Mini Sidewalk 1275cc 1995/6 SPi
i've written about the problem in more detail here ...
http://www.theminifo...howtopic=135323
and elsewhere...
Diagnostics said errors on coolant temp sensor, throttle potentiometer and map sensor.
Firstly I checked the vacuum pipes - found an 8mm split from the end of the joint that connects the red vac pipe to the inlet manifold. Drove for a bit, starting stalling madly...
Checked again.. the joint on the fuel trap from the inlet manifold split since taping the last one up .. ordered a new set of pipes and went on holiday.
Came back fitted new pipes... test drove around the corner.. all good. Next day, test drove for 20 minutes .. all good. And the next 30 mins ..
Next day .. couldn't get into second gear... drive off in first.. change gear and merely touching the accelerator pedal the engine died... change down to first gear and pull off... into second touch the pedal and dies.. take foot off and recovers... so i got round the block in first gear without stalling..
So I bought a new Coolant Temp Sensor and first time in my life slowly proceeded to change the sensor.. disconnect the battery.. remove air filter.. found a pipe i could reach at the bottom of the inlet manifold .. disconnected and drained the coolant from the bottom of the manifold.. i tried the one behind the radiator but the rubber pipe was stuck to it something strong.. (overdue time to replace them) ..
disconnected a few electrical connectors .. undid the fuel pipes pushing the pipe in .. placed finger over the end .. and popped it into a sawn off milk carton to catch the little fuel that dribbled out..
removed the throttle body .. and injection housing ..
**.. unscrewed the manifold from the cylinder head with my fingers... no spanner required.. now this seems a little odd to me... manual says 22nm so they should have been as tight as the fuel feed and return pipes ... correct?
removed manifold .. replaced sensor .. wiped it all clean ... and replaced everything ..
it's driving well... still some rattles here and there (steering column starts buzzing.. etc) .. but engine is fine ... no cut outs .. no engine dying .. nothing.. i've driven 300 miles in a week .. and still not a flinch...
so .. one of the following:
a) the coolant sensor was broken.. or connection to it was broken... that doesn't account for random cold and hot loss of power
b) the coolant sensor not broken.. (but temp gauge in the car never got to quarter way up) - the manifold was shifting about and sometimes releasing exhaust/fuel/pressure from the gap so the engine has nothing to fire...
i can only think that when the garage down the road replaced the engine bushes .. they undid the exhaust manifold retaining nuts in order to lift the engine up.. and they didn't tighten the nuts properly when they lowered the engine.... the car ran well for a while .. and then this started happening...
so it's been a useful exercise in removing all that .. even if what i was aiming for was or wasn't broken... the coolant feed and return pipes on the manifold are rusty looking and gunky and corroding away..
so... not only check vacuum pipes... but also check your nuts are solid..
Edited by zorgster, 21 September 2009 - 02:18 PM.
