13 replies to this topic

[harryh733]

Hello all,

Yet again my mini refuses to behave and so I took it to the garage today to try and sort my intermittent revving problem that is slowly getting worse and worse.
I left it with them and they took it for a drive and of course it didn't rev up at all but they tried to connect their computer to my ECU and apparently they could get info such as what ECU it was on the screen but it couldn't connect to anything at all, the guy was showing me while he tried to connect to it and it was just saying it was unable to connect

They gave up after trying for over an hour and he said it looked like my easiest option would be to convert to carb and forget the whole computer side. I have recently started to hate SPi but I know that if its working properly it will be reliable and easy! Im not looking for more power or anything so just want the basic system to work but it just keeps throwing up problems

Im running out of ideas now and as Im still a poor student and trying to save for IMM I have literally no money to spend to get it right.

The other thing he said was that when they disconnected the stepper motor nothing changed so said that was useless. All I want is for my poor engine to run well again and stop revving itself like a mad thing every 2 minutes so Im now asking desperately for any help or advice on what to do or what may be causing it. Maybe its worth getting some other garage to try my ECU but it doesn't sound great.

Its just so typical, mum has said she wont help anymore, apparently its just not practical me having a mini but I wouldn't change it for the world and wouldn't dream of getting rid of it... I just need a miracle way of making it well again.

Thanks and hope someone out there can help
Harry

[minidaves]

they are connecting the lead to 12v too? and what are your running issues in simple terms

dave

[harryh733]

He had a 12v lead on the coil running to his computer, is that what you mean? It changes its idle all the time and jumps from about 900 to 1500 RPM, and then after it warms up or after about an hours driving it will sometimes rev up by itself other times it will just hold its revs, as in you let your foot off the accelerator and the revs stay where they were but then sometimes you take your foot off and the revs will fly up to 6000 and stay there. I can stop it by turning the engine off and on again and it all goes back to normal for about 5 minutes, but then it does it again. I have gotten used to it but in the city it becomes really difficult to drive.

Thanks,
Harry

[L400RAS]

Hi Harry,

no offence to the garage, but are you sure they were plugged into the correct socket? -there are two near the brake master cylinder, and look very similar. If they plug into the wrong one - that is the alarm box, and cannot be read with a normal scanner. I had this and was puzzled, then swapped over the plug and all was fine. It may be hidden down near the left inner wing.

I think the green plug is the alarm one...

Ryan.

[zorgster]

alarm bells rang that a garage would suggest converting to carb as the best option...

check the vacuum pipes and their elbow joins for splits... that's the first check, i'd do, speaking as a poor person... then take it from there...

[minisilverbullet]

This rings a bell!!

I have the exact same and i mean exact same problem on my Spi.

Idles jumping around from 600 - 1500, sticking revs from the last highest point, which if you take your foot of the pedal the car drives itself!! If you put the car into nuetral when doing this the revs shoot right up!!! And when you restart the car all is normal! untill the next time.

To be honest it seems to happen alot less frequently to my spi at the moment, im not hold my breath though. Im currently waitng for a delivery for the Uk with some parts! I found it hard to find somewhere here (Sweden) who had the gear to read the ecu. so i am going to replace the sensors (which may or may not be affecting the problem). Firstly the coolant temp sensor, and thermostat. I also have the problem that my temp guage rarely rises higher than above the blue! could be related to the problems above.

How is your temp guage?


I even see the problem when you do manage to get it read by a reader that, the car wont be presenting the symptom at that moment.

you said it was unrelated to the stepper motor?

Dont give up o it quite yet!

2 heads are better than one after all!

Cheers

Craig

[Sprocket]

This rings a bell!!

I have the exact same and i mean exact same problem on my Spi.

Idles jumping around from 600 - 1500, sticking revs from the last highest point, which if you take your foot of the pedal the car drives itself!! If you put the car into nuetral when doing this the revs shoot right up!!! And when you restart the car all is normal! untill the next time.

