74 replies to this topic

[Twichel04]

Whats wrong with LHD if you drive on the wrong side of the road..

2 cylinders not firing on a mpi... a compression test is the very first thing to do.

I just didn't want to get out of the car to go get fast food. You know how lazy and fat us Americans are.

Haha, I'm here in the states too. My Mini is RHD, I thought it would help keep me away from the drive through... Cause like you said, I'm not going to want to get out of the car, and if I can't go through the drive either, I might just lose a few pounds, haha. Where abouts in the US are you? I have a PDF copy of an MPI Rover Service Manual if you want a copy.

Like the others have said, I would check the coil pack, it could be faulty. I wouldn't think that your leads are in the wrong order since you said it happened while you were driving, But I may have misunderstood. I would also go for a compression test. You can rent a tester from Autozone for free.

While there really are not any shops in the states that specialize in the injected Minis (since we really are not supposed to have them here) a good shop should still be able to diagnose and repair. It's really not that different from any other mid 90's fuel injection system on any other euro car.

And I would also have to agree that you have yourself a 97+ MPI Mini re-VIN'd as an earlier one. It's not right, but it does happen. Mine is one of those too, only mine is an SPi.

That is a really nice looking Mini though! Wish mine looked that clean.

Edited by Twichel04, 18 January 2013 - 03:25 AM.

[rane]

Whats wrong with LHD if you drive on the wrong side of the road..

2 cylinders not firing on a mpi... a compression test is the very first thing to do.

I just didn't want to get out of the car to go get fast food. You know how lazy and fat us Americans are.

Haha, I'm here in the states too. My Mini is RHD, I thought it would help keep me away from the drive through... Cause like you said, I'm not going to want to get out of the car, and if I can't go through the drive either, I might just lose a few pounds, haha. Where abouts in the US are you? I have a PDF copy of an MPI Rover Service Manual if you want a copy.

Like the others have said, I would check the coil pack, it could be faulty. I wouldn't think that your leads are in the wrong order since you said it happened while you were driving, But I may have misunderstood. I would also go for a compression test. You can rent a tester from Autozone for free.

While there really are not any shops in the states that specialize in the injected Minis (since we really are not supposed to have them here) a good shop should still be able to diagnose and repair. It's really not that different from any other mid 90's fuel injection system on any other euro car.

And I would also have to agree that you have yourself a 97+ MPI Mini re-VIN'd as an earlier one. It's not right, but it does happen. Mine is one of those too, only mine is an SPi.

That is a really nice looking Mini though! Wish mine looked that clean.

Thanks for your help. You have a PM. You can always go to Checkers (Rally's)! HA!

[minisilverbullet]

There aren't many countries with LHD Minis are there?


Basically the whole of northern Europe sold MPi minis straight out the showroom (Sweden/Denmark/Germany/Holland/Belgium/France). I would suspect it has come from one of these countries.

[Ethel]

Is the speedometer in miles or km?
Coil pack seems likely, the outer 2 wires will be for switching individual cylinder banks, trace them back looking for breaks. Mpi's also have a cam sensor.

[xrocketengineer]

You might want to get in touch with tmsmini since he is a TMF member. Terry has collected a good amount of info on the MPI ECU diagnostics. Here is his website:

http://www.tmsmini.c...er/mini_efi.htm

[rane]

There aren't many countries with LHD Minis are there?


Basically the whole of northern Europe sold MPi minis straight out the showroom (Sweden/Denmark/Germany/Holland/Belgium/France). I would suspect it has come from one of these countries.

Thanks. Yours looks fantastic. Any idea how to tell country by VIN? And year?

[rane]

Is the speedometer in miles or km?
Coil pack seems likely, the outer 2 wires will be for switching individual cylinder banks, trace them back looking for breaks. Mpi's also have a cam sensor.

Kilometers I'm afraid. Will be looking into cam sensor as well. Thanks!

[rane]

Going to search for the diagnostic port tonight. Initially the thinking was the car was much older. Hopefully it is under the dash and around the column as indicated on my searching.

Mechanic says there is no spark. We are going to investigate the coil pack. Again, not sure what was done before by PO and if work was decent. Perhaps this is the root of the problem and/or the wiring order is incorrect.

Will be getting wiring and schematics printed Monday so we can investigate other causes more completely and look into cam and crank sensor wiring.

Thanks again to all!

[Fast Ivan]

it all points to the coil pack...
no spark: check
faulty tacho: check
recently "changed" coil pack: check
I might be wrong but thats where I would start and work back from there, assuming the leads have been changed?

Edited by Rob Mac, 18 January 2013 - 11:22 PM.

[minisilverbullet]

There aren't many countries with LHD Minis are there?


Basically the whole of northern Europe sold MPi minis straight out the showroom (Sweden/Denmark/Germany/Holland/Belgium/France). I would suspect it has come from one of these countries.

Thanks. Yours looks fantastic. Any idea how to tell country by VIN? And year?

You wont find where it was sold using the VIN, but will find some more info http://www.minimania...umbers__Part_II

Though, if you have a look around the engine bay and petrol tank you may be able to locate some warning stickers in the language of the country the car was sold in the car

[rane]

There aren't many countries with LHD Minis are there?


Basically the whole of northern Europe sold MPi minis straight out the showroom (Sweden/Denmark/Germany/Holland/Belgium/France). I would suspect it has come from one of these countries.

Thanks. Yours looks fantastic. Any idea how to tell country by VIN? And year?

You wont find where it was sold using the VIN, but will find some more info http://www.minimania...umbers__Part_II

Though, if you have a look around the engine bay and petrol tank you may be able to locate some warning stickers in the language of the country the car was sold in the car

Good idea!

[4V8s]

ah well, good to know some of our british classics travel that side of the pond, as I certainly have collected a few of yours over this side! So happy to help as I have walways gotten good help from your compatriots over the years! Presently have 67 Mustang convertible, 74 Corvette Convertible and a '77 Firebird all in various states of work. And much like minis (although less so the later MPI cars!) - all can be worked on and taken apart with a socket set and a few screwdrivers. No computers!

[L400RAS]

ah well, good to know some of our british classics travel that side of the pond, as I certainly have collected a few of yours over this side

Yeah... just a shame a car of that true age should have never entered the country in the first place - just glad it wasn't a UK car, as it would have reduced the number over here...

[rane]

Got to see the car this weekend. Mechanic was at a standstill until I brought down hundreds of pages of manuals thanks to links and help from the forums. We looked over some things but mostly read through the book and worked through some ideas in theory.

Here are some better pictures to help with dating the car as well as a picture of the cylinder numbers and their attachment to the coil pack at present.

The part number for the ECU does not match the part number for the book, but I'm assuming that's just a MY issue?

I did not find any foreign language to help with its original destination country...

[L400RAS]

looking over the Rover Workshop manual, you have your plug leads in the wrong order. On the coil pack, i seem to remember the poles being marked with cylinder numbers...

Edited by L400RAS, 29 January 2013 - 01:05 PM.