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#1 Tonylamb

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Posted 25 February 2018 - 09:49 AM

Ive been working on my car for a couple of months. I purchased a really great rolling shell so lots to do. Mostly doing the electrics to start with. Moving steering mounted gauges to centre, with loads of help from forum members. Ive also enjoyed reading and finding answers on the forum so keep up the good work. Here is my list of questions mostly regarding what to finish before putting the engine in.

Heater Matrix pipes, I only seem to have one hole on the ledge of the bulkhead below and left of the wiper motor? I have a very nice stainless plate fitted with four bolts. Under the plate there are two holes, should both the water pipes for the heater matrix come out of that plate? Or does one go through the bulkhead.

Ive attached a couple of pictures?

Next fuel pump, the engine has the mechanical fuel pump blocked off and I dont have a pump amongst all the bits. An electric pump would seem to be a good idea? You can add security measures with an electric pump. Having had my old 68 Cooper S stolen 30 years ago a secret switch seems like a good idea. So heres the question. I am thinking of running the engine in (its a 1380) with the HS4 carb that I have, its in good nick on a decent manifold. However I do want to switch to twin HS4s or the like. Which fuel pump should I get? I need enough pressure but not too much? Do I need a pressure reducer. The Webers on the lambo wont work with too much pressure, Im not sure about the SUs because they have the float chambers seperate. I need a pump with enough guts for both applications.

I have an electric Davis and Craig water pump with the control system on the shelf. I purchased it for another car but never got around to fitting it. There is plenty of discussion on the forum but if you are starting from scratch you might as well get rid of the mechanical pump. Ive found on previous classics that the biggest problems are at Idle, the pump doesnt circulate enough water at tick over regardless of fans and there is no air flow to help out either. Plus the electric water pump can run on after stopping which is good for the motor.

Ideas and thoughts much appreciated.

Attached Files



#2 alex-95

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Posted 25 February 2018 - 09:57 AM

For the heater pipes you can route them 2 ways, one goes through the stainless plate and the other goes through one of the big holes on the drivers side of the bulkhead. or you can drill another hole in the stainless plate and route it through there. depending on the heater you have it'll be easier to route it one way than the other.


Edited by alex-95, 25 February 2018 - 09:57 AM.


#3 Ethel

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Posted 25 February 2018 - 10:07 AM

Ive been working on my car for a couple of months. I purchased a really great rolling shell so lots to do. Mostly doing the electrics to start with. Moving steering mounted gauges to centre, with loads of help from forum members. Ive also enjoyed reading and finding answers on the forum so keep up the good work. Here is my list of questions mostly regarding what to finish before putting the engine in.

Heater Matrix pipes, I only seem to have one hole on the ledge of the bulkhead below and left of the wiper motor? I have a very nice stainless plate fitted with four bolts. Under the plate there are two holes, should both the water pipes for the heater matrix come out of that plate? Or does one go through the bulkhead. The plate blanks the holes for the master cylinders for left hand drive. Heater hoses have taken various routes and that's a good option to ovoid  drilling more hole through paint


Next fuel pump, the engine has the mechanical fuel pump blocked off and I dont have a pump amongst all the bits. An electric pump would seem to be a good idea? You can add security measures with an electric pump. Having had my old 68 Cooper S stolen 30 years ago a secret switch seems like a good idea. So heres the question. I am thinking of running the engine in (its a 1380) with the HS4 carb that I have, its in good nick on a decent manifold. However I do want to switch to twin HS4s or the like. Which fuel pump should I get? I need enough pressure but not too much? Do I need a pressure reducer. The Webers on the lambo wont work with too much pressure, Im not sure about the SUs because they have the float chambers seperate. I need a pump with enough guts for both applications. - SU only need 3psi, you can get pumps set at that pressure, particularly from Mini specialists. The pump output required is governed by the engine power, it's still an 'ickle A Series so almost any will do. Pressure regulator isn't essential, but can help to smooth out the supply pressure or run higher pressure in long fuel lines to combat those G forces  :P 

I have an electric Davis and Craig water pump with the control system on the shelf. I purchased it for another car but never got around to fitting it. There is plenty of discussion on the forum but if you are starting from scratch you might as well get rid of the mechanical pump. Ive found on previous classics that the biggest problems are at Idle, the pump doesnt circulate enough water at tick over regardless of fans and there is no air flow to help out either. Plus the electric water pump can run on after stopping which is good for the motor.

Ideas and thoughts much appreciated.

 

They do seem to be gaining popularity. Where's your radiator though? - an electric fan isn't really up to supplying the power side mounted radiator airflow needs.



#4 nicklouse

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Posted 25 February 2018 - 11:20 AM

i would not bother with an electric water pump on a road car the current mech water pumps do a very good job shifting water. what they are good for is on a race car for keeping the water flowing after shut down.

