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 Posted: Apr 4, 2018 06:18AM
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Start simple

How old or how fresh  is the gasoline in the tank?   sure you just purchased this car. but if its sat 4-6 months.. i  say its ' bad'
  Replace the fuel =  or get it low and add ALL NEW GAS.

Go out for a rip.
 
Plugs are fouled.  If Gas isnt fresh they WILL run poorly... Happens every few months when i bring out my 'rarely ' driven mini.. Runs bad till fresh gas is in the tank!

 Posted: Apr 4, 2018 05:57AM
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QUOTE BY BILL COX “derwood.. why were ALL these gremlins NOT sorted before you bought your dream classic mini?? later b c”

QUOTE BY Derwood “ What on Earth were you thinking when you dumped GALLONS of MOTOR OIL onto the grass of a PUBLIC PARK , underneath about 8 or 9 new BMW MINIs ? You left the car club with a 300$ CLEANUP BILL. Imagine how expensive that work would cost now. Happily, you were right about ONE THING. My Mini IS my dream classic Mini. Later d g

 Posted: Apr 4, 2018 05:31AM
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Wow Minimike1, that was/is an excellent list of procedures to troubleshoot with. The propane test is one I have never heard of before , but I’ll bet it works better than many other methods under most circumstances. This will definitely be tried. As will the rest of your ideas/methods.

The car only revs up in neutral if I push the throttle. Not sure if that is what you meant. ?

It’s great to learn that having the jet level with the bottom of the carb body is a good referenced starting point for tuning and running. Great tip, and it will happen later today. Actually all the ideas that you all have shared will be tried today. I’m very happy with the response and amount of knowledge shared. Mike, I really like your method of checking the valve clearances. 4th gear and easy pushes will let me SEE the cam lobe when it is approx 180 degrees from opening the valve fully. Slick ! I’m not sure about your feeling towards Haynes repair books, but I’ve owned one for almost every vehicle I’ve owned, except for a pair of Ladas ( shame, shame Derwood ! ) that Haynes didn’t produce manuals for. I think they are great. Yes, I have one for the Mini. Spark plugs are sooty and when running in one spot for a longish time, black marks are left on the asphalt. Apparently rich, I think. I will definitely be removing the float chamber cover and checking float level, dirt, needle valve, etc as well as checking my fuel pump capacity and looking for crap in the gas. +3 Mike ! You’ve been a great help. Werewolf, I already took full credit for for making the mistake of buying without seeing, driving etc. I made a mistake. Let’s move on with this. Although my car has has had, and still has troubles to be worked out, I will get it done. The upside...the body is in amazingly great condition. This was further confirmed yesterday when the front carpet had to come up to access my transmission issue. Zero rust. Period. Personally, I’ll take mechanical work over body work any day. Bill, I do appreciate your point, but there is no need for this issue to be brought up to me again. Fair ? Thanks.

I really appreciate all this great help guys. Awesome to have such a great bunch to get from , and give to. All the best, Darren. PS- I’ll be reporting back wihen I have things to report.

 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 05:33PM
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derwood.. why were ALL these gremlins NOT sorted before you bought your dream classic mini??  later b c

 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 05:22PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MacEwen
Check out the following link to the British Automobile Touring Assn of NS...  There is likely someone within that club that either resides in PEI or has experience with Mini's... in fact I'd almost guarantee it.  BTW they put on a spectacular show in Windsor each summer... worth the drive in any car!

//www.batans.ca/


Rich
Shoot, wrong Windsor, I was hoping it was the Ontario one.

 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 04:50PM
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Don't get too hung up on trying to find a fellow Mini owner or Mini specific mechanic. Any British car mechanic worth his salt or an experienced enthusiast will be able to help get this engine sorted.

 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 04:41PM
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Thank you for the link MacEwen. I have viewed the Batans web site, but not in months, and I didn’t do anything but check out the cars. Like you, I’m sure there are Mini owners at Batans. Hopefully I’ll be able to take my Mini to Windsor this year. I want to hit some car shows, for sure. I’ll check things out at the batans website. See if I can get some help.

Thank you and cheers Rich ! Darren.

