14 replies to this topic

[Edmonds87]

Hello

I’ve got a couple of problems with my engine I rebuilt. It was removed so I could have my gearbox rebuilt. I rebuilt it as it was out of the car and I had discovered a small lip at the top of all the cylinders. This is normal I was by my engineer and it would be a good idea to have it re-honed whilst I had it out the car.

The engine has covered 60000 miles and is a standard 1275cc A+ from a 1993 Mayfair. Everything was running perfectly before removal. The following is the work I carried out:

• Re-honed block, standard pistons which came out of the engine with new rings
• Swiftune sw5 07 camshaft, oil pump and cam followers
• New cam bearings (fitted by engineer) machined to new swiftune camshaft
• New bearings, gaskets and seals throughout
• Standard cylinder head from engine, fitted with new exhaust valves (old ones were pitted so replaced), all valves re-lapped to seats
• New clutch kit fitted
• New plugs, leads, distributor cap
• Re built standard HIF38 carb

The rest of the engine has been kept standard and are the same parts which I took off.

My problem is the car doesn’t run too good now. It will start fairly well with a bit of throttle from cold, warms up fine then once it gets fairly warm it begins to run rough, sometimes cutting out. If I take it for a drive, any time you put load on the engine it wants to die and will then cut out and will be really difficult to start (I.e. you have to crank it on the started motor for about 6-10 seconds to get it to start if your lucky) once its started, the engine hunts and struggles to keep running and eventually cuts out and I’m back to square 1.

I’ve replaced numerous parts and gone back on myself to check that I’ve put thing back correctly:

• Checked distributor drive positioning
• Cam timing
• Replaced ignition module
• Changed carburettor (to rebuilt HS4 with needle from HIF38 carb)
• Replaced coil
• Checked fuel pump for correct operation and split diaphragm (all ok)
• Tried using older ignition system (points and condenser) to eliminate electronic ignition fault

I also had a local mechanic come out twice to have a look at the car and play with the ignition timing and mixture. He’s had years of experience in the trade and with a-series engines and he couldn’t find what was wrong.

After replacing/checking the above parts I’m left with exactly the same problem. Having spent £100’s on the car re-building the engine and numerous other parts, forced to miss London to Brighton its beginning to get really frustrating and I’ve nearly taken a hammer to the car on few occasions.

Im just lost now and have been over so many things I’ve done to try sort it out with no luck. Obviously there’s something wrong but what? Can anyone out there help at all?

Any help at all would be most appreciated!

Chris


P.S. Sorry there’s so much to read through. Wanted to be as detailed as possible. If there’s anything else anyone needs to know just ask.

[Jupitus]

Hello

I’ve got a couple of problems with my engine I rebuilt. It was removed so I could have my gearbox rebuilt. I rebuilt it as it was out of the car and I had discovered a small lip at the top of all the cylinders. This is normal I was by my engineer and it would be a good idea to have it re-honed whilst I had it out the car.

The engine has covered 60000 miles and is a standard 1275cc A+ from a 1993 Mayfair. Everything was running perfectly before removal. The following is the work I carried out:

• Re-honed block, standard pistons which came out of the engine with new rings
• Swiftune sw5 07 camshaft, oil pump and cam followers
• New cam bearings (fitted by engineer) machined to new swiftune camshaft
• New bearings, gaskets and seals throughout
• Standard cylinder head from engine, fitted with new exhaust valves (old ones were pitted so replaced), all valves re-lapped to seats
• New clutch kit fitted
• New plugs, leads, distributor cap
• Re built standard HIF38 carb

The rest of the engine has been kept standard and are the same parts which I took off.

My problem is the car doesn’t run too good now. It will start fairly well with a bit of throttle from cold, warms up fine then once it gets fairly warm it begins to run rough, sometimes cutting out. If I take it for a drive, any time you put load on the engine it wants to die and will then cut out and will be really difficult to start (I.e. you have to crank it on the started motor for about 6-10 seconds to get it to start if your lucky) once its started, the engine hunts and struggles to keep running and eventually cuts out and I’m back to square 1.

I’ve replaced numerous parts and gone back on myself to check that I’ve put thing back correctly:

• Checked distributor drive positioning
• Cam timing
• Replaced ignition module
• Changed carburettor (to rebuilt HS4 with needle from HIF38 carb)
• Replaced coil
• Checked fuel pump for correct operation and split diaphragm (all ok)
• Tried using older ignition system (points and condenser) to eliminate electronic ignition fault

I also had a local mechanic come out twice to have a look at the car and play with the ignition timing and mixture. He’s had years of experience in the trade and with a-series engines and he couldn’t find what was wrong.

