19 replies to this topic

[amsgw]

Hi all, as I'm planning a round trip to Italy this September and anticipating more than one breakdown, I'm after old-timer and new-genius stories, advice and toolkit recommendations. Give me the weirdest roadside repairs you've ever heard of, encountered or performed!

Call me crazy but in this house life's for livin'

[imack]

Had my crank pulley come loose and start chewing the fan blades on a trip to minispares in the 80's when they were in Southgate. Had all the tools I needed except for a socket to fit the crank pulley bolt.
Removed starter, oil cooler, radiator and engine mounting bracket in the side road at minispares. Minispares staff lent me a socket for the pulley bolt and gave me some water for the rad. Got me home, (50 miles) then I took it all apart again and did it properly.

[smurfomatic]

Intermittent grinding noise from the engine bay, turned out the alternator adjusting bracket had broken off from the end plate and was swinging back and forth ocassionally hitting the alternator belt. Took ages to work out what had happened, once I found the issue I was able to get home with the bracket removed and sort it out...

[Ratters]

Good luck with trip, I'm sure you have an array of spares for the ignition system, elecs etc.

Assuming you have an electric SU fuel pump like mine, you may, like me not trust it one bit; so I carry a spare Facet fuel pump and to save scrabbling under the car to fix/replace if/when it fails. With a short rubber pipe attached to the Facet pump it can be easily patched in series into the fuel line by the carburettor and then with a nearby 12v to power the pump, fuel will pass straight through the dead SU pump from the tank straight through to feed the carbs and away you go.

Another 'experience', I had was on a trip home to Birmingham from the London to Brighton Mini Run (a great event sadly now cancelled) was my clutch master cylinder packed up, no cluch stuck in stop start traffic on the M25 was not fun, in gear starts from standstill and clutchless gear changes. I stoped at nearly every service station to bleed the cluch which would give me a few presses to help limp home. So check out your cluch hydraulics. Lastly consider an electric fan to supplement the belt driven fan. All the best Steve.

[amsgw]

Good luck with trip, I'm sure you have an array of spares for the ignition system, elecs etc.
Assuming you have an electric SU fuel pump like mine, you may, like me not trust it one bit; so I carry a spare Facet fuel pump and to save scrabbling under the car to fix/replace if/when it fails. With a short rubber pipe attached to the Facet pump it can be easily patched in series into the fuel line by the carburettor and then with a nearby 12v to power the pump, fuel will pass straight through the dead SU pump from the tank straight through to feed the carbs and away you go.

Ah very good idea - mine is actually a mechanical pump currently but nothing silly about having a spare... Do you have it plumbed in, or just to hand to swap?

Still sore that I never got to do an L2B run!

[Ratters]

 

Good luck with trip, I'm sure you have an array of spares for the ignition system, elecs etc.
Assuming you have an electric SU fuel pump like mine, you may, like me not trust it one bit; so I carry a spare Facet fuel pump and to save scrabbling under the car to fix/replace if/when it fails. With a short rubber pipe attached to the Facet pump it can be easily patched in series into the fuel line by the carburettor and then with a nearby 12v to power the pump, fuel will pass straight through the dead SU pump from the tank straight through to feed the carbs and away you go.

Ah very good idea - mine is actually a mechanical pump currently but nothing silly about having a spare... Do you have it plumbed in, or just to hand to swap?

Still sore that I never got to do an L2B run!

 

I just carry as a spare also some small jubillee clips ;)

[Spider]

Sound a fantastic trip !  I'll add to the road side stories a little later.

 

 

Good luck with trip, I'm sure you have an array of spares for the ignition system, elecs etc.
Assuming you have an electric SU fuel pump like mine, you may, like me not trust it one bit; so I carry a spare Facet fuel pump and to save scrabbling under the car to fix/replace if/when it fails. With a short rubber pipe attached to the Facet pump it can be easily patched in series into the fuel line by the carburettor and then with a nearby 12v to power the pump, fuel will pass straight through the dead SU pump from the tank straight through to feed the carbs and away you go.

Ah very good idea - mine is actually a mechanical pump currently but nothing silly about having a spare... Do you have it plumbed in, or just to hand to swap?

Still sore that I never got to do an L2B run!

 

 

As long as the fuel pump, be it electric or mechanical isn't leaking or blocked, you can leave it in place, plumbed up and fit a temporary pump under the bonnet. It will draw through the normal pump OK.

