470 replies to this topic

[carboy001]

Quite possibly one of the most frustrating days on the mini yesterday!!!! AAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Well me and Steve got down to the garage with the intention of getting the engine running on it's own steam when we turned the key, not quite that simple as ever.

When I opened the garage I knew I had an oil leak as I nipped down over the fortnight but didn't think it was that bad but upon pushing the mini out there did seem to be a lot more than expected to be honest but we cracked on regardless with the intention of going back to it once the we know the engine runs.

So out in the sun it went and found another fuel leak near the fuel pump which had actually disintegrated the rubber bobbins supporting the fuel pump under the rear subframe, great so fixed the leak but need need to get some new rubber bobbins.

Then had a crack at turning the engine over and it turned out the small leak had drained all the fuel (over £10's worth), so out I went and got some more fuel, filled it up and eureka, it fired up, running like a bag of nails but running all the same!

Then more fun and games....the oil leak was worse than ever coming from the timing chain cover, ANOTHER fuel leak on one of the fittings into the fuel pump and the exhaust was blowing.

Anyways a video below of it running whihc I gotta say I was mega smiley at this point even with all the problems, at least it proved it could run!



So going back to the problems, the fuel leak has since been fixed with a bit of PTFE tape around the thread of the fitting. The exhaust was primarily blowing as I hadn't used any exhaust gum to seal the joints as I didn't think this was manditory but also the manifold is poorly put together, so going to question this with Moss as it was stainless steel and by no means cheap with at the joins being about a 3mm gap which isn't acceptable in my book, so that has been taken off. And finally the timing cover leak has mean't I have had to remove it in order to place a new gasket, must have just been a bit of gasket seal I missed.

So basically wanted to get the engine running and it's ended up partly stripped with no exhaust!

Oh fun mini owning days! Was still a progressive day in the grand scheme of things though so gotta look on the bright side

Cheers
Chris

[stevede]

But think of the positives.....

Fuel leak now sorted (we hope) and the new bobbins are a 10 min fix.

If we get the manifold (Maniflow) sorted that should be another hour to fit, and provided we get the leak first time, the chain cover & reassembly is only another hour.


Plus........................ It didn't rain


Have sent a PM about the manifold

[carboy001]

Very true Steve, I'm all for thinking of the positives. Was just frustrating that everything went against us yesterday, would have been 100 times worse with rain though haha!

[daddy2coull]

wow, what a thread, awesome build

[analogue_radio]

Minus the minor set backs, look at the bloody thing! I'd be well chuffed mate.

(Worrying that I've got all this frustration to come.. haha)

[daddy2coull]

i agree, i'd be chuffed to bits with the amount and quality of the work done

[fattail95]

Lovely build - you've done a stunning job!

[carboy001]

wow, what a thread, awesome build

Cheers mate

Minus the minor set backs, look at the bloody thing! I'd be well chuffed mate.

(Worrying that I've got all this frustration to come.. haha)

Haha, good luck with them but I think you get them just from owning a mini, just seemed to be taking the biscuit on Saturday with the amount of problems haha.

i agree, i'd be chuffed to bits with the amount and quality of the work done

Once again many thanks, much appreciated

Lovely build - you've done a stunning job!

Thank you, much appreciated


Right, so folling on from Saturday got the following parts on order;

-Manifold Gasket
-Manifold Brass Nut x6 (the one's on at the moment are a bit shot)
-Manifold Washer x4 (the end studs don't require them)
-Timing Cover Oil Seal
-Timing Cover Gasket
-A surprise

Spoke to Moss with regards to their stainless manifold and it is their design so I'm going into the shop at some point this week to sort it out and see if they have a solution.

Cheers
Chris

Edited by carboy001, 14 May 2012 - 01:22 PM.

[carboy001]

Ok, so I've been to Moss and spoke to Oz who has always been nothing but helpful and he made two points. The first being that the clamps I was using weren't suitable which I gotta say I wasn't buying as at the end of the day any clamp should work if the manifold is designed correctly in my opinion. The second he made was that the design he put forward and the design they did slightly altered and the attention detail has faded at some point, especially with the slits in the end of the manifold. In response to this Oz has taken it away to adjust back to what he initially intended the manifold to consist of and will be providing me with some stainless steel clamps.