 

you may also have fun finding a position for it.



#5 Retroman

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Posted 25 February 2018 - 12:58 PM

As above really, you don't need a fancy fuel or water pump for a Mini.

 

An electric SU or Facet fuel pump either in the boot or on the subframe underneath as they all did before 1970 ish.

 

Don't use a Fuel Pressure Regulator on non turbo Mini its only something else to go wrong.

 

An electric fan and pump can be used, I assume its a side mounted rad. Its not easy to do without at least chopping the grille part out of the inner wing, the fan can then sit on that side of the rad, you may need to fabricate brackets for the top and bottom for the rad, and to mount the new water pump, which needs wiring and a thermostatic switch. The water hoses need re-routing too, which is a challenge.

 

You have to get very creative for a small and probably uneeded 'gain'. As Nick says a good high capacity conventional water pump will be perfectly good.

 

I would worry more about the radiator.



#6 Tonylamb

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Posted 25 February 2018 - 03:37 PM

I have a simple principle, don’t ask questions of people who know more than you do and then ignore the answers.

thus the mechanical water pump and fan will stay. I actually thought from long ago there where electric fan conversions but if its not needed so be it.

Seems to me that the water pipes for the heater can go pretty much anywhere?

I’ve had a facet pump on my V8 for ages and it works well so I will go for one of those I think.

I’ve don’t plenty of mechanics but always from taking the thing apart to start with. Its interesting starting with nothing and working from there. Thanks for the thoughts.

#7 Tonylamb

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Posted 27 February 2018 - 12:11 PM

Next question I have a 1380 fast road A+ engine to go in the car. Unlike all my previous mini’s the part where the heater control valve goes is blanked off??? How do you open and shut the heater matrix on an A+ engine?

#8 nicklouse

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Posted 27 February 2018 - 12:11 PM

drill it out and do the water as before.



#9 Tonylamb

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Posted 27 February 2018 - 12:20 PM

Is it difficult to lower the suspension on a car like mine? I remember in the dank and distant past cutting the rubber cones down??? I see you can buy a suspension kit and some new cones. Having a lower stance makes the mini look a bit more racy. But does it actually improve the handling much?

#10 Northernpower

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Posted 27 February 2018 - 12:23 PM

As far as the mechanical water pump is concerned have a look at the Minispares Evo pump http://minispares.co...px|Back to shop

. Because of the impeller design it doesn't cavitate at high revs and it comes with a 3 year warranty and you'll get 7.5% off the price as you're a TMF+ member. :proud:



#11 robj2502

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Posted 27 February 2018 - 04:08 PM

Next question I have a 1380 fast road A+ engine to go in the car. Unlike all my previous mini’s the part where the heater control valve goes is blanked off??? How do you open and shut the heater matrix on an A+ engine?

the later A+ cars used this type of valve:

 

https://www.ebay.co....119.m1438.l2649

 

It normally floated around to the right of the carb (if standing in front of the car) and used a sandwich plate under the thermostat for the heater hose take off

 

Sandwich plate:

http://minispares.co...|Back to search



#12 Tonylamb

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Posted 27 February 2018 - 09:10 PM

I’ve been reading that the hole for the heater hose in the head was blocked off in the later metro’s etc. But in fact that wasn’t as good for the water circulation around the head itself. So it seems to make sense to drill out the hole and go back to the early type of heater valve on the top. My question is though do I need to take the head off to drill out the hole and how hard will it be to drill it out? I’m a bit worried about all the swarf going in the heater jacket although I suppose I can properly flush it out before connecting up the radiator.

#13 nicklouse

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Posted 27 February 2018 - 09:30 PM

drill it out in steps with grease about to catch the swarf.  and a magnet to pick up after.



#14 Tonylamb

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Posted 27 February 2018 - 10:45 PM

I read some previous posts about this. Am I right in that if I drill out the hole and put the old fashioned heater valve on I will have connect one end to the heater matrix. Where does the other heater matrix pipe go to? Will I have problems with no by pass or do I need to drill some holes in the thermostat. The water pump on the engine has the by pass blocked off? From reading previous posts this seems to cause confusion amongst a lot of people.

Presumably the water goes in the large pipe in the head near the radiator and out the small hole by the valve the other end. Then down and through the heater matrix, if the valve is open and back through the return pipe to where? If the heater valve is shut how does the bypass work?

#15 nicklouse

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Posted 27 February 2018 - 11:07 PM

tap to matrix. matrix to bottom hose. same as standard.

 

no need to do anything to the thermostat as long as it is the type with small side hole with the wiggly thing in it. you can drill more holes but it will take longer to heat up.






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