26 replies to this topic

[Gazw]

I've got a 1980 mini clubman and has been off the road since june. Recently took it for it's MOT and passed no prob's. Been starting it up every now and then and it's always fired up no problems and runs smooth, but tonight i've just started it up and it started fine but when i pushed the choke in I noticed the it sounded strange like there was something close to the end of the exhaust, even when you rev it, it revs, but sounds like a volkwagen beetle.

Any help would be great as i've been excited about getting my mini back on the road, even got the insurance sorted out this morning.

Gaz

[micrawavewindow]

mine does that so iam interested also thanks

[Rented]

might just be a hole in the exhaust blowing ? Or is it a different sort of noise ?

[Gazw]

no it's a different noise. best way to decribe the noise it when the cars started you put your hand near the end of the exhaust and the pressure hits your hand except mine does it without the hand there.

[Gazw]

Anyone?

[bmcecosse]

Have you just been starting the car - and idling it for a while - then stopping it ? Maybe it's wet a plug - and is only running on 3 ! take the plugs out - inspect/clean/dry - refit.

[L400RAS]

Have you just been starting the car - and idling it for a while - then stopping it ? Maybe it's wet a plug - and is only running on 3 ! take the plugs out - inspect/clean/dry - refit.

I agree with bmcecosse; remove and clean the plugs, then try it, and actually DRIVE it - just letting it idle on the drive will coke the plugs up causing a misfire, which is possibly what you are experiencing

HTH
Ryan

[Gazw]

I cleaned the plugs last monday just before i took it for an MOT. But since then just been starting it up on the drive and letting it run. Last night let it run for a good 15/20 minutes and tonight for about 10 minutes. So you think that might be the problem? I did smell quite petrolly when it was making the noise before. I'll give it a go tommorrow.

[L400RAS]

So you think that might be the problem? I did smell quite petrolly when it was making the noise before. I'll give it a go tommorrow.

If certainly could be the problem, and wont cost you anything to try it before throwing new parts at it!
Ryan.

[lawnmowercrap]

Clean tthe plugs as said above and what I usually do is drop a small amount of redex straight into the neck of the carb. Then take it for a thrash up the road. Should kick some crap out!

Lee

[Gazw]

Right then i've cleaned the plugs again but none of them were wet when i removed them and i even poured a little bit of redex down the neck of the carb and took it out for a run just before but still no joy. Doesn't seem to have the power it used to have, totally standard 1098 engine. I know it didn't have much to start with but they all count Still sounds rough when you on idle, when you rev it and driving it. What could it be? Only just got the MOT and tax plus insurance sorted out this week after 6 months sat on the drive. Help would be really great

Gaz

[MiniAlex]

When I first got my Mini I thought it sounded like a beetle Going pop pop pop!!
I changed the spark plugs and that made a little difference. The best way of curing this I think is to just drive it hard for a while. I've given mine a blast down the country lanes. It goes a lot faster now and sounds awesome! It's probably a little clogged up, I never leave mine running on idle on the drive and then just switch it off. Apparently it doesn't do the engine any good
My car also used to keep popping and doing, I took it to the local Mini garage to see if they could suggest anything and they siad that I might need to change the coil. Since I have changed the coil and the ht leads it runs a lot better and has stopped popping so often. It no longer sounds like a beetle
Try giving it a blast round the country ect ect
Let us know how you get on.

[Gazw]

never done the sound before only the other night started it up and let it run, normally i would let it get up to normal temperature and push the choke in but i pushed the choke in earlier than i would normally do the other night and the engine wanted to stop because it didn't have enough revs so i pulled the choke back out and that's when it started to make the noise. Do you think the exhaust might be blowing to make the noise?

[benb12]

Sounds to me like it could also be the exhaust manifold gasket.

[Gazw]

not 100% sure on this one but when i poured redex down the neck of the carb i'm sure the redex was running out of the exhaust where it meets the manifold( bit where the clamp is at the back holding the exhaust to the manifold). could have been run off from the bottle but i'm sure it did it every time and in the same place on the exhaust. The noise sounds like when you put your hand infront of the exhaust and the pressure hits your hand and makes a louder noise and then you remove your hand but you would have to do this really fast to make the noise. sounds like it's running through a propeller. Would this give me loss of power? OH hope the above makes sense?