15 replies to this topic

[RedLexus]

Hi everyone , first off , I DID do a search , but got kinda bewildered by the  sheer volume of info here! I'm still looking for that elusive pick-up for my dad , but in the meanwhile , I've got to checkover a good mates Cooper . It's a carb'd car , stock SU on it , one of the last of them , about 1992-93 I think? The car was left in a shed for storage for about 5 years

After a poke around under it all looks in very good shape , no real rust , so obvious play in the bushings/suspension .

 We're going to change ;

Oil/ oil filter  (20w50 Castrol best for the engine and box?)

Air filter

Fuel filter - where is it?

Plugs (what do stock ones run best on , on 95 RON?) and  - do they have contact points? I forgot to look!

All brake/clutch flexi lines and fluid

Coolant (thermostat?)

2nd last exhaust hanger

Fanbelt

 

 Also going to check the brakes , that the pads and pistons are free , and the wheel cylinders are ok. The Steel brake lines all look good.

 

The car starts easily , idles quite smoothly and pulls quite cleanly . The only niggles seem  to be a kind of "wooden" feel to the brakes , which I hope to sort , a bit of a pull to the left , (alignment?) , and a bit of a squeak in the suspension when driving slowly around the yard , It sounds somewhere around the top mounts. 

 

 

 

 

So , after all that , what am I missing , oh ye gurus of Issigoni's marvel? 

 

I'm in no way familiar with working on Minis , but I am a mechanic by trade . 

TIA , Tristan

[tiger99]

Strip the callipers, wheel and master cylinders, and if they are in good order, rebuild with new seals. If not, replace. Same for the clutch. Hydraulics degrade seriously on cars that have been unused for a long while. Typically, the lip of the seal sticks to the cylinder, and gets ripped when the brakes are used again. Brake failure from that cause is quite common within the first few weeks of putting a car back on the road.

 

Oh, and change all 4 knuckle joints. Not very expensive, they are always worn and a precautionary replacement avoids damage to the arms. It is likely to fix your suspension squeak, and restore something near correct ride height.

 

Remember to grease all 8 nipples with Castrol LM, and it may be worth stripping, cleaning and regreasing the wheel bearings.

 

Change the gearchange rod oil seal (fit the mod kit, quite cheap) before putting in fresh oil, as you will not want to lose it.

 

You may need things like dampers to be replaced, as like the hydraulics these may go leaky after being out of use for a while, but as they are easy to change on a Mini, best left until needed. Old tyres may need to be replaced.

 

You will want to lubricate control cables etc, and especially try to get some oil into the pedal pivots. You should really take them apart, clean and grease with graphite or bicycle type teflon grease, but that is a real pain. You could also usefully remove, clean and grease the clutch operating lever, and get some grease into teh plunger, without too much dismantling.

 

Maybe a very small amount of Redex or similar down the bores (leave the plugs out) before turning it over at first.

 

A carburettor strip and clean would do no harm, as old fuel leaves nasty residues, as you will know.

 

It is also likely to benefit from adjusting the valve clearances, a quick and easy job on a Mini compared to many modern cars. Actually, most things are easier on a Mini, due to its simplicity.

[RedLexus]

That's really brilliant advice thank you very much. The 4 knuckles took grease easily, and what oozed out was quite clean. I should add the car was owned by an enthusiast, who had liberally cleaned greased most moving parts like the cables!

The kit for the gearshifter, where can I get that?

[jaydee]

Oil/ oil filter  (20w50 Castrol best for the engine and box?)

 

Its good or the first start up, then flush it out and use some quality oil such as Comma sonic, Millers or Valvoline.

 

Air filter

 

Replace it if got a standard paper filter, If its got a KN filter, just clean and re-oil with their own products.

 

Fuel filter - where is it?

 

They dont have a fuel filter as standard iirc, check under the boot floor the fuel tank outlet, if theres a filter thats where its supposed to be fitted. Any aftermarket filter put before the carb must be replaced.

 

Plugs (what do stock ones run best on , on 95 RON?) and  - do they have contact points? I forgot to look!

 

They have a leccy dizzy so no points. Use NGK BP6ES spark plugs and 8mm silicone HT leads.

 

All brake/clutch flexi lines and fluid

 

Use the correct spec fluid available from delphi. If you're to replace flexi pipes, i'd reccomend getting some goodridge braided hoses, its the best you can get although not really expensive, so why not?

 

Coolant (thermostat?)

 

Flush out all coolant and replace with a 50/50 distillated water and glycol ethilene coolant mix. Now its summer and you can get free distillated water from your air con at home.

 

2nd last exhaust hanger

 

Fanbelt

 

 

 

Dont forget to fill up the tank with some top quality fuel before attempting first start up.

Reset tappets gap to 12 thou inlets 15 thou exhausts before first start.

Check all subframe mountings, replace them if they're shot. I have to say the factory rubber bushes were lasting MUCH longer than the spares availble on the market today.

Check all balljoints and hubs for any play.

Grease all suspention parts again after your first drive.

 

 

Before first engine start, very important:

 

remove all spark plugs, run the engine on the starter for max 10 secs and see if you get oil pressure. Sometimes t takes two attempts to get oil pressure. If you have problems now, then dont start the engine and come back here.

[RedLexus]

The car has been ran / started every few months so hopefully that'll mean cruddy fuel etc wont be a problem. I've driven it myself only the other day!

[RedLexus]

@tiger, 8 grease nipples? I found / on each knuckle, 1 each side on the outside of the swing arm, where's t'other 2?

[jaydee]

1 on each ball joint

1 on each top suspension arm

1 on each rear radius arm

[tiger99]

The "knuckles" are ball and nylon cup joints where the spring trumpets (ali cones) seat in the front upper suspension arm or the rear radius arm. They come filled with special grease, no nipples. I like to replace them every 50k miles or so.

 

Obviouisly Mini terminology is different to many more modern cars, so you will have some learning to do, but that is what the forum is for, so please do feel free to ask. Always, someome will be along with the answer.

[RedLexus]

Good stuff. 1st jobs are to thoroughly wash the engine to find all the oil leaks, before servicing it. I'll do the brakes and pipes I think then. Anything I need to know about changing the brake and clutch flexis?

[RedLexus]

It's on the lift,.... Looks like the rear dampers are shot, possibly fronts too. Also the seals from the gearbox to the inner CVs, anyone know the size? Going stripping the brakes later, will keep y'all updated.

[jaydee]

Replace all 4 dampers, heres the diff output seal:

http://www.minispare...s/ADU5738.aspx?

[RedLexus]

Replace all 4 dampers, heres the diff output seal:

http://www.minispare...s/ADU5738.aspx?

Ta for that, 4 dampers ordered! 

[RedLexus]

The "knuckles" are ball and nylon cup joints where the spring trumpets (ali cones) seat in the front upper suspension arm or the rear radius arm. They come filled with special grease, no nipples. I like to replace them every 50k miles or so.

 

Obviouisly Mini terminology is different to many more modern cars, so you will have some learning to do, but that is what the forum is for, so please do feel free to ask. Always, someome will be along with the answer.

is wear on these obvious? had the rears out and they look perfect.

[RedLexus]

So far... Front brake pipe that links left and right, all the flexis, rear wheel cylinders, new front pads and fitting kit, 2 exhaust mounts, front knuckles, front bumpstops, 4 dampers, lhs steering arm boot, inner cv seals, gear selector seal kit, and front of front subframe mounts. Gotta love dodgy previous MOTs...

[RedLexus]

Well, after a substantial box of parts, and a lot of late nights, one Cooper back on the road, oil tight and running sweet. And the owner is happy, that's the main thing!