 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 04:38PM
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there's lots of things that could be out of whack.  Does the car rev up in neutral?

I'd take a propane torch, NOT LIT, and start the engine. Trace the vacuum line from the dizzy with the torch to the intake, and then around the intake at the head, and carb.  If the engine speeds up, you have a leak in a gasket, or the dizzy vac line.

After that, I'd open the carb top, pull out the piston, and look at the ring/jet in the center bottom of the carb. crank the jet up to be flush with the carb casting. It will be obvious when you open it and peek down there.  Re assemble it and drive it.

You need to do each thing one at a time to prevent causing other issues.

Then I'd pull the plugs, and in 4th gear, roll the car forward and backward to check the valve clearances.  If you don't have a Haynes book of lies, now is the time to get one. Look on ebay and amazon. 

After the valves are adjusted, take it for a drive again. Also, what do your plugs look like? 

Next check your timing.  Again, use the book to look up your specs, or look on this site. #1 cylinder is closest to the fan. TDC refers to top dead center. When the piston is at the top of it's stroke.  Again, with plugs out, you can rotate the engine easily with the car in 4th gear. 


Mark your distributor and pinch bolt so you know where you are before you start to move it. Scratching the index mark is better than using a marker as you might wipe off the mark accidentally. Use an awl to scratch the mark.


And anytime you can remove the  3 screws on the float bowl and pull the assembly out. Peek inside the bottom of the float bowl and see if there's lots of crud in there.  Also check to see if the float is loaded with gasoline. Sometimes they get a hole and won't float impeding gas flow. In the cap of the float bowl is a needle above the float. You can remove the float and pull the needle out.  Check the oraface for grit and look at the needle to see if it's flattened. Should resemble a cone shape.

put it back together and drive it.  Also, get a jar or coffee can, pull the gas line at the carb, and crank the engine and observe the flow of fuel. It should pump the jar full fairly quickly.  Let the jar sit. Look for grit in the bottom of the jar. You might have a rusty tank and grit keeps bogging down the needle in the float bow.


Drive it again. 

Also check your ignition wires, coil wire, and make sure they are not grounding out.  Check the resistance in each wire with an ohm gauge.  connect to each end of the wire. See if you have a wire(s) with internal faults. Replace wires.


Drive it.



 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 04:19PM
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CA
Check out the following link to the British Automobile Touring Assn of NS...  There is likely someone within that club that either resides in PEI or has experience with Mini's... in fact I'd almost guarantee it.  BTW they put on a spectacular show in Windsor each summer... worth the drive in any car!

//www.batans.ca/


Rich

 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 03:23PM
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Sorry minimans, I should have explained that I have driven the car on the roads. It gets up to operating temperature during these runs. But still the throttle response is aweful, even after some road miles and the temp gauge showing operating temperature.As far as the jet position goes, I only looked at it briefly today after working on the transmission. I understand now...thanks very much. Any ideas for the trouble spot ? Sound like Carburetter trouble to you ?

Hello MacEwen. Sadly there is ( to my knowledge) only one other Mini on PEI. And I’ve never met the owner. Yes, a timing light will help, but if was off by a lot it would ping etc. That will be tested though, for sure. As you read, I have had the car for drives. Long enough to fully warm the engine up. Still the throttle response is aweful. Bogging out, and flat spots all over the rev range, except for a small part of the rev range. Thanks Rich. Keep an eye on this thread please. As things are tested and I report back, some more ideas might occur. For sure of one thing....it needs that tuning.

Thanks gents, Darren.

 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 02:51PM
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I'm not sure who is in PEI that could help... but being new to the Mini it may be helpful to have someone with experience actually come see the Mini with you and show you some stuff... or have it trailered to a British car mechanic (enthusiast even) who can help with tuning.

Sounds to me that you are in need of a good tuning... (timing, ignition, rocker gaps... yeah carb to, etc...)  Money well spent to avoid frustration at your new toy.

+1 for just let her warm up (I think its still cool in PEI)... once warm, go for a drive!!  ...then see how it works or not.

