8 replies to this topic

[kingcreaky]

O.K, looking at the engine standing in front of the mini, with the bonnet up. left hand side of the engine, the bit of engine block between the clutch housing and the cylinder head, there are two (approx 1 - 1.5 inch diameter) slightly indented circles....(look like plugs) these are also on the front of the block at the same level... I believe these are called 'Core Plugs'.... well, the one nearest the back of the engine on mine is leaking water, very little water just a drip at a time, but its still leaking!!.

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First of all, are these actually called 'Core Plugs' ???

Secondly, do you know of any engines that have also done this

and Finally, are they replaceable...

Im tempted to get a rad-seal and wack it in the water, but as ive just spend best part of a grand getting the engine reconditioned, im quite reluctant to get finding quick fixes, and if this is a replaceable part I will much sooner do this, but as ive never seen it before I thought id ask.

The engine itself in all fairness is quite an oldon... its a 1972 1275 out of the old Austin 1300 GT, as I say Ive just spent megabucks getting it all nicely reconditioned!!

Any help, advice, experience would be grately appreciated.



Matt

[miniboo]

Yep they are called core plugs.

you can get them from minispares

http://www.minispare....aspx?pid=34657

thing it is possible to just pop that one out and fit a new one. Not sure how they are sealed in though. think it might be just popped in with a bit of superglue.

[Dan]

Yes it's a core plug. Yes you can replace them. Drain the coolant, screw a self tapper into the plug centre and use a claw hammer to pull it out. Clean round the rim with the edge of a screwdriver to get the hole scraped clean as clean. Find a socket that fits nicely into the depression in the new plug and use that as a driver to smack the new plug home. No glue or sealant needed but it can be a good idea to put a bead of silicon behind it, in the very corner of the groove all the way round. The plugs are too big for the holes and actually shrink in as you hit them so they seal well enough. You can get core plugs anywhere, even Halfords I think. Just make sure it's exactly the right size. Make sure you get the right type too, early core plugs were domed ones that expand into their hole as you hit them flat, the two are not interchangeable.

[giz]

72p?
72p
i once replaced a whole engine (i was only 17) because one of these was leaking and at the time i didn't know they could be replaced! but that was the first mistake the second was picking an engine with a cable clutch. obviously i had to swap the slave cylinder over and put the wrong bolts in (too long) and the engine wouldn't turn over so it took yet another engine to finaly realise what was wrong when i did the same thing again!!!!
what a muppet

giz

[Jammy]

A cable clutch?! Twas it not A-series??

[Dan]

Very late A series Metros used a cable operated Verto setup.

[Jammy]

Ah ok.

Ok then, moving on, could any of that help me with my cable operated Honda Vtec? I'm thinking pedal boxes, brackets, etc.

[dklawson]

Dan's given all the info you should need on this. The only thing I've done differently is to use a non-hardening gasket sealant around the outer diameter of the plug before putting it in instead of using the silicone. Either will work and just serves to fill any voids that may have developed from corrosion over the years.

[Sprocket]

I think the factory used Loctite Retainer as I did. There were traces of this when i built the 1400.