Cam replacement without taking the engine out
Turbo Mini Forums

As above, is it at all possible?

It's a recently rebuilt engine installed in a removable front mini, so access won't be a problem. I'm thinking the cam followers are going to prevent me from sliding out/in the cam.even if I remove the push rods and rockers.....

Any suggestions? Or should I not be lazy and just remove the engine and drop the gearbox.

Best idea is to take it out and do it properly with new followers.

You could cheat and put magnetic probes down each pushrod hole to hold the follower up but seems a faff to me.

Another option if you didn't want to split the engine would be to drain it of all fluids and turn it upside down to do the job.

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing half of.

As per John (unless it's a 998 or one of the derivatives with removable covers over the followers).

If you try the magnet trick, make sure you use VERY strong magnets - if one lets go while the cam is out you will never get the follower back in place without stripping the engine anyway.

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

You posibably could do it as per John's post BUT sods law you will drop a follower and end up stripping the engine anyway.

What the mind can conceive the mini can achieve
MITP 2012 17.01 seconds 1/4 mile against "The Don"
MITP 2013 16.83 seconds 1/4 mile

Probably be more expensive for the magnets than for a full set of gaskets! lol

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing half of.

to be honest, I'd always recommend changing followers when changing the cam anyway

Pretty much as I expected, the engine has only done two complete 8 lap races and a few run in laps, do u think it's still necessary to replace the followers?

my understanding is that they bed in with the cam during running in. Having said that, i've also re-used them in the past.

Someone with more technical knowledge may give a better guide on this aspect

Lets face it...with a removable front end, removing the engine is only going to be even easier.

I know on my turbo, full steel car I could have the engine out in under 60 mins without pushing hard.
Then the ca swap is an easy job.

Leave it in the car and you'd spend more than 60mins fucking about with scraped fingers and knuckles and lots of cursing.

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

Do it right - do it once

Agreed.....

Had the engine out twice this year already what's one more time, thanks for your help

There's never enough time to do it right the first time but always enough to fix the mess.

What the mind can conceive the mini can achieve
MITP 2012 17.01 seconds 1/4 mile against "The Don"
MITP 2013 16.83 seconds 1/4 mile