1006 replies to this topic

[Carlos W]

It's all coming together mate.

 

So close now.

 

The gravel and loose ball joints will cause strange feeling steering

[grahama]

Hi all,
 
Another Winter is over so I better get on with it!!
 
Cover off and it seems to have stood the Winter nicely. Electrics were the order of the day, testing, fitting stuff back and trying to find earthing faults.
 
It now looks like this...
 
 

 
　

 
 
 
 
I went for the landrover style indicators as I like the look better than the chrome mini ones, purists dont shoot me lol.
 
After spending a day trying to find out why the hazards weren't working or the brake fluid indicator I found three earth problems, easy 2 minute fix, but finding them was very time consuming.
 
The only thing that doesn't work is the single use wiper function of the stalk so I will do some investigating into that. The binnacle I got went in and lights are coming on but I have a short wire which I think is for the oil sensor switch on the block.
 
 

 
 
Pretty sure this wire is for the oil switch !!
 
Ebay bargain again this week, new steering wheel.
 
 

 
 

 
Nice 12 Mountnay wheel in great condition with a simple but effective boss all for £6 !! Looks nice on
 
 
 
I have had to extend a few wires as the wrapping of the loom seems to have been a tad too extreme and there isnt enough wire showing in a couple of places. The headlights are the worst and the new halogen lights have to be extended by about a foot on the passenger side, not a major problem but annoying all the same.
 
 
I also started to bleed the brakes with an Eazibleed kit, however when I tried to leak test the system I realised after an hour I had no bleed nipples in the rear brakes so that job stopped lol !!
 
Very belated update but I am still plodding on !
　
Graham

Edited by grahama, 14 June 2015 - 07:05 AM.

[alex-95]

Good to see you back on it graham, Looks good.

[Ben_O]

Ill second that! So will it be finished this year mate?

[Minidarren83]

Good to see you back at it mate hows the house coming along any distractions this year?

[grahama]

Hi all,

House extension finished, new drive finished, paths round house finished, just need to jet wash the patio free of cement now !!

It's got to be finished this year, or at the very least on the road as lads at work are constantly taking the mick about it not being done and I desperately want to drive it. !

Wifey did want me to start ripping the kitchen floor up but I have told her mini comes first now ! I wear the pants in my house !!

Regards,

Graham

[BusheyTrader]

Good to see you're back on the Mini. I can relate to life (house extensions) getting in the way........Respect to those rebuilding their car outdoors.

Adam

[grahama]

Hi all,

 

thanks Adam,  working outside is indeed challenging !

 

Very frustrating day today,  brakes wont bleed, ahhhhhhh !!!  I sorted out a couple of areas of ait leaks before I started

 

 

 

Bubbles out of the unions or unconnected unions is nearly as bad as no bleed nipples in the rear cylinders lol.

 

All sorted and air tight but no joy.  Fluid came out of all four corners in the correct sequence but still a spongy brake pedal.  I have been reading around the subject and I may have my callipers on upside down but can't think why it would be a major problem.

 

 

 

Have posted of my woes in the tech section for any help,  but so frustrating !!  Will have another go this week when I am off.

 

Regards,

 

Graham

[Carlos W]

Mate, air rises so you're never going to get the air out if the bleed nipple isn't at the top.

 

Are you keeping the mini or is your son?

[grahama]

Carlos,

Thanks for the advice in tech section, I have done it again with calliper swapped around and I have a brake pedal now. Such a small mistake and such a problem, but I suppose the master cylinder isn't pushing much fluid to make the brakes work so only a small air gap will stop things working. Lesson learnt !!

As for keeping the mini, it is matt's car so I will reluctantly sign it over to him soon. He is banned from selling it tho as I will use it just as much as he will !

Graham

Edited by grahama, 07 June 2015 - 04:17 PM.

[Carlos W]

Try leaving the pedal pressed overnight. It gives bubbles chance to rise

[grahama]

Hi all,

 

disaster has struck!!

 

First a few bits cleaned up and re greased like these bad boys

 

 

and got my quick release through off ebay,  a sparco one but will need to make an adapter plate for my steering wheel.

 

 

 

 

Then I Bled the clutch which went well so it was time to test the gearbox.  Wheels off,  supported on bricks and wood for the big test so I tried to start it,

 

disaster !!

 

no spark, although I had one b&w wire connected to the +'ve side of the coil and instead of looking properly I swapped wires about retried and fried a points set.  New points in, wires correct on coil still no spark and when I let off the ignition switch I melted a wire.

 

 

 

It's the ignition white wire that connects to the ballast wire in fuse box terminal 1.

 

Very unhappy after a full day trying to start it and am on verge of selling it!!

 

 

Unhappily yours,

 

Graham

[grahama]

Just had a great reply from the tech section, cloud has lifted just a tad ! Still feeling inadequate tho lol

[Ben_O]

don't let a little wiring problem get in the way now Graham.

 

Look back how far you have come and what you have done to this car...

 

You'll sort it 

 

Ben

[grahama]

Hi all,
 
 
Firstly thanks Ben for the comments,  will plod on.
 
 

 

 
 
 
Took the loom out of the mini today to check for burnt wires but after stripping it back it looks like the only melted sections are on the exposed ends not into the wrapped sections which is a bonus.
 

 

 
 
 
I originally extended a white wire with a white/black wire and mistakenly connected it to the -'ve side of the coil when it is actually connected to the switched live so a mistake there  think.  I have posted to the tech section with a wiring diagram to check this.
 

 
 
I have to cut back and extend the crusty wires with good wire now and try again.  I do however have my test loom that I will try before I put my loom back in.
 
regards,
 
Graham

Edited by grahama, 20 June 2015 - 05:44 AM.