26 replies to this topic

[s storer]

~~~~~Please delete this text before posting the topic~~~~~~
Please give your topic a title that quickly describes your problem. Just putting 'Help my Mini doesn't work' is useless to anyone trying to help.
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Model: mini clubman 998/ mini cooper spi
Year:1970/1993
Description of problem (please be as in depth as possible): hi my clubby is on the old hydrolastic setup which is ok. but the engine is tired, and i want to put it back on the road, i also have a 1993 cooper spi which has excellent mechanics and subframes. Is it possible to drop all the running gear out of the cooper and put it straight in the clubby? can i use the clubby's ignition system on the coopers engine? is it just a matter of dropping out the subframes of each car and swapping them over? i would much appreciate any advice on this subject as i would like to make a really nice clubby out of the 2 cars.



Any non-standard parts that might be involved with the problem?

[Rosslin Racing]

has your subframe on the clubby got two bolts per tower and the Cooper has one big one.
the wiring will also be needed if your running the injection, the tank, brakes, and a host of other parts,
maybe cheaper and easyer to use the engine and fit carbs or get the engine thats in the clubby rebuilt.

[Rosslin Racing]

are you trashing the Cooper?

Edited by Rosslin Racing, 13 November 2008 - 05:12 PM.

[s storer]

has your subframe on the clubby got two bolts per tower and the Cooper has one big one.
the wiring will also be needed if your running the injection, the tank, brakes, and a host of other parts,
maybe cheaper and easyer to use the engine and fit carbs or get the engine thats in the clubby rebuilt.

Hi don't know about subrame bolts, what would i need to do to swap from injection to carb? i have no idea but that would be far easier to just do a engine swap i know i would have to use the shafts and disc brakes as well. I thought there would be a lot involved to swap from injection to carb. Not to hot on mechanics i'm afraid. Thanks for advice. cheers simon.

[s storer]

are you trashing the Cooper?

no if it was possible to use the cooper running gear i was going to do that. but otherwise it's on the for sale section for 500 pounds.

[Rosslin Racing]

converting injection to carb is also abit long winded, there is also a question of how good the carb version would run with the camshaft that is fitted to the injection engine, i would be inclined to have the engine you have rebuilt, that would be the simple way to go.

[Guess-Works.com]

Std Injection cam is the same as the std carb...

Converting an SPi to carb is not difficult, as it's basically a carbed engine which has been converted to run an injection system...

[s storer]

converting injection to carb is also abit long winded, there is also a question of how good the carb version would run with the camshaft that is fitted to the injection engine, i would be inclined to have the engine you have rebuilt, that would be the simple way to go.

hi thanks for the advice, i might as well just sell the cooper then, shame the engine and the rest of it are sweet, i think i might see how much a rebuild will cost me. the original engine seems ok it starts and drives ok, just seems to lacking in power, i know it's a old a series 998 but it dosent go like it should. it would be better to keep the original engine in the car, but having the cooper as well i thought i could have saved a some money and made one good one out of the 2 cars. once again thanks for the advice. cheers simon.

[s storer]

Std Injection cam is the same as the std carb...

Converting an SPi to carb is not difficult, as it's basically a carbed engine which has been converted to run an injection system...

hi what parts would i need to buy? and what parts do i need to ditch to convert from spi to carb? it seems pointless paying out for a rebuild on the old 998 if i can swap engines and change a few things and do a upgrade, i know the history of the cooper engine and much i paid a couple years ago for that engine to be rebuilt. thanks for the advice, i'm a bit confused now as to what can be done. thanks for the advice.

[Guess-Works.com]

Std Injection cam is the same as the std carb...

Converting an SPi to carb is not difficult, as it's basically a carbed engine which has been converted to run an injection system...

hi what parts would i need to buy? and what parts do i need to ditch to convert from spi to carb? it seems pointless paying out for a rebuild on the old 998 if i can swap engines and change a few things and do a upgrade, i know the history of the cooper engine and much i paid a couple years ago for that engine to be rebuilt. thanks for the advice, i'm a bit confused now as to what can be done. thanks for the advice.

What parts do you have, do you have the complete engine with ancillaries, radiator etc ???

Basically you'll need a carb, the one of your 998 will work, but an HIF44 would be better...

You'll need to replace the Dizzy with one from a Carbed 1275 mini or metro ( again the 998 one will work but will not have the correct advance curve for the 1275 )

Drill out the hole in the head for the heater tap unless you have all the heater pipes, and likewise the temp sender, unless you intend on using the spi temp sender which I think is in the rad ???