To be honest it seems to happen alot less frequently to my spi at the moment, im not hold my breath though. Im currently waitng for a delivery for the Uk with some parts! I found it hard to find somewhere here (Sweden) who had the gear to read the ecu. so i am going to replace the sensors (which may or may not be affecting the problem). Firstly the coolant temp sensor, and thermostat. I also have the problem that my temp guage rarely rises higher than above the blue! could be related to the problems above.

How is your temp guage?


I even see the problem when you do manage to get it read by a reader that, the car wont be presenting the symptom at that moment.

you said it was unrelated to the stepper motor?

Dont give up o it quite yet!

2 heads are better than one after all!

Cheers

Craig

This will be my last post EVER on this forum, so make of it what you will

I recently helped fix a fellow club members SPi with a light throttle hesitation and run away revs problem. It turned out that the throttle position sensor was reading incorrectly at low throttle openings. The problem was intermitant and slowley got worse to the point that it was dificult to drive. Idle speed was hunting. Chenged the throttle position sensor for a known good one and as far as I am aware, has not done it since.

[robtheplod]

This will be my last post EVER on this forum, so make of it what you will

no!! - whats wrong??

[cooperdan]

This will be my last post EVER on this forum, so make of it what you will

no!! - whats wrong??

Read my topic here then you'll know

Edited by cooperdan, 06 March 2010 - 08:51 PM.

[robtheplod]

This will be my last post EVER on this forum, so make of it what you will

no!! - whats wrong??

Read my topic here then you'll know

sure he'll rise above that - spi techies are desperately needed!!!

[cooperdan]

I hope matey

[shedonwheels]

This will be my last post EVER on this forum, so make of it what you will

I recently helped fix a fellow club members SPi with a light throttle hesitation and run away revs problem. It turned out that the throttle position sensor was reading incorrectly at low throttle openings. The problem was intermitant and slowley got worse to the point that it was dificult to drive. Idle speed was hunting. Chenged the throttle position sensor for a known good one and as far as I am aware, has not done it since.

I would listen to Sprocket and replace this sensor
If that doesn't work...
I had a similar problem with my mini (mine is mpi) where the revs would stick and the car would drive itself, or I would come to a stop and be in neutral and the revs would just fly up. I went through it all, getting my ecu plugged in and replacing temp sensors etc. but in the end it turned out to be the plastic butterfly valve in the throttle body had warped over time and this was causing it to stick.
You could try a little test which was how we identified the problem with mine, take off the filter box and go for a short drive, as soon as your mini begins the high revs pull over quickly, pop the bonnet and press your finger down on the throttle body flap, if the revs go down then there is your problem. It can be fixed temporarily by giving the throttle body a really good clean but ideally it'll need replacing. Also, while driving round town with this problem I found sitting with the mini held at biting point was a good way of keeping the revs down.
Goodluck! Mine is a daily drive and I was tearing my hair out with the problem for a while so I can understand your frustration!

ps: sprocket don't go!

[harryh733]

Thanks for all the advice everyone! Its great to get some proper advice and help, the garage only seemed interested in my money, of which there isn't much anymore thanks to my mini

It sounds like it could either be my throttle position sensor or the butterfly valve then. Thanks shedonwheels, I will give that a go next time it does it and see if thats sticking

I have been looking at entire SPi throttle bodies on ebay and have found a couple. I think I read somewhere on here before that its easier and sometimes cheaper to get the whole unit second hand and then take off that you need, is that a good option do you think? if so I will try and win one of those. I was beginning to worry that my ECU might be knackered after what the garage said about it not being readable but I think it must be ok as it does run very well when its in a good mood and not revving like a mad thing.

Its one of those really annoying problems because sometimes it wont do it for days at a time and then it suddenly it will do it every 5 minutes so I just want it to be sorted so I can stop worrying about it driving me around on its own

Please don't go Sprocket

[Mattl]

If your ever by Solihull, i have an SPi code reader and the pukka rover testbook kit.