10 replies to this topic

[mikeyr]

My daughter's fiancee just purchases a pile-o-parts 1960 Mk1 mini.  He purchased it about 2 months ago and drove it for a few weeks, then it started stalling on the freeway, took a while but we found the previous owner had used RTV silicone to install the sending unit into the gas tank and bits of silicone were floating around in the tank. ( http://singer.rambou...ni/mini_gas.jpg )

  When the car was low on gas, it sucked the silicone in and car stopped, a short while later it worked fine again for a short distance.

 

 Car is now running fine again BUT I would not be here if it was perfect.  It has a bad squeal noise under acceleration.  Its not the fan/alternator/water-pump as I removed the belt and did a super quick drive.  I can't tell where its coming from, when driving it sounds like the middle of the car, when in the passenger seat (LHD car) it sounds like that side of the car.  It goes away when I stop accelerating.  It also goes away when I put the clutch in, I can go down the road with clutch in OR in neutral and no noise, as soon as I accelerate even a little it comes back and its quite loud.  

 

 So the history of the car is unknown, there is a 1275 motor in it.  Upgraded brakes and other non-standard items in it.  It appears to run fine and have no issues, although I think it runs hot, not overheating hot but hotter than my 1934 Singer with a 1098 A-series motor in it.  Will look at that later.  The only thing that has happened since it was running quietly was a LOT of rain, lots of rain for S. Calif. where it never rains.  I have a lift and going to lube everything I can find.  One visual I see is that the driveshaft/u-joint is awfully close to the exhaust, almost looks like it is touching but there is no signs of it.  I have done a quick check on the motor mounts as it feels like the motor is moving causing some moving "something" to hit but the mounts/motor seem solid.

 

 Familiar with the motor as it comes on a Sprite mini but not as a proper mini.

[David128]

could be top engine steady letting top of engine move forward.

[sonikk4]

Clutch release bearing by the sounds of it.

[David128]

yep could be release bearing

[mikeyr]

Clutch bearing was my first thought also but it only happens under acceleration with the clutch out, I had assumed the release bearing would make noise when clutch is moving in/out not fully engaged.  In the U.S. we cal it the throw out bearing, are we talking same bearing ?  its the right area.  Ok, so now I get to figure out to swap that out on a mini, bet it would be as easy my Singer.

Edited by mikeyr, 07 February 2016 - 09:50 PM.

[sonikk4]

Yep throw out bearing would be the same item. The thing is unless you have a look at it then its a bit of a mystery. Another thing it could be is the water pump bearing failing.

[David128]

worse part is getting the wok  clutch cover off ,, remove engine mount clutch side with jack under gearbox  watch the rad so dont jack too high one of the cover bolts is pita then its easy

[cal844]

Clutch bearing was my first thought also but it only happens under acceleration with the clutch out, I had assumed the release bearing would make noise when clutch is moving in/out not fully engaged.  In the U.S. we cal it the throw out bearing, are we talking same bearing ?  its the right area.  Ok, so now I get to figure out to swap that out on a mini, bet it would be as my Singer.

Yes the throw out bearing needs changed, ours rattles and goes away when the clutch pedal is pressed :/

The clutch can be changed in car, you need to remove the cover, then the big crank bolt... Whilst it's in pieces I'd change the clutch and primary gear oil seal too ;)

[mikeyr]

thanks, looking into this.  I really had decided it was not the  clutch release bearing as it makes NO noise engaging/disenganging clutch.  It only makes noise under acceleration with my foot miles from the clutch, putting the clutch in/out is totally silent so I had assumed it was not that bearing.  It looks like its not too hard to do with engine in. And going to look about pulling the engine out anyway to give everything a good looking over.  Its not even my car and I am spending huge time on it, my daughter's and her fiancee better appreciate this :)

[MacGyver]

Worst scenario is either differential or main gearbox bearing... What oil has been put in your engine? Sometimes people put 10w40 or lower and it wrecks all the box bearings... M'y brothers car sounded a bit like that and is now (2months later) VERY loud grinding and whining, hard to say without hearing it but better be safe than without an engine.

[mikeyr]

with car on the lift, I found shiny bits of metal.  Specifically, the drive shaft joint (what is it called, u-joint? does not look like a normal CV joint) has some shiny corners and there is a matching shiny spot on the exhaust header.    When the car is sitting, there is only maybe 1/8 inch between the header pipes and these, I bet when the car is moving, they are hitting, its nice and shiny and clean and everything else is rusty and dirty.  So while it still could be something serious, I am thinking (hoping?) this is it and now I have to figure out how to get some space between the header and driveshaft parts.

 

 To answer the oil question, we have no idea. The entire engine/gearbox/starter/alternator/carb/wiring/hoses were painted a dull black, indicating to me a shoddy job so the wrong oil could easily have been put in.   Oil/coolant/brake fluid change is after I move the engine somehow to give clearance.  Also the brakes are garbage so another thing to look at, it has front disc's and rear drums but lousy brakes.