Oh, and finally, fit the fuel pump from your 998 onto the back of the 1275 engine..

Apart from that it's pretty much drag and drop..

[s storer]

Std Injection cam is the same as the std carb...

Converting an SPi to carb is not difficult, as it's basically a carbed engine which has been converted to run an injection system...

hi what parts would i need to buy? and what parts do i need to ditch to convert from spi to carb? it seems pointless paying out for a rebuild on the old 998 if i can swap engines and change a few things and do a upgrade, i know the history of the cooper engine and much i paid a couple years ago for that engine to be rebuilt. thanks for the advice, i'm a bit confused now as to what can be done. thanks for the advice.

What parts do you have, do you have the complete engine with ancillaries, radiator etc ???

Basically you'll need a carb, the one of your 998 will work, but an HIF44 would be better...

You'll need to replace the Dizzy with one from a Carbed 1275 mini or metro ( again the 998 one will work but will not have the correct advance curve for the 1275 )

Drill out the hole in the head for the heater tap unless you have all the heater pipes, and likewise the temp sender, unless you intend on using the spi temp sender which I think is in the rad ???

Oh, and finally, fit the fuel pump from your 998 onto the back of the 1275 engine..

Apart from that it's pretty much drag and drop..

hi the cooper is complete as is the clubby they both start on the key. both cars have the all ancillaries. someone i know has said to use the carb off a mg metro with the inlet manifold. is this right? what about the coopers ecu? do i still use that? my friend years ago had a old mini with a mg lump in it with a electronic ignition. have i got to use a similar setup? would the original clubby wiring be compatable with the cooper engine to make it work? sorry for all these questions but i need to know whether it's viable to do this or just do a rebuild. i'd rather have the 1275 with a carb setup as in the future i would like to supercharge it.

[Guess-Works.com]

someone i know has said to use the carb off a mg metro with the inlet manifold. is this right? Yes that'll do the job

ECU? Loose it

my friend years ago had a old mini with a mg lump in it with a electronic ignition. have i got to use a similar setup? No, the dizzy on the injection is just there to trigger from the ECU, you need a dizzy with either points or a electronic ignition, eg that used on the MG lump

would the original clubby wiring be compatable with the cooper engine to make it work? Yup, at the end of the day, wires are wires

Additionally, it's likely that your clubby is running an inertia starter, rather than a pre-engaged.... you can alter the wiring to run the pre-engaged or swap the flywheel and clutch from your original engine over to the injection unit, and use your original starter...

[s storer]

someone i know has said to use the carb off a mg metro with the inlet manifold. is this right? Yes that'll do the job

ECU? Loose it

my friend years ago had a old mini with a mg lump in it with a electronic ignition. have i got to use a similar setup? No, the dizzy on the injection is just there to trigger from the ECU, you need a dizzy with either points or a electronic ignition, eg that used on the MG lump

would the original clubby wiring be compatable with the cooper engine to make it work? Yup, at the end of the day, wires are wires

Additionally, it's likely that your clubby is running an inertia starter, rather than a pre-engaged.... you can alter the wiring to run the pre-engaged or swap the flywheel and clutch from your original engine over to the injection unit, and use your original starter...

thanks so much for the info, i think the cost of getting a carb&inlet manifold and changing the other few bits will be the best way forward. the clubby deserves a decent engine. the 1275 will be that much more user friendly. if i knew of this website earlier my minis would'nt have been sitting for the length of time that they have. it's always good to chat with people who know what there talking about. cheers simon

[998dave]

Carb and manifold aren't too expensive, I picked up a manifold, spacer, abutment plate, carb and K&N all for the grand sum of £32 off ebay, the carb is mint, so just got to put the closest needle I can find in, (BDL in my case - not sure about yours), and get it on a rolling road.

Dave

[s storer]

Carb and manifold aren't too expensive, I picked up a manifold, spacer, abutment plate, carb and K&N all for the grand sum of £32 off ebay, the carb is mint, so just got to put the closest needle I can find in, (BDL in my case - not sure about yours), and get it on a rolling road.

Dave

thanks for that i shop about and get the parts sorted for the engine swap, i was going to sell the cooper for bits purely because i thought there would be to much involved in the swap. Not to mention the cost involved, now it seems that i can get it sorted for a few pounds and some hours of tinkering. cheers simon.