7 replies to this topic

[phippsey27]

Hi all, I am new to the mini scene well 3 days old now, i have just purchased a mini 1987 with a cooper spi engine in it, all the heating hoses etc have been capped and disconected and the thermostat housing only has one outle,t also the temp guage does not work. My first question is where is the tempature sensor located (or ment to be located) as i cannot find it . Second question is which may also answer my first question, should the thermostat have the sandwich plate for the return heater hose? any help would be greatfully recieved perry

[KernowCooper]

I assume you only have the SPI engine running on a carb now not with the spi setup

There was a thermostat sandwich plate which is fitted to SPi (Single Point Injection) models from 1992 to 1996. your best bet is to connect in the heater as per the earlier cars with the take off on the lower radiator hose and the no4 cylinder head outlet.

Your temperature sender Unit would have been on the bottom on the single point injection manifold, you should have a blanking in the head below the thermostat where you can screw in the older type of sender unit and wire this to your temp gauge.

[Dan]

In the SPi system the temperature sender is in the bottom of the inlet manifold. The wiring in the car will be laid out to expect the sender to be on the cylinder head under the thermostat. A little re-wiring should have been done when the engine was installed, or the sender port should have been drilled and tapped or even another position for the sender found.

The thermostat sandwich plate is used for heater supply, not return. It should be present on an SPi engine if the heater outlet at the read end of the head hasn't been drilled out during the conversion. Heater return should always be to the bottom hose.

[Ethel]

Yes http://www.minispare...I.aspx?2~12~113

To add to the others, whatever setup you put together you need a thermostat bypass of some description, if there isn't the classic hose from water pump to the underside of the head, using a sandwich plate is a good option, but be sure you don't stop all flow by turning the heater off. The SPI has the heater & the inlet manifold on separate circuits for that reason. The typical location for the temperature sender is in the head under the top hose, but if you don't have the tapped hole you could perhaps use an inline hose adapter and use it to provide that bypass for the 'stat.

[KernowCooper]

Were still unsure if the whole SPI setup was transplanted or just the motor into a earlier 87 car with the older wiring loom, be interesting to see what the OP says is in there, my monies on the engine in a 87 car without the Single Point Injestion and the wiring.

[Ethel]

This is true,

Phippsey, if you are unsure you could look at one of the online parts catalogues to try & identify some of the parts fitted; Minispares now have good catalogue links that link back to good photos of the items.

[phippsey27]

Hi guys thanks for all your replys, the engine has an su carb fitted and on the inlet manifold there are two unused inlets (stright through pipe basically) there is nowhere for a sensor under the manifold and there is nowhere on the block for the sensor either(never been bored out) also the holes are there for attaching a heater valve but again there is no hole present for the water to pass into the block. the theromstat was covered by a plate which was attatched to bulkhead ( homemade stabiliser) as there are no other stablisers on this side of engine but is bolted directly to subframe with engine mounts (but 2 stabilisers on otherside) is this necessary? as i think that if i was to get the sandwhich plate then all my problems would be solved (apart from wiring) any other suggestions

[Gr4h4m]

Get some pis loaded p and I'm sure the good folks will beable to help out