So I shall wait and see how it goes when I pick it back up later in the week.

Other than that I picked up the parts I ordered from them as well as got some Automec Brake and Clutch Fluid which is really well priced in the market, especially with TMF+ 10% discount

Should have more updates over the weekend now unless some stuff comes in the post!

Cheers
Chris

Edited by carboy001, 15 May 2012 - 12:13 PM.

[benpopham]

Well done getting it running Chris! Look forward to the next update :)

[carboy001]

Hi All,

Okay, so this weekend didn't get off to the best of starts for me yesterday as I rushed to Moss Europe yesterday after managing to get off work a bit early to pick up another part I had ordered but mainly to pick up the manifold that was to be adapted for me to make it work effectively. I arrived and found they hadn't done it, even though I left it with them on Tuesday, wasn't best pleased with that one if I'm honest especially since it was to adapt something which I paid enough money for it for it to be right first time round without having to take it off and back to the store!!! Will be next weekend I get back round to fitting that now.

But not withstanding that I had a much better day today at the garage after last weekend

The main thing was that there were no fuel leaks, although I did think there was one at first with the amount of fuel in the tank, but then I realised later on that it's fed through to the right-hand tank, doh!!!

First job was putting the timing cover back on which was took off last week due to the oil leak, that entailed cleaning the surfaces of the remaining gasket left by the prior and applying gasket sealant and a new gasket. Managed that easy enough (touch wood it doesn't leak again) and then moved on to fitting the radiator.

This task wasn't so easy with bracket not being able to flex enough to fit on to the thermostat housing, which I reckon it was a combo of the DSN thermostat housing and it being an aftermarket radiator the cowling was fixed to. Then the blades get snagging the cowling on trial fit and then when that was fixed the blades snagged the radiator itself!!!!! Lots of filing, bending and modifiying later and it all fitted easy as pie, happy days



It's also very noteworthy that Ben at Carbon Weezel when I placed an order with him a couple of months ago noticed that it was my birthday the week he sent some stuff to me and chucked this in as 21st birthday present to me;



Was well chuffed!!!!! Thank you Ben

Also got the first proper silicone pipe on which looks quite tasty I reckon, although would have preferred it I could get them less the company logo of who produced them.



And for those with eagle eyes would have noticed the DSN classics alternator bracket in the first pic, brilliant bit of kit



Steve managed to do a bit more on the wiring, of which I've not a clue what it was, so here's a general pic of the interior instead haha!



We've also made more headway on the brakes and clutch with getting the pins in the pedals so there operational with the master cylinders and started finalising the brake lines to the master cylinder from the other lines already laid to the front and rear brakes, although Steve was finding it a bit tricky with the flared ends not fitting well with the female fittings. This should progress and hopefully finalise next weekend.

How we left the mini today pretty much;



So next weekend the aim is to have the clutch and brake lines plumbed, fit the manifold, carb and exhaust which should essentially mean the mini can be driven!!!!!! Very happy days if we get round to this!!!!

Not to long now.....

Cheers
Chris

[carboy001]

An ickle update with some photos of some purchases over the past few weeks.

The clock which I waited near enough 6 weeks for!!!!! Looks very good though



And the very excitable purchase of more carbon fibre



More carbon fibre to arrive in the not to distant future

I also had to buy another Cosmic alloy wheel as one in the set I bought didn't match the others, basically in my set I had a mk1 one as opposed to the rest being mk2, not best pleased but managed to strike lucky on ebay and find another mk2 after about 3 weeks of searching everyday for one haha!



Gonna get them acid dipped and refurbish them

Cheers
Chris

[carboy001]

Just bought an alternator plug clip, bloomin heck there hard to find! If you ever take it off, keep it in a safe place!!!!!

But for future reference;

http://classicminibi...inc/sdetail/284

[davej]

Looking really good Chris, you`re not far off now. Keep at it.

[carboy001]

Cheers Dave. With a bit of luck I'll close on your tail with the progress you've made recently, minus the wiring.

I'm also having to change the steering rack gaiters as they seem to have twisted somehow and split Another job on the list.

Cheers
Chris