13 replies to this topic

[Boab]

Well here I go again,
Went to start Rab on Sat morning and it would turn over but no joy. Tow the car to see if it would start and it would for about 10 secs then cut out again. It has a Toad Cat 1 alarm and immobiliser, but that seems to be working fine. The car will be booked into a garage to see what is going on and what wires are for what. I have 15 fuses under the bonnet and do not have a clue what they are protecting.
Just thought I'd let you all know.

[Pavel]

15 fuses? That's a lotta fuses under the bonnet!

Check all of them...

You say it runs for 10secs then cuts out. Have you tried choke/no choke or throttle/no throttle? Could you give some more details on how it runs for those 10 seconds and how it dies? (stutters or just cuts out?) Any smell of fuel around the carb? Any backfiring? Any smoke?

I'd suggest you try some basic things yourself before giving it to a garage.

i.e. Check all leads are in the right order (if you haven't changed them around since the car last ran, then just make sure the connection is good to the distributor cap.)
Check distributor cap connections and inside for moisture.
Check you have a spark on every cylinder (take out each spark plug in turn and check that it's sparking)
Check that you have fuel getting to the carb (sometimes you can get a clog) by disconnecting the fuel pipe from the carb and cranking the engine (fuel should spill out of the pipe...)
Make sure your coil is getting 12v to it constantly (if you have a multimeter). Clean the spade terminals on the coil and re-attach them.
Check dashpot moves freely up and down in the carb and make sure your carb has dashpot oil in it.
Make sure you have no air leaks around the inlet manifold (while car is running for a few seconds spray some WD40 around the inlet manifold. if the sound of the engine changes then you have an air leak).

Good luck!

[Boab]

I've got a couple of weeks holiday coming up so I will give all these things a try.

Cheers

[Pavel]

All the above shouldn't take more than an hour! :]

However if your wiring is really messed up as it may be if you got 15 fuses floating around the engine bay, that can cause A LOT of headaches in a mini (even the factory wiring loom is pretty crappy). If possible pick up a new wiring loom at Bingley if you're going for around 30-40 pounds or have a bespoke one made at an electricians, and if you can't install it yourself ask them to do that too. It might cost a bit but a bulletproof wiring system that makes sense makes all the electrics function that much better!

Once you're at it you can even move the fusebox inside behind the passenger side glovebox compartment onto the bulkhead. That way you don't have to be out in the rain cleaning fuse connections because they corroded from the wet!

[Boab]

What glovebox??? :gasp: :gasp: :grin: The whole dash is my glovebox at the moment.
I think it is a Metro loom any way(??????) Should be fun in the hot Scottish weather we are having

[Boab]

What a difference a bit of petrol makes. I am stupid. The fuel gauge said yes and looking inside the tank said yes but obviously the pump said no.
Now I know how many miles to expect out of a tank. Gave me a chance to clean all the leads and dizzy cap.

I just need to adjust the mixture now. Is the adjustment clockwise for richer and anti-clockwise for leaner?? Then just keep driving until it feels right??

Thanks for the advice guys.

[Jordie]

HS4 then yes it is.

Turn one flat at a time. Adjust idle if nesecery, check engine throughout rpm (rev it manuelly or take it for a drive to see if any more adjustment nessercary).

If it backfires, you may have turned it too rich and need to lean it off. Its all patience.

If its really far out, adjust afew turns to get somewhere near, then do the above.

[Boab]

It is a HIF44, but I think it is the same principles??? Not going to do anything with it until I'm on holiday as it is dark when I get home.

Cheers

[Jordie]

not fimilar with the HIF44, so best to check haynes or something.

[Pavel]

Turn the screw OUT = Lean OUT
Turn the screw IN = Richen

The screw should be on the side of the carb, drivers side, pointing kind of diagonaly towards the bulkhead

[Dan]

NO NO. There is a right way to tune an SU, and trial and error isn't it. You can do it that way if you like but you do run the risk of blowing pistons if you have it lean or any number of other problems. Read the book and do it the way it says. If you don't have the book then say and I'll stick up a brief rundown.

[Boab]

Cheers Dan,

I have the Haynes manual and will follow your advice and do it properly. I can't afford another engine just yet.

[Pavel]

No need for a new engine in 99% cases ;]

[Pavel]

To be honest we mini owners have been spoilt badly. Whenever a tiny niggly bit comes up people just throw in a new one lol