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Few more problems


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#1 Pavel

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Posted 01 February 2004 - 03:44 PM

1) My taillights dont work.

Where do the wires for them come out at the front of the car? I dont think theres any problems in the rear and I dnt want to take off the fuel tank!


2) The '75 1275GT gauge cluster isnt working in my 1990 mini! Two problems:

First, the speedo cable from the 90 mini just spins within the speedo :S And also for the tacho, there should be two wires coming out from behind the gauges, out of the same place as that plastic connector that plugs in behidn teh gauges. Well my 1990 mini only has one of teh wires (the one with the the big round connector, not the small pin one). I cannot for the life of me find the other wire. Where does it connect to? I'll just run another one there. Does it need to be a thick wire or fused or anything?

3) Gearbox is kinda jerky. Like when it engages, its really like sudden and jerky. Could be the clutch I guess, but it used to work fine before! Could it be that because of the problems I have with the top engine steady the engine/gearbox rocks back and forth in teh engine bay making it harder to engage gears?


4) (MOST IMPORTANT). My rear brakes keep seeping a bit. How would I go about checking/replacing them (have another set on my 1275GT). The weird thing is that if I keep pressing the brake, its fine no fluid squirts out. But I just leave my car over night and the next day the wheel below the brake drum is moist and slightly wet from the fluid. This is mostly on the left wheel, the right one is fine almost.

The pipe union is a little wet, but i tried tightening it, and its completely tight! Also all the recesses in the backplate of the drum also have some fluid moisture around them. I scraped some fluid off the bottom of the face of the backplate to see if the fluid is dripping down the backplate, and it stayed dry, so I concluded that the seepage is between the backplate and the drum! Any ideas?

Is swapping complete drum/hubs from car to car difficult? Special tools required or not??

By the way when I say wet, i mean its not wet, but you can see that fluid was there. Its not like dripping wet (soakeable with a tissue). Kinda like grease on the engine, thats what its like!

Thanks guys

Pavel

#2 Pavel

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Posted 02 February 2004 - 02:43 PM

anybody?

#3 marksmini's better half

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Posted 02 February 2004 - 06:26 PM

I would help if I could but I really dont have a clue about this sort of thing sorry :grin:

#4 David_J

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Posted 03 February 2004 - 10:39 AM

Pavel, Can’t help on the first three queries but can offer advice on the fourth! Sounds like you have a leaking wheel cylinder. Pretty common problem due to age and use – basically the rubber seal(s) around the piston within the cylinder have worn and are letting fluid seep pass. Did the wet union dry up after you tightened it?

I’m not familiar with the exact model of your Mini but generally all the details should be like this.
You can either buy a new wheel cylinder complete (£10 ish) or just buy a new seal kit (£5 ish). Reusing an old cylinder from another car is do-able but these are your brakes and its worth getting new parts!! Most people go for a complete new cylinder as five quid for a few bits of rubber is a bit of a rip off compared to a tenner for a completely new cylinder+piston+seals+bleed-screw. You will also need new brake shoes as its likely that the leaking fluid will have contaminated them.

Replacing the cylinder will be detailed in most manuals but the process is like this…

1- Raise car on stands, remove wheel, release handbrake, back off drum adjuster, loosen brake pipe union on back of cylinder (catch fluid), undo screws retaining drum onto the hub.
2- Remove the drum (haha!) it might be stiff but try not to lever it off from the backplate with a screwdriver as you might bend the backplate. Generally tapping the drum with a soft mallet and waggling it will get it to come off.
3- Remove the brake shoes and springs – make a note of where all the springs go and watch your fingers when you lever off the brake shoes.
4- Remove the circlip or bolts holding the cylinder on to the back plate and then remove the cylinder.
And as mr Haynes always says reassembly is the reverse procedure but you will have to bleed the brakes afterwards and check that union for damage or leaks.!!

Hope that’s what you were looking for.

:)

#5 Pavel

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Posted 04 February 2004 - 06:40 PM

That's very helpful, thanks

What I was thinking though is this:

I have a 1275GT clubbie at my disposal (with spacered drums in the rear), and also a Mk2 mini (non spacered drums).

I could simply take off as much as needed from those in one big lump and bolt it onto mine? I prefer to hack the mk2 as the clubbie is more or less complete.

Should I replace the backplate along with the cylinders? Basically I'm looking to simply swap over from car to car with as little disassembly as possible!




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