Good luck
Rich

 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 02:48PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Derwood
I have anouther question too. With the choke pulled out, this lifts the jet assembly. This seems to me like it should move up towards a thicker part of the needle, and thus reduce the fuel flow. Obviously the opposite ( more fuel ) happens. What information am I missing or have wrong ? Derwood.
Your arse about face, the choke lowers the jet to a thinner part of the needle (not really but this explanation will work) think of the needle as obstructing the fuel flow, so a thinner part allows more fuel to bypass it and out of the jet

Mini's are like buses they come along in a bunch

 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 02:29PM
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But have you driven it yet? not just started it up? you need to get out and drive the car to clean it out and get everything warmed up and at operating temp. you cannot do this just by starting the engine.

Mini's are like buses they come along in a bunch

 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 02:25PM
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Hi minivans. Yes, I have ran the engine. It starts right up with some choke. But it runs very poorly, with what feels like a very narrow rpm range that has good throttle response. Mostly it bogs down, even when warm.

I have anouther question too. With the choke pulled out, this lifts the jet assembly. This seems to me like it should move up towards a thicker part of the needle, and thus reduce the fuel flow. Obviously the opposite ( more fuel ) happens. What information am I missing or have wrong ?

Derwood.

 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 02:15PM
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Have you actually driven the car yet?

Mini's are like buses they come along in a bunch

 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 02:11PM
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Thanks for the tips Dan. This is all great information you have given me. My carb doesn’t have the lift device, so I will reach into the oval inlet and test for the clunk, as well as the other items you mention. Also, after checking my Haynes manual it advises that I check valve clearance and do a compression test before touching the carb.

+1 Dan, thank you for your help. Darren.

Please keep the information coming gang...it’s truly appreciated.....I’ve got to get my engine running properly.

 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 01:38PM
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CA
Too early to be thinking about carb rebuild.
Since it is a HS type, you can remove the top of the fuel bowl to clean it without removing the carb. You can check the float and inlet valve, which is where dirt will accumulate. Remove the inlet jet and check the hidden top of it - there should be a fine screen there which may also be blocked. The inlet needle and jet are intended to function on about 3psi, so gentle mouth air pressure should determine if they work. Adjust the float properly - too high a fuel level would cause rich running; too low would cause starvation on heavy accelleration.

Make sure your dashpot piston falls with a small but positive clunk. Engine OFF! Remove the oil filler cap and damper piston to do this. Your carb may have a small lifting pin to do this test, but if not, just reach down the intake elbow with your finger and lift the piston up and let it go. The piston will fall under gravity and internal spring pressure. If the dashpot piston does not make a clunk, the main jet and needle may need re-centring.

Determine if your carb has a "waxstat" type jet installed. The "wax" part is a capsule that expands with heat to lean out the mixture as the car warms up. A failed one would possibly stay rich.

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Apr 3, 2018 01:12PM
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Hi folks, hope you are all doing fine :) Today I fixed my transmission trouble ( there was an error in the install of the short shift kit ) and am happy to have that behind me. What I now need is some opinions as to why my Mini ( stock 998 A+ ) runs so terrible. It starts fine but rough. Even as the car warms up the car bogs down, then if I give it more choke it pulls better, but still very very poorly. So far my concerns were all about the transmission shifting trouble. Now I must get the engine running much better. As far as trouble shooting, all I have done so far is to check the condition of the ignition system. It seems good, but the plugs are sooty. I tend to think the trouble is in the Carburetter. I have an ‘89 JDM model with the SU HS4 carb. I think my next step is to remove the carb and give it a strip down. Perhaps I’ll find some varnish or sh*t inside ? I have a new needle ordered, but I haven’t ordered a rebuild kit yet. So in short, I plan to do a visual check while I await the needle. Perhaps I’ll order a rebuild kit too. Does this all sound like Carburetter trouble to you ? And is a rebuild kit a must have to do a good job ?

Please share your thoughts and opinions with me. I hope to get some use out of the car some day not far in the future, but it must be running much better. I need the engine running properly.

Thank you all in advance, Darren. PS- any trademark faults with this carb that I should look for ? Does anyone think I should do more testing before the teardown, and if so, what do you suggest for my next step ?

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