11 replies to this topic

[luismx123]

Hey all

So after 2 months of waiting, my mechanic finally got around to checking whats wrong with my mini. 

It failed the MOT for bad emissions - 7.5 CO and 2500HCs.

I personally thought that it might have been a badly adjusted carb, possibly the wrong needle, and wrong mixture, so I brought it to a guy that has done some classic cars for friends.

He finally got to in last week and sent me a text saying that the engine only produced 6Bar (87psi) compression across all 4 cylinders. 
He also wasnt able to get the CO value below 5% and HCs below 1000 (I think the legal limit is 3.5% and 600 here in Austria, receptively)

He also said that the ignition timing was "completely off" - although the car ran pretty well before without hiccups.....hard to believe but ok...

 

My question is what could cause such low compression across the board? I understand that if 2 cylinders had a lower compression vs the other 2, then the head-gasket would have blown, but all 4?

 

Also, asking for some advice here. Should I bring the car to a specialist and have him do a complete runthrough and get my car MOTd and registered (will cost a bit), and have him do multiple things at once? What I mean by this is: if he has to swap the headgasket or open up the engine, should I just wing it and do a porting job/rocker changes/valve job etc. 
Im willing to spend probably around 2k to get the car MOTd, registered, "fixed", tuned, etc. 

I already have a stage 1 kit installed so whats the "norm" when it comes to engine work and upgrades inside the engine?

[Retroman]

I am thinking the whole unit is tired, not sure on what maintenance / mileage, use and abuse its had.

 

I would be having the head off, lapping all the valves in checking the guides for wear, new stem seals as a minimum

 

You can also check the bores for wear and or any step at the top.

 

The carb needs refurbing too, with a new main jet and needle as a minimum,

may need the spindle bushes doing and new seals if its an HIF, including the enrichment spindle seal.

 

If you wanted to port the head whilst its off go for it.

 

I would be doing it myself but stick to one person if you can, they can then work on the whole picture if that makes sense.

[luismx123]

I am thinking the whole unit is tired, not sure on what maintenance / mileage, use and abuse its had.

 

I would be having the head off, lapping all the valves in checking the guides for wear, new stem seals as a minimum

 

You can also check the bores for wear and or any step at the top.

 

The carb needs refurbing too, with a new main jet and needle as a minimum,

may need the spindle bushes doing and new seals if its an HIF, including the enrichment spindle seal.

 

If you wanted to port the head whilst its off go for it.

 

I would be doing it myself but stick to one person if you can, they can then work on the whole picture if that makes sense.

 

Well some infos to the engine: 
Its a 998 with an hs4. stage 1. got it with 68,000 km. Drove 1000km and then overheated. Radiator was empty after driving for 4hrs...Still havnt found a leak in the system, maybe it went out the weephole in the water pump? Car was drvien by an old lady from 1990 to 2011, then bought by a collector and only driven 5k untill I got it. 

Whats a rough ballpark estimate for costs of doing a service like that? excluding porting/headwork and including head work. (I dont wana call the guy and ask too much and then decide of doing it myself)
I was also thinking maybe just swapping out the 998 completely for a 1275 IF the cost/reward of the whole shabang was too high.
Im really tempted to do it alone, as Id love to learn the whole bit, but as its my first mini - or car in general, I thought Id get it done up properly once, so that I have a starting point of whats good/bad - learn the sounds, what knocking is bad etc. 

[nicklouse]

the problem with taking a PSI reading is there are so many variables, the fact that they are all the same shows that they are all in the same condition and there is nothing wrong, other than possible age related wear.

 but presuming that it is a true and correct reading it is well down

some infos for you

 1000.JPG   68.6K   10 downloads

[nicklouse]

Well some infos to the engine: 
Its a 998 with an hs4. stage 1.

so more info what was in the kit?

[luismx123]

 

Well some infos to the engine: 
Its a 998 with an hs4. stage 1.

so more info what was in the kit?

 

Well from what I can see there is a minispares stage 1 kit installed with the water heated inlet, rc40 exhaust and a k&n cone filter. Im assuming with high probability that the needle is installed as it otherwise would make no sense. (previous owner installed it)

[nicklouse]

 

 

Well some infos to the engine: 
Its a 998 with an hs4. stage 1.

so more info what was in the kit?

 

Well from what I can see there is a minispares stage 1 kit installed with the water heated inlet, rc40 exhaust and a k&n cone filter. Im assuming with high probability that the needle is installed as it otherwise would make no sense. (previous owner installed it)

 

never presume anything. is it a Minispares kit for a start? is the needle as speced? you need to know where you are before you can go forward.

[luismx123]

 

 

 

Well some infos to the engine: 
Its a 998 with an hs4. stage 1.

so more info what was in the kit?

 

Well from what I can see there is a minispares stage 1 kit installed with the water heated inlet, rc40 exhaust and a k&n cone filter. Im assuming with high probability that the needle is installed as it otherwise would make no sense. (previous owner installed it)

 

never presume anything. is it a Minispares kit for a start? is the needle as speced? you need to know where you are before you can go forward.

 

as stated above, it is a minispares kit, probably with the spec needle. doesnt explain bad compression does it?

[mikal]

Repeat the compression test with a different gauge. Could be the one used is not calibrated and reading wrong. I find it highly unlikely all 4 cylinders are so low with exactly the same readings...

[gazza82]

And throttle wide open

[Retroman]

Cost wise I would be expecting a fair bit of change from £2k doing the whole lot, non of the parts are expensive

[luismx123]

And throttle wide open

Ill have a chat with the mechanic this afternoon when I go pick my baby up. Not sure how exactly he tested it.
 

 

Cost wise I would be expecting a fair bit of change from £2k doing the whole lot, non of the parts are expensive

Yea I know, 2k should get me quite a quick puppy, just wondering about labour as thats the most expensive part :/
Im gonna have him get some negative camber adjustment registered and if the engine needs doing, having him do the porting/cleaning up etc.