Following a recent blown head gasket I have been pulling my 1970 K apart and finding the various short cuts and mistakes the previous owner has made - missing washers on head studs, missing screws on rad shroud etc., annoying but all easily fixable.

One of the things I’m not sure about is the breather arrangement. The first photo shows the set-up before I got the spanners out.



The tappet cover breather has been crimped closed (and touches the exhaust manifold when it is all screwed together)..



I was thinking of flipping the tappet cover 180degrees, cut the crimp off and connect to the other breather with a T.

Another option is to get one of these covers



What was the original arrangement like and what is the recommended method?

The engine is a fairly standard 1098 but with an LCB and alloy inlet, though no porting/polishing. Not sure about bore or CR, though the head is going to get valve seats done and a skim.

Cheers, Paul.

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1970 Morris Mini K

The brochure here has a similar setup for the K. Rocker cover breather to a carb spacer between the carb and filter. Adding a t piece and connecting them both to the carb will allow a little more breathing, and also keep the fume smell down as it’s all being captured. The oil cap should be vented too

viewtopic.php?f=51&t=94542

I have 3 breathers on mine. I added the flywheel housing breather during the recent rebuild just to give the engine all the air it can get

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Mr Calver advises that the cannister should be regularly cleaned and filled with fresh gauze...to avoid this...

[Edit: Stainless Steel fresh gauze]

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"Show me the Mini!"

I have owned my mini K from new although it has been altered over the years. Difficult to remember now what was on it originally although I still have all the parts. It was an early production model and many changes were made in the production period.
From memory:
1. the oil trap on the rocker cover went to the spout on the air filter housing - meaning oil fumes contaminated the air filter. There are images of factory Ks with the oil trap facing towards the clutch end also.
2.the "tappet cover breather that has been crimped closed" wasn't on my K. It was used on earlier minis when pollution controls allowed the engines to vent to the atmosphere. The crimp was factory and the gap was a deliberate setting (10 thou?) and not closed completely.
3. The oil filler cap was not vented as the crankcase breathing system was not originally 'positive' ie not drawn out of the engine, just allowed to escape under its own pressure and directed to be reburnt.

Otherwise modern motors like lots of breathing, as Timmy 201 suggests.

just seen a breather on Ebay, may be a help