59 replies to this topic

[adampat84]

Well an eventful day to say the least!!

 

The morning started slow with me searching for wheel nuts.. after placing many calls to tyre places and Halfords and motor factors only to receive the answer "ooh i don't know them minis are a bit old we don't carry stock any more!" I resigned myself to think i would have to refit the old locking wheel nuts to get it through the MOT. However i then preceded to wait for the Postman who is delivering my electronic ignition kit (should have delivered my yesterday! Grrr); this is when i had my brainwave and it was a good one at that! I remember my dad saying many years ago "Mini wheels son, they are used on many a trailer!"; Camping shops!! So on the internet i toddle to find my nearest camping\caravan\trailer dealers, i phone up and say "3/8 inch UNF wheel nuts, do you have any? the answer of "Yes, course we do" was awsome.. Wheel nuts Done!

 

The next task was to wait for the posty!who must have had one of the busiest days of his life because he didn't turn up till 15:30! I ripp the parcel out of his hand and jump in the car and shoot off to the mini!! The Ignition Kit had arrived.. after a bit of fiddling (with much help from my dad) the kit was in. He advanced the dizzy a bit and said "what the heck" give it a go! So i did..and...

 

"It Lives!"

 

Well on three cylinders.. after some checking it was lead and plugs that were required (at this point 17:43) and the motor factors shut at 18:00 eeeppp >>> Dive in Car >> Evening rush hour >> Noooooo! >>> Bit of off-roading to take a shortcut that i found many years ago by accident  proper rocky crap (not recommended) >> make it the the motor factors 17:55! Get In! Parts in stock! Get In!

 

New leads and plugs fitted! 

 

"It Lives!"

 

On four cylinders...

 

Out with the timing light.. plug it onto the coil and the car dies! Dohhh..

 

Disconnect the light car no start!! Booo.. Some minutes later car starts.. plug timing light onto coil.. car dies! Coil is f**ked!

 

 

So that was today!

 

Coil required tomorrow.. along with dizzy cap if i can get  one.. then check clutch and gearbox then find somewhere to test the little miracle!   

[MrBounce]

Getting there.... and quickly! Well done

[adampat84]

car will not start at all now.. no spark. I don't know what I am doing!

[adampat84]

I did type a full update then the browser went byebye so now i cannot be bothered to write it all again!

 

Suffice to say mini is not being sorted any time soon!

[Grilled]

Have you figured out what was causing the lack of a spark? Come on you're not far off now, why's it going to take a while?

[adampat84]

Have you figured out what was causing the lack of a spark? Come on you're not far off now, why's it going to take a while?

 

Well, three reasons really:

 

1. The missus gave me time to sort the mini in the 3 week period.. that is now over so cannot work on it every night.. boo!
2. The mini is also not in my garage it is on my parents drive (they also gave me 3 weeks to get it sorted). This due to me having a mini shell in my garage so i need to get it shifted in order to work on the mini properly..
3. The missus and I have also not been in our house long and I had a reprieve from decorating to get this mini on the road in the 3 week before the show.

(Though don't tell anyone i have just ordered a new Dizzy to see if this will get it running)

Edited by adampat84, 12 August 2013 - 08:02 AM.

[adampat84]

Well the good news is the new Powerspark dizzy has arrived... fitted and the little gem started straight away! How annoying!

Well at least we were on the right lines with the Dizzy..

Was a bit of a fiddle getting it in to the old dizzy clamp but got there with a bit of modifying..

The help of my dad to get this running was invaluable.. the engine was then timed with the timing light set at 10º @ 1500rpm.

Once timing was set the colour tune plug was dragged out an the mixture set to blue with a flicker of red (probably a tinyl bit rich) .

Gearbox and clutch operate, tested 1,2 and reverse on the drive..

Timing chain is quite noisy but i believe that is common on the a series...

So what does this mean, well i need to put the new wheel nuts on get a fuse for the fuse box (lent mine to my brother as his tail light would't work). Got to tidy some cables up for the headlight loom so the can't say the are insecure..

Then MOT i think!

Happier now!

[adampat84]

Well the MOT is booked.. Saturday the 24th 2013 @ 9:10..

 

Grease point done over the weekend and a quick test run round the cul-de-sac brakes kinda work (need bedding in) engine was a little bit hesitant but i think that is due to the lack of air filter (got to get another as the old one is buggered! Fuse has been fitted so the indicators work again, cables tidyed and wheel nuts fitted! Hazza

 

Exciting times..

['Chop']

Fingers crossed   

[steven]

Good luck !

[mathomas3]

sounds like you had a good time with this little one... i have been trying to find myself a mini for some time... im jelious!!

[adampat84]

sounds like you had a good time with this little one... i have been trying to find myself a mini for some time... im jelious!!

 

Yeah has had it's moments!

 

Hopefully it Passes!

[adampat84]

Well, it has been a while since my last project update..

 

The MOT went interestingly..

 

All my electrical work went to pot in the MOT station thanks to the brake tester..

 

On the drive: All electrics working fine!

Drive to the MOT station: All electrics working fine!

In the MOT station: First part fine.. then driven across brake tester dip.. indicators go dim, the brake lights start to flash the head lights go AWOL!

 

Dam that tail light earth i knew i should have replaced it!!

 

However the more serious stuff is the rust they found that i didn't.. rusty bulk head, rear floor and rear valance!

 

The rear brakes need to  be more efficient aswell!

 

Anyway, the above failure put "Project Japan" on hold he has sat lonely on my parents drive awaiting its rightful place in my garage!

 

On Sunday the mini arrived in my garage an i shall commence the project again once i have finished build a "Cat House" (missus wants a little house in the garden so the new cat doesn't get too cold! (friggin cat!))

 

Anyway i will do a more substantial update once i am under way!

 

Yippie, the mini is home!

[rjbcar27]

Oh the joys of a Mini project! Good luck with it mate, don't give up! 

[adampat84]

Well it all begins again!

This weekend i have spent a few hours making a start on the MOT list.. it is not massive but it involves removing the front end to get to some welding!

So this weekend i have:

Removed the front end
Labled/disconnected the electrics.
Disconnected throttle, choke, heater
Drained the cooling system and removed the radiator, fan
Disconnected engine steadys
Disconnected steering rack (not easily)
Disconnected brake pipes
Removed shocks
Clutch slave cylinder

I still have to remove the exhaust, rod change, fuel pipe and speedo cable to go before i can drop the subframe.

It is all good fun keeping out of the rain it is good to have it in my own garage it makes things much easier!

 

Looks a bit sad..

 

Edited by adampat84, 04 November 2013 - 12:40 PM.