2 replies to this topic

[macauley151]

I have recently purchased a 1996 SPI and have found several problems with the car.

I found that the vacuum pipes were broken so I changed both the ECU-FUEL TRAP and the FUEL TRAP-INLET. I purchased a new K&N air filter as old one was perished. New plugs and new lambda sensor.

I have had the car connected to a diagnostic machine and the old lambda was reading 1.8 (hence the reason for a new one) but when disconnected, it dropped to 0.8 (limp mode). Im sure its suppost to read 0.1 (not sure as I am a newbie)

Got the diagnostic machine connected again and the new lambda was reading 1.8 again but was trying to switch (fluctuating between 1.6 and 1.8) I assume the wiring and the new lambda is working as there was fluctuation in the reading.

I also took the inlet off to gain access to the manifold but was moved of the studs in the process.

I don’t know if there is an air leak between the manifold and the head, but I have an LCB fitted instead of the original. It has a twin DTM exhaust and the tail pipes are black and sooty, and so were the old plugs (running rich).

I am running out of options now and don’t know what to do..

New head gasket?

Convert back to original manifold and downpipe?

If someone could help that would be great full.

[firstforward]

I cannot directly help you except to say my 96 Spi recently failed its MOT on emissions. I read somewhere the sensors should be replaced every xxxx miles or 3 years. I never had access to diagnostic test equipment so I replaced all 3 sensors and all vacuum pipes including the fuel trap, and it solved all issues. It has gone from 36mpg to 42 to 47mpg depending how it is driven. Total cost was about £120. I believe if the water temp sensor goes wrong and increases fuel that if not sorted soon that contaminates the Lambda. I find there are enough things to keep on top of with a mini so the more preventative maintenance I can do the better for me, I just want reliability at the end of the day especially as its going to Europe later this year.

To be fair I believe it was just an over sized elbow behind the manifold/injection unit that was faulty, I had checked it but it was not seating correct letting in air.

I presume you renewed the inlet/exhaust manifold gasket? I had to remove the top engine steady to get the exhaust away by moving the engine forward to get clearance, that steady was the worst part of the whole job........but that is another story, just don't cross thread it that's all I can add.


Have you read up on all this......... http://www.theminifo...oint-injection/

http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/topic/61469-spi-coolant-temperature-sensor-or-is-it/

Edited by firstforward, 19 April 2013 - 11:34 AM.

[Fast Ivan]

the limp home mode, present when you unplug the sensor, is 0.8V, so this is correct.
I can't see a connection between the problems you are experiencing and a head gasket failure, unless there are further symptoms not mentioned.
if its a new lambda sensor then I cant see both the new and the old being faulty, so we should be able to rule this out.
just to check - the engine (and consiquently the lambda) is at running temp when you took the readings?
the next thing would be to check and clean all of the sensors and their connections as well as their wiring.
make sure the are no leaks anywhere, you removed the inlet, you may need a new gasket here.
then you should hook it up to the diagnostics again and read the live data from each of the sensors in turn to check that they are operating within the correct parameters.