I have 3 different covers and wondering which is the best.
2 have crank seal located externally and 1 internally.
Also the seals were removed and were rubber inside a metal circle. New ones are all rubber. Is there any benefit to the metal ones over the all rubber ones.

The 2 external seal covers are early. Morris 850? Minor?
Cooper S and later Minis had the seal internal.
I prefer the plastic covered seal.

_________________
DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

2A937 outside seal, stiffener plate, timing marks, 850 (left)
AYA115 outside seal, stiffener plate, 1964 (right)
AYA135 inside seal, vertical ribs, stiffened flange, long splash guard, 1965
AYG285 inside seal, vertical+horizontal ribs, stiffened flange, short splash guard 1971 (middle)
12A1419 inside seal, stiffened flange, timing marks, mini-matic

It appears none of the above covers is for a Cooper S.

There appear to be many more of these covers: AYA135, AYG82, 12A1418, AYA139, 12A723, 12G786. The parts book shows 12A723 and AYA135 listed for Cooper S. AYA135 is as described above, 12A723 is similar to 2A937 and has timing marks. That is, the left hand one above. The parts book 1011M says that AYA135 has timing marks, but according to the drawing, this is not so.

My timing chain covers (from Mk2 S's)

_________________
1970 Mk2 Cooper S under restoration

I guess BMC/Leyland were never happy with their timing change covers!

This is the timing chain cover on my 1970 MK II S. Looks to be the same as ausdino's.

_________________
ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Except a lot cleaner ......

_________________
1970 Mk2 Cooper S under restoration

Readers, I've had a look at all the drawings for timing covers for what I believe is appropriate for Mini based upon parts book information.

The attached picture shows the situation. The two parts in orange are listed in the parts book (1011M) for Cooper S, but don't agree with the pictures shown above for known examples. The oil seal listed is AYA138. This seal has a steel outer case, and drawing shows first used on ADO16. The same parts books says AYA 135 has a timing pointer, but drawing says not. It would seem (not for the first time) that entries in PUB1011M are not correct.

The parts in red agree with the pictures shown above as examples for Cooper S. The only difference in the red entries are the part numbers for the oil seal. Otherwise the metalwork is exactly the same.

Parts book PUB1052 shows Cover AYG285 and then 12G2507 for Clubman GT using seal 13H6516/13h6517. The later cover 12G2507 has a breather. Other part numbers 12G2508 and 12G2511 also appear on this drawing but application vehicle is unknown.

For oil seals, we have:
13H4061 rubber with steel insert (steel shell visible from inside of the seal).
2A939 rubber with steel insert rounded outside leading edge that feeds into recess in the cover.
13H6516 rubber with steel insert chamfered outside leading edge (steel shell encased wholly within rubber).
PUB1056 specified oil seal AYG284 for “all models” except 850,997,998 Cooper which use 2A939 (external seal). AYG284 is a metal backed seal with a pronounced metal flange, steel on the outside of the part.

It would seem a bit of a nightmare actually but as far as Larry is concerned, it would appear that none of his covers are Cooper S/GT.