Engine Stand
Turbo Mini Forums

Hello all,

Did a search and found lots of useful information but have a further question. Would much appreciate your advice.

I have noticed that some people support their block via (a) the fuel pump bolts (b) the alternator bolts or © alternator and oil filter bolts. However am very weary about supporting such a weight from just two fixing points, esp. the fuel pump as its offset to one side (although Bill Sollis adopts this approach in his dvd).

However I was playing around with the engine stand plate, and noticed I could fix it via 4 bolts on the flywheel side of the block. The bolts in question are those that support the clutch housing (3 of them within the housing, 1 outside the housing). But supported this way there is more shearing force on the bolts.

I dont know which method to adopt as all have their advantages and disadvantages. However tempted with the flywheel side due to the extra 2 bolts, and and the fact that their spread apart. However they are closer to the block edge compared to other fixing methods.

I would take some snappies but dont have a digital camera. Have I made it clear which bolts im refering to? Does anyone have any concerns about securing the block this way?

Sorry to write so much! Thanks in advance.

Chris.

Here's how I did mine,



Can't find the photo of it in the stand, this taken just after taking it out.

No problems at all with weight, it was very nearly balanced as I rotated it to build, gearbox included.

Top right bolts are alternator bracket. bottom right is one of the oil filter extension studs and left is a brass adapter I made to go in the oil relief valve housing hole.....

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Thats nice Rod S.

Did you not have any problems mounting the plate with the differing levels?

How difficult is it to get hold of those bolts or are they the standard?

Thanks, Chris.

Cant remember but are those bolt sockets all parrellel?

I do it like this:



Two alternator bolts, and oil filter head bolts.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Good stuff.

In your first post you said you made a brass adapter for the oil relief valve. Can the standard bolt not be used?

Im going to drill the plate tommorrow any particular drill bit I should use?

Im trying to think of an alternative method for packing out the spacings rather than using nuts. Shall pop to B&Q tommorrow see whats available!

Thanks again.
Chris.

The brass adapter I made was simply because the hole the relief valve goes into is very large..... I can't remember the exact thread but it's the same as some central heating fittings (so probably something like 3/4" BSP) and I just used a brass "plug" that size and drilled and tapped a 5/16" UNF hole in the centre of it to take the "standard" Mini bolts.

EDIT - drill bits.... decent HSS (high speed steel), start with something like 4mm and work up to the required size for each of your chosen bolts remembering the larger the drill bit gets, the slower the speed you should be using. And use plenty of lubricant/coolant when drilling steel - engine oil will suffice rather than anything fancy...

Edited by Rod S on 8th Nov, 2008.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Is the oil feed bolt a Banjo Bolt 5/8" UNF? Anyone know???

Can't remember - I could measure one if you want (I have one out in a box of bits somewhere) but remeber it doesn't go into the block straight which is why, although you can see it in my photo (top left), I didn't use it.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Sorry getting confused am after the relief valve thread instead.

Seems we dont have that bolt on the list of nuts and bolt sizes on the forum either :/

1/2" BSP (my guess last night was a size out....)

It's the same size as a lot of older plumbing stuff, ie the screw-in connections to steel radiators.

I simply used a brass blanking plug (from B&Q I think) and drilled/tapped the centre for a bolt.

Make sure its a parallel thread though.... lots of BSP stuff (like the connection to a radiator) is the same thread TPI but TAPERED. Do not try and screw a taper fitting in.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?ty=...LVE%20AND%20S...

Thanks rod. Just out of interest, in the link does the 15/16' refer to the bolt head rather then the thread size??

Haha, it's meant to, but MiniSpares are wrong....

The hexagon on the banjo bolt is 15/16" AF, the hexagon on the dome nut is actually 1" AF.

The thread certainly isn't 15/16" as it's OD is 0.825 on my vernier, and the TPI is 14 on my thread guages so that's 1/2" BSP parallel



Bottom is the parallel plug I used, top is a radiator fitting (tapered thread)

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Awesome.

Thanks very much for your help. Shall pop out to B&Q now!

i use tappet chest cover bolts and fuel pump bolts, i think four should be minimum for the weight of a complete build, can still fit pushrods.
I did it this way so i can get to the front of the engine because its the prettyest side to look at