat straight edge you can be a tooth out. In the absence of the chain marks being in the optimal position this is fine to use as a timing check with TDC. I recommend using the correct tool to hold the sprocket while you put the torque value through its retaining bolt, some seem to hang on the chain which was never designed to handle such a high strain as it only pulls a cam in a roller rocker head.

It's easy to pre set the head off the car to TDC using the cam lobes for cylinder 1 pointing up if you want to, and it's fairly obvious you set the bottom end to TDC right? It's impossible to set the marks on the chain to align with the bottom sprocket mark as you can't see it, but say, if they were visible on the chain just above the head gasket surface, two turns would likely get them on the mark, but TDC is all that matters. You can get TDC about twenty times before the marks come round again, they have little bearing on re-assembly. TDC does. The cam sprocket small mark (triangle) will be at the top also when the 'line' is by cam cover gasket face.

You could also leave the rockers and cam off the head if you want, and torque it down in with the valves closed if you're worried, then simply fit the cam in the position you want, it makes the head lighter to handle haha.

Remember the front two bolts are only a low torque value. as are the guide top bolts and the (soft) alloy caps and rocker cover.

Remember to set the tensioner after assembly, in fact you can wind them in extended with your fingers if you have decent hand strength. I only say it as I've read that people are just starting the car in a hope it sets.

I think using ARP bolts is a good idea, but I also think it's a good idea if the head is off these cars, to fit ARP bolts to the bottom too, and while there fit a fresh set of standard size shells. If it were me I'd actually pull the pistons and check the small ends too, and soak them to clean the rings before re-assembly, not to renew rings, just be gentle with them and clean them. Then check the oil pick up is clear of debris. With the head off this is pretty easy to do as most of the work is already going on, but that's just me ;O)