8 replies to this topic

[Rover Mini SPi]

To the kind folks of The Mini Forum,

My 1993 Rover Mini SPi failed its MOT last week due to too high emissions of carbon monoxide (10%), and a lambda-value of around 0,7. 

Things worth mentioning about my Mini:
- I have changed the exhaust-system to one with a banana manifold. During that operation I also changed the catalytic converter and the lambda-sensor. 

- The mini is idling at around 1200rpm (too high) 

- It is spitting a bit out the exhaust especially under startups, but also during idling.

 

Is this a familiar problem to any of you? And do you have any good tips and tricks for bringing down the emissions? 

All help will be welcomed with open arms! 
Thanks a lot in advance. 

 

[edkirk30]

Have you run the usual SPI issues checks, split vacuum lines/joints, fuel trap, stepper motor, etc?

[FlyingScot]

Start reading the pinned posts in this section. As above vacuum pipes and fuel trap are service items and should be replaced if not done recently. This is the most common cause of issues.

FS

[Rover Mini SPi]

First of all: Thanks a lot! I really appreciate the help I will make a shopping list, cue the music and pull out a spanner.

Can anyone tell me what the Stepper motor does? 

Edited by Rover Mini SPi, 25 March 2018 - 08:02 PM.

[Wiggy]

It maintains the idle by opening or closing the throttle to suit.

[JoshuaTam]

You may have a fauty coolant temp sensor, when your engine is cold, the rev should be around 1200 and once the coolant temp getting hot, the rev will going down.

Did you notice that is the coolant temp go to the middle after the engine running for few minutes or it just stay at the bottom?

[Rover Mini SPi]

JoshuaTam, the coolant temp does go to the middle, but the RPM stays the same. However, the throttle cable is a bit tense, so I want to try slackening it off a bit  
Thanks for the advice!!

[roblightbody]

I had a 1994 SPi from 2006 until 2014, covered 50k miles in it, and wouldn't have been without the diagnostic computer.  I had the same issue as you, would struggle to get it through MOTs, and then i bought an ACR2 computer for it.  In fact I came to the conclusion you couldn't own one of these cars without also owning the computer....   using it I resolved long-standing issues with the car fairly easily - it also meant I could take the car to any mechanic  (who probably wouldn't have a computer for a 20 year old Mini).

 

Obviously there's tons of content on this site, but I made a video using mine at the time -

[gdudu]

I came to the conclusion you couldn't own one of these cars without also owning the computer....  

Hum, yes you're right, but today you can buy a cable at 35€ or buid it for 10 €, and a desktop

https://www.ebay.fr/...GEAAOSwc1FXbC63

instead an ACR2