After replacing/checking the above parts I’m left with exactly the same problem. Having spent £100’s on the car re-building the engine and numerous other parts, forced to miss London to Brighton its beginning to get really frustrating and I’ve nearly taken a hammer to the car on few occasions.

Im just lost now and have been over so many things I’ve done to try sort it out with no luck. Obviously there’s something wrong but what? Can anyone out there help at all?

Any help at all would be most appreciated!

Chris


P.S. Sorry there’s so much to read through. Wanted to be as detailed as possible. If there’s anything else anyone needs to know just ask.

Have you taken any advice from a carb provider about changing the needle to suit that SW5 cam?

[Edmonds87]

No can't say i have. ive still got the standard AEM needle in the carb. I went for the sw5 because its was only a mild fast road (figured it would be ok with the standard needle) and didn't want all the hassle of bad idling issues you get with the fast road/race cams. Would this cause the bad idling/staring then?

[dklawson]

My thoughts are also that you may need a slightly richer needle now that you're running the SW5.

[Edmonds87]

Right. Any ideas on what to go for? im not too clued up on needles 4 carbs. Whos the best person to talk to?

[Big_Adam]

There's a prog called WinSu most people swear by but I prefer using mintylamb SU Carbo-o-rama thingy for picking needles along with the Winsu.

[Edmonds87]

There's a prog called WinSu most people swear by but I prefer using mintylamb SU Carbo-o-rama thingy for picking needles along with the Winsu.

Guessing i download this from somewhere!? where can i get it from?

[tino]

http://www.winsu.co.uk/

[Edmonds87]

Thanks for the replies! Surely the car wouldn't run this bad just for the sake of using a slightly wrong needle (seen as its fine for a standard 1275) and all ive done is put a mild cam in. Or am i wrong?

[Jupitus]

Hard to say to be honest, but it is possible.... give Swiftune a call and tell them your spec - they're pretty helpful!!

[Retro_10s]

Thanks for the replies! Surely the car wouldn't run this bad just for the sake of using a slightly wrong needle (seen as its fine for a standard 1275) and all ive done is put a mild cam in. Or am i wrong?

You are wrong Take the car to a rolling road, it's the only way to achieve optimum performance from the engine and to ensure you have everything set up correctly and spot on i.e. timing and fuel.

Yes the needle will make a BIG difference

Also... HS4 on a 1275 with an SW5 cam?.... even with a fancy needle that carb is strangling the engine.

1. Sort the carb out (get an HIF44)
2. Get it running well enough to drive to a rolling road
3. Give the nice man at the rolling road your money.
4. Drive away happy knowing your mini has been sorted properly and is now running with perfect mixture and timing.

[Edmonds87]

Ive run it on a friends hif 44 and had no improvement in the engine this is why im so stumped. The carb was sitting in his garage and had a leaking needle valve which i fixed but still no better. Is it worth buying a new one as he needed it back 4 his car (weber playing up) or shall i chance it on a used one off ebay and rebulid it?

Thanks again 4 all the help people most appreciated!

[Jupitus]

A brand new carb will set you back over 200 quid, I think, so I would definitely shop around on ebay and pick one up there and then get a refurb or rebuild kit depending on the condition it is in.... I got a 2nd hand one and it's cleaned up very nicely.... all that said you may njot actually need a new carb at all, especially if your friend's one didn't help, so I would try to be sure of the problem before spending money on a new one.

[Edmonds87]

Been running the car 4 the first time in a while this afternoon. Warmed up ok but cut out after a short run down the road (bout 10 secs) when i dipped the clutch to come down to second. After pushing it back to my place, i discovered the fuel filter was almost empty (around 2mm in the bottom of the filter). Now i only just filled the tank up with a tenners worth b4 starting so the tank isn't empty. After leaving the car 4 about 2 hours or so ive just gone back to find the filter is now full again guessing due to the fuel pushing itself through the system due to gravity and all that *******!

Am i right to believe my pumps busted? Would this cause all the hassle ive been having? Ive got the standard mechanical pump atm which i stripped down to check the diaphragm condition when i was re-building the engine, and all was ok. Is it not adequate enough 4 the engine?

P.S. Looking to upgrade the hs4 to HIF44, as swiftune comfirmed it would be strangling the engine. Also recommended the BDL needle (found in the mg metro's). They did say however that even the smaller carb shouldn't be giving me the issues ive got as the sw5 is too mild!!

[minidaves]

employ someone who knows what they are doing, but sounds like fuel mixture, timming issue with possible coil problem,

dave