[sledgehammer]

My best one ...
 

clutch slave went in the middle of the middle of no where ,

 

screen-wash pipe into the top of the clutch master cyl reservoir ,

 

pump like mad till i had a pedal to pull away ,

all the other gears I could change without clutch (except reverse)

 

and water pump leaking out tell tale hole , managed to ram a bit of rag in there

screen wash into rad cap hole - got me home ,

and old jump lead to tie exhaust back on .

also drove a mini back to garage on a beer crate , after customs stripped it at dover .

fun days

 

also our work pickup went in a puddle & knocked off dizzi cap in pitch black ,

in middle of flooded road single track ,

took int mirror off & used reflected light to get cap back on , jammed it on with rag

never found little clip that held it on .

Edited by sledgehammer, 23 June 2025 - 07:01 PM.

[amsgw]

My best one ...

clutch slave went in the middle of the middle of no where ,

screen-wash pipe into the top of the clutch master cyl reservoir ,

pump like mad till i had a pedal to pull away ,

Genius!!!

[Steam]

7.30 at night on th coldest day of the winter (in Aus so not europe cold lol) after a long trip 50ks from home and engine note changes. Pulled over but kept it running, nothing obvious under bonnet so drove home noticing a slight drop in power. Next day went out to check over. It started but with an almight knocking clunking noise. On removing the head my recently rebuilt (by some local "expert") engine had a large groove right down no 3 cylinder.
Just shows you can drive cars home with major faults but you may make things worse by doing so.

[mab01uk]

if you are using the toll Autoroutes in France I highly recommend getting an Emovis-Tag for your car before you go, which means you get virtually no delay in queues at any toll booths as you can drive through the automatic toll barriers on theTelepeage lane:-
https://www.emovis-tag.co.uk/

If you are using the Euro-Tunnel to cross the channel they have a discounted offer on the Tags:-

https://www.leshuttl...unts/emovis-tag

 

Fit a high level LED brake light for extra visibility in your rear window if not already fitted...and on motorways/autoroutes always switch on your hazard lights if you see cars suddenly stopping/braking/queuing ahead to give advance warning to cars and trucks following behind. Modern cars hazards usually come on automatically during heavy/emergency braking.

 

Expect most French and Italian drivers to tailgate you, they just don't seem to understand the need for a stopping distance....they also cut things a bit fine when swapping lanes, although lane discipline after overtaking seems to be better than UK.

 

Most French Autoroutes have good road surfaces and few roadworks, plus lots of service areas, the ones with fuel and food outlets are good but can be very busy at midday to 2pm during the long French lunchbreak. The smaller picnic areas are also ok but their toilets can be pretty basic...

 

It is illegal to have a speed camera detector in a car in France. That's regardless of whether or not you're using it. This includes using features on your phone or built-in car navigation systems.

 

A favourite mobile speed camera for British drivers returning is on the A26 Autoroute towards Calais, with the temptation to speed up to catch the next ferry/tunnel crossing to the UK. However there is often a well hidden speed trap AFTER the last exit before the last toll/peage. As you go by, your next stop is the toll booths, with a Gendarme looking for the plates/cars his collegues radioed ahead to him. Simple but effective. 

Edited by mab01uk, 24 June 2025 - 09:07 AM.

[amsgw]

Ah that's really helpful thanks I didn't know that! Will have a look into that

Yes I was driving a rental in rural Italy recently and the locals rivalled even the Cumbrians in their blind bend overtaking. Talk about paranoia when your excess is worth more than the car 🤣

[Spider]

A trip I did back in the 80's and I was as green as they come, long story short (after bending rear hilos - lesson learned there), standard trumpets had the Moke sitting too low at the back. This was all about 100 km from Oodnadatta - basically about as the 'middle of now where' you can get. A 1/2" Drive, 1" AF socket on the small end of each Trumpet was enough to get my by.

 

I've had more Clutch Slaves let me down than I care to remember.

 

Not on my car, but had a Primary Gear seize on the Crank at Ayers Rock. Drove that one home same as a failed Clutch Slave. Yes, one of those awful Primary Gear Bushes,,,, same happened on another car on our way up Cape York.

 

Again, not me, but a mate had the 2 long bolts under the Radiator rattle out and lost, Tent Pegs saved the day on that one.

 

I broke an upper front shock mount with no spares to hand. Welded that using 2 Mokes and a couple of sets of jumper leads.

 

[nicklouse]

Sounds like fun.

join Facebook and ask to join this group

https://m.facebook.c...9791/?ref=share

members are all prepared to help other Mini owners touring Europe who have problems.

[amsgw]

I broke an upper front shock mount with no spares to hand. Welded that using 2 Mokes and a couple of sets of jumper leads.

Think this is my favourite of yours, bush welding! Innovative