9 replies to this topic

[MiniBambino]

Hello, thanks for having me here. Happy new owner of a 1994 Rover Cooper SPI

I'm enjoying the air con here in sunny Australia, but not enjoying the fact that mini owners here don't as a rule have these Rover versions!

 

So I may be spending a bit more time here :)

 

I was wondering, Does anyone know if there’s a manual available for the ac fitted to the rover minis?

 

I can’t work mine out!

 

The green circled knob seems to just turn a quarter turn, no clicks, but do nothing obvious

 

The yellow circled Fan knob seems to have three or four positions it clicks into but nothing happens until the 4th when AC blasts

 

 

Any thoughts would be great thank you!

 

 

 

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[buznout]

The later cars have two vertical dials, one for the fan speed (your yellow) and the other for temperature control (your green). The fan speed will work independently but to get cold cold air, the temp and blower dials must not be off to engage the compressor clutch. Sounds like your fan dial might be at issue if it only works in the full position. When it is running, is the air cold?

 

Heater (your blue) is just for heat and is a separate system to the A/C 

[Bat]

Hi,

No previous experience with mini AC but as an installer of automotive AC systems I'd say green is the temperature control, think of it as a thermostat.

It won't get hot by adjusting the control, it just switches the compressor off to stop it getting colder.

The fact the fan only works on top speed tells me the resistor pack is shot.

Cheers 

Edited by Bat, 19 November 2018 - 07:15 PM.

[MiniBambino]

Thanks for the replies, amazing! Much appreciated.

Yes it does blow cold but on my (admittedly limited) testing I didn’t get any temp variation with turning of the green knob.

That knob also doesn’t seem to click on and off - I had assumed that it would click off and then the fan knob (yellow) would just operate as a blower fan.

What actually seems to happen is that as soon as fan knob is turned to any switch, a compressor (I think) clicks on in the engine bay. But no air blows until it hits max. I’m not sure if that is also caused by a fan resistor issue.

I’ve had a look in a few places including somerford minis but can’t find the replacement resistor part - is it easily located for trouble shooting, or is there a fuse that relates to the resistor?

Thanks guys, new to this rover stuff and it’s an amazing car but a lot more going on than my old 1963 850 had!!

[Ethel]

If I've understood Bat correctly, the left knob just turns the unit on or off when it goes above/ below the temperature set by the knob. Could it be the lower fan speeds are also via that "thermostat" and don't run unless it gets hot enough to trip the 'stat. The max fan setting might be equivalent to a simple manual on for the entire gubbins

[Bat]

Hi,

The blower fan should be running before the compressor comes in. Otherwise you'll just end up with a big block of ice under the dash!

All systems I've worked on from car to coach are wired so the AC clutch power comes from fan speed 1.

So from that I think the switch is ok and the resistor is the problem.

Most are housed in the blower motor to keep them cool.

The temperature control usually works from the air temperature of the car so it won't feel any different out of the vents. Factory fit mini systems have the sensor infront of the handbrake.

Cheers 

Edited by Bat, 20 November 2018 - 09:21 AM.

[Pops_Guild]

There’s a guy called David Ainley on here who might be able to help you source AC mini parts. He runs a Facebook group called Classic Minis Japan New & Used Parts.

[MiniBambino]

Thanks folks. So it seems the resistor pack is the likely cause as suggested, especially as reading the electrical manual for the mpi, which I found somewhere on here, it describes the circuit the fan switch takes at 1-3

Oddly the compressor (or something) is certainly clicking on with a single turn of the fan switch, so it intends to be activated but I guess the resistor pack being shot means the blower isn’t coming on until max power.

I’ll have to try that Facebook guy to see if I can find a resistor pack! (And where to put it hehe)

[MiniBambino]

As an addendum, I was advised that the resistor pack is in the bottom of the evaporator, secured by 1 screw.

 

And looks like the attached

 

Hopefully I can sort it out

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[Bat]

Hi,

Clean up those contacts in the right of the picture and you may well get it going again...

Cheers