15 replies to this topic

[smailzy]

Hello!

Hoping for some help (again)

I have a 998cc 1988 mini city. A few weeks ago it started stuttering when accelerating. I guessed at the carb and so tried to take it apart and clean it, put it back and tried tuning it. It ran fine for a few days and then got even worse, stuttering under load and making a popping sound when idle.

I conceded defeat and took it to the local garage... they changed the condenser and sparks, took apart and put the carb back together for me as well as fitting a new exhaust and rewiring the immobiliser (Total of £159)

It ran really well for all of 24 hours, when last night I tried to go to a friends... I got halfway there and then, for some reason, when I tried to accelerate the engine just cut out. She would start and sit quite happily but the second I put my foot on the pedal she died

Called out the RAC and he said that the carburettor has just given up the ghost. He managed to do something to allow me to get home but now at higher revs the engine just gives up.

Does this sound like a new carb or is there something else that I'm missing?

Any advice on this would be really appreciated!

Thank you!!

Edited by smailzy, 16 November 2008 - 07:25 PM.

[Pauly]

If the carb had been serviced then it should be ok, seeing as its been stripped down it could possibly do with a tune up, also check for air leeks round the carb, check all the nuts to see if they are tight also.

Paul.

[taffy1967]

So the garage replaced the condenser and spark plugs, but did they also replace the ht leads, dizzy cap, contact breaker points (plus set them properly) and the rotor arm?

[smailzy]

Thanks for the responses, much appreciated!

I'll take a look at all the nuts and check for leaks around the carb itself...

They just replaced the sparks and condenser, he mentioned that he'd reset the points but didn't say he'd changed them... do you think it's worth replacing these other things?

[Retro_10s]

When you took the carb apart,.. did you also take the float bowl lid apart and clean out the needle valve?

[taffy1967]

Thanks for the responses, much appreciated!

I'll take a look at all the nuts and check for leaks around the carb itself...

They just replaced the sparks and condenser, he mentioned that he'd reset the points but didn't say he'd changed them... do you think it's worth replacing these other things?

Well I would, especially as you don't know how long ago they were last replaced.

[smailzy]

Well, it turns out that there was stingy bit of transparent plastic in the jet that was causing the cut out... Removed that and all was well... (Thank you for all the advice ) until this morning as now it won't start at all!

As I mentioned they rewired the immobiliser so that it would run through the starter motor and now it's not working!

The lights come on etc but the car won't even turn over there seem to be a lot of posts about immobilisers so I'm off for a quick search...

Edited by smailzy, 19 November 2008 - 09:14 AM.

[smailzy]

Having problems with my poorly mini again. I had my HS4 1 1/2 SU carb adjusted at the garage and that seemed to fix my running problems for a while. However, a few weeks down the line and now my car is not happy again!
It is difficult to start, is hunting when it does start, it's fine when I'm on the motorway or similar but at low revs/when I'm stopped it stutters and sometimes cuts out (even when the engines warm) I've tried adjusting the throttle but this hasn't helped and I can't get it to idle at the right speed, the rpm's either jump up and down or fall down and the engine stops.
Does this sound like carburettor or am I missing something? I've changed the plugs and HT leads pretty recently but before this problem started.
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I'm currently pulling my hair out!

[lrostoke]

Sounds like the mixture is a bit weak

[smailzy]

Sounds like the mixture is a bit weak

Am I right in thinking that's the carb's fault?

[just_st3v3n]

check to see if your connections arent corroded on your coil... happened me before and same sort of thing happened when driving
its rare that a coil breaks or becomes faulty but if you have a spare one handy switch them over and try it out..

Edited by just_st3v3n, 13 February 2009 - 08:46 PM.

[minikenning]

my car was spluttering under load and running reallt badly we put electronic ignition in it still poor running checked everything and in the end it turned out to be a cracked rotor arm in the dizzie u could try that they are only a couple of quid :) tell me if it works:)

dom

[panelbeaterpeter]

I'd disconnect the immobiliser for now, until you sort out the running, in case it's got something to do with it. Get the timing checked, adjust the carb, and make sure all the HT leads are making a good connection in the dizzy cap. Mine was doing this recently, one of the HT leads wasn't pushed on properly, and had started to corrode. Cleaned it, gave it a squirt of wd40 and it's now spot on again.

[matty121]

mine had a similar problem to this, the advice i have found is first of all check all the electrical components are dry and that the connections are not loose as when you accellerate it could cause the conection to break due to engine vibration. hope that helps sounds simple but might work sorry about the english i wrote this quickly

[91neon]

does running with the choke part out improve it. This wont be a solution but if it improves it then your mixture is weak, Ive had similar issues and it could also be timing out but does sound like mixture to be honest.

is your air filter standard? when i changed to a k and n without rolling road set up i had similar issues and went back to standard filter. the problem wont be difficult to fix but be methodical from ignition to carb.

cheers nic