4 replies to this topic

[Zacherius]

Hi

I've just bought a 1990 Cooper RSP. Question is - What engine is it It is the original engine, but looking through the Haynes Manuals it shows all post 1990 Coopers as Single Point Injections, and alternatively only refers to the MKIII Cooper S. I got told that the RSP has a MG Metro Engine, so best to get the Haynes on that for all references ? Is that true.

Just want to give it some TLC over the weekend, but need to know the distributor, Sparks & Gaps, Tappet Gap, etc. I picked it p yesterday and drove it home (350 miles) without missing a beat, no problems at all, No Overheating in the slightest, Great Power, no wobbles, no knocks, etc, etc. Only prob is it idles at around 1300 so need to sort that out, but want to give it some new plugs, leads, Distributor, Filter, Oil / Filter Change etc, etc.

On that note - with the Oil having an Oil Cooler ( behind grill ) if I change the Oil and Filter, do I need to do anything to the Cooler, or just leave it and flush out the system ?

Cheers

Matt

[Bungle]

there is a cooper RSP register that might be more help than here

[rick.spi]

i think its a metro engine, has a metro cam and head etc so is a bit quicker than a standard injection cooper if its running well, plus post 90 coopers had twin and single point injection depening on its age.

the high idling should be easily adjustable asuming its running on a SU.

Edited by rick.spi, 31 July 2009 - 09:05 PM.

[sir Jake the brit]

rsp coopers were on carbs, spi came in in 91 when they properly re-released the cooper and the mpi in 97

[Cooperman]

There are a few issues with cars of that era. It appears that as Rover were very slow in paying their suppliers, cars came with different spec parts, as they used whatever they had 'in the stores' a the time of build.
That, or so I'm told, is why cars of supposedly identical spec and year give very different readings when on the rolling road.
I used to deal with Rover, but they took up to 180 days to pay their bills, so I stopped dealing with them in late 1987.
For example, I understand that if they had no MG Metro-spec cams, they fitted otherwise standard ones to get their products 'out of the door'. The same, I believe, applied to heads as thre Haynes manual quotes 35.6 mm inlet valves for 1990 Coopers, whilst one I bought had 33.5 mm inlets and that was an original head.