6 replies to this topic

[minifromestonia]

Dear mini enthusiasts. I have been searching for some clue on what is the part I have in my hand and could not find any leads. The repair shop guy says that it is a temperature sensor and no different looking part will fulfill the task. He says that he found it in the trunk (I've bought the car in a pretty bad shape) and the part with the thread had been broken off. Can anyone identify with what I am dealing here? The brass part has the following leeters on it: 36753A LUCAS UK 2492

 

I have posted 4 photos with the part. The fifth foto is taken from a mini spares catalogue and shows some similarities to the part I'm searching for, but is not exactly the same.

 

The car is from 1993. When I cold start it, it can runs fine, but cannot be driven before the temperature gauge hand has not gone up to max and then dropped down to zero. After that I know I can start driving it. If I try to drive it without waiting for this warm-up, the engine shows signs of lack of gasoline/air and starts to die out on me. Even when I press the gas pedal into the floor, there is no effect. I sorta hoped that this part would try to solve the issue..

 

Please help! THANKS!!!!

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Edited by minifromestonia, 30 April 2015 - 12:41 PM.

[jaydee]

Looks like a temperature switch for the radiator fan

[minifromestonia]

Thanks for the reply, jaydee!!

 

I've editted the initial post a bit, would it sound as something related to the problem I'm having? I know that the radiator was previously connected to the system with some improvised wires. Probably the previous owner tried to fix this part with whatever he had at the moment.

[blackbelt1990]

I've got a 94 and a 92 car and neither have that part. It isn't a part I've ever seen before either. The plug on the end suggests that it is a genuine part rather than home made, but I don't think it was initially a mini part!

[spiguy]

That is your accelerator pedal switch. It mounts in the footwell area behind the accelerator pedal at the top. There is a corresponding connector nearby near the clutch pedal area it connects to. It's job is to tell the ECU that the car should idle, as the accelerator pedal is not being pressed. The ECU then goes into idle mode where it manages everything to give you a steady idle of 750-950 RPM, and ensure that idle emmissions requirements are met.

 

The one you show is welded shut through corrosion, which is probably why it has been removed. If that was fitted as it is, then the car would not rev up past about 2500 RPM, and would run terribly as the ECU would be confused when you press the accelerator.

 

Is there one fitted now or has it just been removed?  If there is none, then the car should drive fine, however it may idle a little high or erratically, and it is unlikely you would pass an emmisions test at idle. I don't quite understand your symptoms - with a shorted switch (like the one in the picture) the car will not drive properly at all, and will not rev past about 2500, and may backfire if revved. With an open circuit switch, or with it missing entirely, the car should drive fine but may not idle well.

 

If you need to replace it, don't get the super expensive one from parts places, this is the same part (I fitted it to my 92 SPi which had the exact same issue) :

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item1e6b755ceb

 

Note - it is held on with a small E clip. Replacement switches don't come with one.

 

This switch was only fitted on early SPi cars, and was deleted later on as they just took the throttle potentiometer value to indicate idle (ie different ECU program).

Edited by carlukemini, 30 April 2015 - 01:56 PM.

[minifromestonia]

Carlukemini, YOU ARE THE MAN!!! 

 

I can't believe the speed and the professional level of this post!! So very grateful.

I'll take a look at the situation with its missing or not and consult with the repairman. 

 

Regarding your words about its function: I usually have to hold the gas pedal pressed down to get approx. 2500 RPM to warm the cold engine up. When the hand on the temperature gauge has gone up and then down, I will drop the RPM and it would go somewhat lower than should be by the feel of it, meaning that the car shows a need of some gasoline pedal by starting to choke. If I turn on the engine in very cold conditions (below 10*C) and don't press the gas pedal at all, the engine would definitely stall. I will show your post to the guy and we'll try to figure it out further.

 

Thanks a lot once again!!!

 

:)

Edited by minifromestonia, 30 April 2015 - 07:55 PM.

[spiguy]

No problems, glad to help!   Certainly idling will be affected by not having the switch present, I suppose under different conditions such as cold weather, it could misbehave in different ways - in my case it was last summer when I bought the car, so nice and warm and dry, and I found the car would idle pretty well without it. There is every chance that you may have other issues that need ironing out though.

 

On the SPi the key area to check for trouble is the vacuum lines. The most important being the one which goes from the manifold to a fuel trap (a small black plastic box mounted to the left of the air box as you look at the front of the car)  and then on down to the ECU. From manifold to trap is a small plastic hose with rubber elbows, then a longer one runs down to the ECU, on the underside. This is the MAP sensor (Manifold Absolute Pressure). The MAP sensor is the main factor for the ECU to set the fuelling, as it tells the ECU alot about the level of vacuum in the manifold. This then indicates the amount of engine load, air flow etc. Check these two pipes carefully for any cracks or splits in the pipes or elbows. It is best to remove them to do this (can be done without removing the inlet manifold, just a little fiddly at the back there). I would take them off and cover an end and suck - you should be able to get them to hold vacuum against your finger without leaks. Also check for any cracking in the elbows. You can do a similar suck test on the fuel trap too.

 

If they are at all suspect, renew them. Then there is also a vacuum line (Should be red) which goes from another port on the back of the inlet manifold down to a valve on the underside of the air box. A leak here will tend to cause a high idle, and will lean out your mixture somewhat. Note that the valve it connects to can also leak, so similar 'sucking' tests are wise here (pipe and valve). All the red line does is act on the valve to operate a hot / cold air flap, which will close as soon as the engine warms up, so is mainly for cold running. If the valve is leaking you can just plug the end of the red pipe temporarily to eliminate the vacuum leak. Again though, make sure the red pipe is intact and not leaking, and that it is connected at the rear of the manifold.

 

Post back with progress / questions and any picture of anything you need identified or explained and I'm sure it'll get sorted out easily enough. 

 

By the way, there are some great pinned guides about injection cars, including good pictures and information relating to the vacuum lines here :

 

http://www.theminifo...oint-injection/

 

 

Cheers

Edited by carlukemini, 30 April 2015 - 08:18 PM.