21 replies to this topic

[nmt_oli]

Ok finally got a mini i can actually drive (unlike mine which is in pieces).

A knocking has started in the rear right of the car, it started as a scraping/knocking sound so i thought it might be rear suspension, but i can't see anything wrong with it, and the car handles fine.
The only visible thing is that the damper on that side is missing the outer casing over the rod, possibly making it suseptable to damage.
the noise has now become louder and more of a rattling/knocking than before, and sounded like somehting loose in the rear bin jumping around over bumps, but theres nothing in the rear bin! (or in the boot).

The sound is related not to cornering/braking/aceleration but to bumps and suspension, it really does just sound like a small metal ball bouncing in the rear bin while driving.

Anyone have any views as to what this may be /what to check?

Also after starting when it hasnt been used for more than a few hours the engine is very hesitant. Its a stage 1 998, tuned pretty well (maybe slightly rich) and once warm runs very well and smoothly with good power. its just even after idling on the choke for 5 mins, when i go to pull away in gear ,it just dies. it doesnt stall but slows right down and i have to just hover my foot on the accelerator just to move anywhere until it picks up a few more rpm when it responds as normal. this has been very scary when pulling out onto a main road in the morning, putting my foot down and findig im slowing down rather than speeding up!

The fuel hose also partially came off the fuel pump yesturday (the carb end), resulting in most of a tank of fuel all over the engine/road and left the car smelling terribly. The hose has been pushed back on, but should there be a hose clip? right now its just a bit of rubber hose joining the fuel pump to the metal pipe up to the carb, i just don't want it to fall off again.

[Bungle]

exhaust ?

[nmt_oli]

What do you mean by exaust? its a side mounted one, mounted to the left so i don't see how that could cause a noise on the right. I will check how secure it is though, just in case. its in good condition as well.

[Jammy]

Checked theres nothing bouncing around in your battery box. Also, wrap the bottom of the battery in a towel or cloth (just for the purpose of finding out where the noise is coming from), as it could be the battery boucing up and down on bumps.

With the acceleration, don't stamp your foot on the accelerator, this will stick a lot more fuel into the engine and over fuel it, causing it to splutter and slow down. Be progressive and smooth with your foot on the accelerator. Also I find that setting the revs a bit higher before bringing the clutch up to move off helps.

[sirmarky]

check the rear shocker top mounting as these can either corrode & break through or break the welds & bang around


mark

[Jammy]

Oh yea, and change your rear shocks as soon as. With know dust shield that rear damper won't last long!

[nmt_oli]

Ok- will check the shock and mountings, have a feeling it may be that as it started after hitting a pothole on that side quite hard.

I will check thebattery, but i doubt its moving as it doesnt rqure big bumps to casue the noise, it even does it just goin along the road now with the undulation (and the typical bumput mini susension).


On the throttle front, i know it woul dbe stupid just to floor it, if only it was that simple! the engine does it with the slightest thought of accelerator under load when cold. It revs up fine stopped, and does pull away if i rev it a bit then pull it away on the clutch, as suggested (but i feel the revs are too high to be doing this regularly, will wear the clutch too much). so when i pull off normally, forgetting, it just has no power. im not stamping on the pedal, this is happening with less than 1/4 throttle, and i have to lift off and just touch it ever so slightly and let it build up revs for about 5 secs and then it will happily motor off down the road.

[nmt_oli]

Hmm- it indeed is the top damper mounting has rusted and broken through when i hit the pot hole.

so looks like some welding is needed here, lots of rust though!

very anoying

how safe is it to drive the car in this condition? I realise its puting a lot of wear on the other damper, and making te rear of the car bouncy.

the only truly dangerous thing i can think of, is the fact that nothing is stopping the trailign arm from dropping a long way if it gets the chance, possibly resulting in the cone/trumpet falling out. also possibly putting strain on the brake line, i cant see a high likely hood of this happening though.

[Brawlyrox]

Check all your pipes onto your carb and check none are split thus affecting the vacuum also check the vacuum pipe from you carb to your distributor so you know its adequately advancing the timing when you give it some revs.

[Sprocket]

Grease the radius arms and tighten the bottom shock mounts an see if the nock Dissapears.

[floatintoast]

i had both of these problems myself: knocking noise when goin over bumps and car starting fine and idling well but pulling away badly.

for knocking my shock just needed the nuts to be tightened and filling the dashpot oil up in the carb helped me pull away better.

i agree with u, pulling out into a road and then have the car die on you is very scary

[nmt_oli]

I wil check the dash pot- but i don;t needany more suggestions for the suspension! i already posted that its broken through the top mount!

read above- how dangerous is this to keep driving until i can fix it, and what needs doing in terms of welding ect.

[sirmarky]

i think you can buy a repair panel for this area....
it's a case ode removing the shocker & welding in the new part...
trouble is , it's awkward to get in to weld & will be easier to remove the
boot lid for access.



mark

[minislapper]

read above- how dangerous is this to keep driving until i can fix it, and what needs doing in terms of welding ect.

Well put it this way.....it is an MOT fail to have any rot near a mounting point. If you knowingly drive the car in its current state, you're driving an 'un-roadworthy' car !!!!

You can buy replacement panels, ie turret on its own.

Regarding the fuel pump hose, get a replacement hose ASAP. The rubber has probably perished and cracked with age. You will have to replace the full length. Do that as soon as possible. Don't mess about where fuel is concerned !!!

[Dan]

Yes of course there should be a hose clip on the fuel pipe. And it needs to be a fuel hose clip not a jubliee type clip.

Definitely sounds like there's either no oil in the dashpot or the spring is missing from under the piston to me. Either that or it's just way too rich. Don't use the choke for any longer than yo need to, in winter it's OK to keep it pulled out about 1/4" because all that section does is increase the idle speed but any further and you're enriching the mixture which is the last thing it seems to need at the moment.