The best way to make sure the two gaskets and the C Seals are correctly fitted seems to be to carefully lower the gearbox onto an inverted motor (even the Doc agrees!).

The best way IF you have a nice clean Box to mate to the engine...if it is a used one and you onvert it without cleaning first then you risk getting old oil and crud all over your nice new engine and gaskets....

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"Show me the Mini!"

Last long one one I did, I slung it evenly on a hoist. Used superglue to hold the 2 gasket strips on the block, and Loctite 515 on the rubber 1/2 moon seal to the motor.
No problem.

Another way is turn the whole thing upside down on a couple of old mattresses, then brace it somehow (steel fence posts?) to keep it steady while you drop the box on.

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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.

"steel fence posts?"

And Makka calles ME agriultural !

J

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Wouldn't an engine stand be a better bet?

They can be had fairly cheaply at Supercheap and the like on special.

I made a little mod to mine recently. Got an old alternator mounting plate at a garage sale (thanks Kazjim!) and welded a length of pipe (Scrap from work) to it to suit the diameter of the engine stand. Then drilled a few holes for the safety pin and voila.

I was worried if the two bolts would be enough, but Mini World had an article on engine build-ups recently and that's what they had. It's also in Vizards book (Admittedly they only showed the engine block not the whole motor on the stand).

KB

Yeah I've seen A series motors mounted by the alternator bolts, hey those bosses on the block are not real strong... I'd be wary of doing it with a gearbox on too. Maybe brace it to the oil filter mount, that's a lot stronger.

kazjim- you'd be amazed what I can make from steel fence posts, or angle iron, or water pipe... hey I grew up on a farm.. had a welder when I was 16!

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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.

where would you normally hold a mini engine on an engine stand with the gearbox on?

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Expert in training