10 replies to this topic

[brivinci]

I almost cant believe it myself but I actually drove MY Mini tonight. It has been somewhere around 6 years since I hit a deer and then torn it all apart. While Monte was off the road I became engaged, bought a house, got married, and had a baby that is now 1!!! I also built a race car and run it in a 24 hour race series. Life sometimes gets the way of Minis but eventually, it all comes together. Granted, this whole thing is all my fault as I decided to go crazy on it. Anything that I could take off and redo, I did. I started powder coating everything that was metal and having other things CAD plated. I figured I might as well spend the time now and do it right and then I can (hopefully) enjoy the hell out of it for a very long time.

Anyway, so tonight I actually took my 94 Monte Carlo out for its first drive in what feels like a lifetime. I had already ran the cam in (20 minutes off idle in the garage) which gave me a good chance to check the cooling and for oil leaks. It starts and idles very nicely. I have to take it easy for awhile to get everything settled but it felt nice and new exhaust sounds spot on. I did however run into a few problems though. Here is what happened.

I let the car warm up before I took it out. Was so excited I forgot to take the bunched up car cover off the roof and found it on the street in front of my house when I got home:-) I drove the car for about 2.5 miles to pick up my brother. We then went another mile or two to the and Exxon (Esso) station for a fill up. Took 5.5 US gals of 93 (the best we have here). I then noticed that the fuel gauge wasnt registering anything. Problem 1. The car sat for all this time. Could it be that the fuel level sending unit is stuck or rusted in the empty position. I know that these gauges are terrible but I hate when things dont work...even if working is still broken:-)
Ok, so we left the station and drove for another 2 miles where I dropped my bro back off. I pulled out and about a mile down the road I felt a sputter. It was still running ok but the sputter started to get worse and worse until in another mile or two, I was stopped trying to make a turn and it would barley move. I limped it for a half a mile, trying different things. It would backfire a bit and sputter at almost all throttle inputs. Then, all of the sudden I was able to drive it again and it felt fine. It gave me a few more small sputters along the rest of the way home so I drove a few laps around. By the time I got home it seemed fine again.

Any ideas what this could be? Bad gas makings way through and out? I drained all that I could out of it before adding fresh fuel. maybe avoind Exxon? Can anyone think of things on the car that might cause this? I think I am going to brave it and drive it the 40 miles each way to work and see what happens. I am a bit too excited to just let it sit even another day in my garage:-)

Thanks all for all the help over the last few years of this project. I am very excited to have a place dedicated to these wonderful machines. Hope to have some pix up soon! Still need to do a final polish and apply all the original decals to finish it all off.

[Liam Mini 35]

Cant help with your problems im affraid but would love to see some pics. The only thing i could suggest is maybe the timing? Are the points set correctly? Carb sticking?

[Sprocket]

Severe hesitation and backfiring are mainly caused by two things. Lack of fuel. How much did you put into the tank, since the tank still holds about 1 gallon when the pump starts to suck air. If you drive it real careful it recovers since the fuel isn't sloshing about. It doesn't take much cornering/ acceleration to cause the fuel to surge around in the tank. Also the fuel gauge doesn't start reading untill there is about 2 gallons in the tank. Its just the way they are. Put some more fuel in it.

The other thing that causes backfiring and severe hesitaion is a blocked vac pipe for the ECU. Sometimes fuel condenses in the pipe, and eventually hydrolocks the MAP sensor. This is particularly so if there is a tiny leak on the vac pipes close to the ECU.


Those are the more obvious problems, but it could be any number of things. It could be a dodgy ground for the fuel pump, loose connection on the wiring at any of the wiring connectors for the fuel pump, relay pack, inertia switch and so on. Check the ground on the rear left hand tail light mounting and make sure it has a good contact with bare metal.

Edited by Sprocket, 08 June 2011 - 11:42 AM.

[brivinci]

Thanks for the info. I actually filled the tank to the brim. I have a feeling it was either bad fuel or something working its way out. Not that I want to think "something" had to get out but I drove the car about 40 miles to work and it went brilliantly. I will let you know if anything like this happens again.

Oh, so I did happen to move the ECU out of the way to bleed the clutch. maybe I will recheck that vac pipe going to the ECU and make sure its on tight.

On the clutch. Something isnt right. My father and I bled the thing last night. It was completely dry as I installed a new braided line, redid the master as well as the slave. It took forever to get fluid to come out. I had to just let my dad pump while I cracked the bleeder open. There must have been a huge bubble blocking things. Well, we bleed the slave to where I didnt see any air. The clutch seems to have a decent feel but it is hard to get the car into 1st or second. I did rebuild the trans so maybe there is a few things going on here. After the drive, I didnt get a single grind or anything like that but its still tricky to get first while at a light. Have to go into 3rd and then first. Even then it doenst feel as easy as it should.

[jamesmpi]

Have you fitted a quick shift gear stick or is it still the stand one?

I had a nightmare when I fitted a KAD quickshift to my mini because the nylon ball which goes inside the gear mech unit was too big and so was jamming up inside. Fixed it by rubbing it down with a bit of emory paper.

[brivinci]

Good idea but no, still the stock one. I did replace the bushings on the linkage as well as the syncros, shifter forks, all bearing and added a cross-pin diff.

[Ethel]

It might be a bit of clutch drag, you could try adjusting the throw out stop.

[brivinci]

I think I am going to look at that. I forgot to double check that after I bled the system. I put in a brand new clutch and throwout as well as had the flywheel surfaces redone. Now that there are a few miles on it, am going to adjust that as well as the valves. Just to be safe.

What is the correct gap on the throwout stop. Why does 10mm pop into my head?

[Sprocket]

The Verto clutch is self adjusting. You set the throwout stop to give a gap between the big nut and the engine to 7.5mm from memory, and that is it. This should allow the pedal to travel nearly al the way to the floor, but not hit it (carpets out). There is no other adjustment needed.

Best bleed tool I bought has been the air operated vacuum bleed kit. Less mess, fiddling, and highly efficient.

The only time I found it difficult to select first gear, with nothing else apparently wrong, was infact down to to the cap head bolt I used instead of the roll pin on the selector rod. The head of the bolt was fouling the gearbox casing in first gear.

[brivinci]

I do think its time to get a bleeding kit. The pump, pump, pump, HOLD is getting so old. I had my poor father out for over an hour trying to get the clutch and brakes done.

I will triple check the gap from the manuals I have. Then make sure the pedal is traveling the right amount. All the hardware is correct for the box so it must be something else.

[brivinci]

So, this morning I finally hit the break in point for my cam. I was very careful to make sure I didnt ruin all the work I put it. Well, I was finally able to "get on it" and see how it all felt. Minis arent meant to driven around at 3000rpm.

Let me just tell you, WOW!!! The few things I added to the motor made a world of difference. I tracked the car in the past and it was always lacking in the rev department. Just had nothing at the top end. The SW5 cam in there now lets the motor sing all the way through the rev range. It feels great! I'm sure I didnt gain a ton of power but what I did get was all the ponies this engine had in a line and working as they should. Highly recommended. If I ever get around to buying a head, this SPi will be a force to be reckoned with:-)