18 replies to this topic

[Jenny]

Hi everyone, can anyone give me a bit of advice?

I knew the mini would break down but I thought I would try and make it into work this morning anyway. The car is fine up until I go above 40 in the heavy rain, the engine starts to lose power. This happened last year and the RAC man said it was the water getting into the engine and I just need to let it dry. I have sprayed on damp proof but this isnt very effective. I have had to take the day off work, but its stopped raining now so I just went outside to see if there was anything i could do to protect the dizzy from rain as the cover doesn.t go that far. I have put a piece of thick bubble wrap behind the grill, and secured it by screwing it into it at the top. Will this be likely to work as a temp solution or will it catch on something or make the engine over heat. Is there still a way of water getting in from underneath?





Oh yeah and I broke one of the grille slats when trying to remove it Is this fixable?

thanks,

Jenny

[Sleepy Stu]

In colder weather i would say the temperature thing shouldnt be a problem same as its kinda like the old trick of putting foil over your rad to keep the temperature up in colder weather. Also as long as your water temperature guage is working ok then although not techinally a temp reading of the engine it should give you some idea as to what you engine is up to.

Ive been looking into this problem recently for when i get my clubman back on the road as the grille has the largest slots in it i have ever seen and i can forsee that water is going to be a big problem.

An idea i have been considering is mount a clear bit of perspex behind the grill but slightly away so that air can still flow round the sides a bit but the majority of the water coming in the front should get stopped. Then just remove it completely in the summer months?

Nice idea with the bubble wrap its a new one to me!

Edited by Stewart_GT, 10 March 2008 - 11:27 AM.

[Jenny]

thanks Stewart, I might take it out for a test tonight when its raining again

[hystrix cristata]

I started breaking down in the rain a few times, had to shove a t-shirt in the front grill and tie it on to stop the spray getting in to get me home a couple of times. Mine was the plugs at the front getting wet so did the rubber glove trick over them and then it was fine.

[Jammy]

I wouldn't keep the bubble wrap there, it'll only cause problems with airflow, and there is a risk it could move, cover the air intake, melt on the exhaust, etc.

The main problems with electrics in the wet is usually down to the coil, and the distributor.

To sort out the coil, get some electrical contact cleaner. Take the connections off the coil (one at a time so you know where they go back), and clean with the electrical contact cleaner (available from Halfords - yellow spray can with green lid). And use an old towel or kitchen roll to dry off.

To sort out the distributor... When was the last time you changed the distributor cap and HT leads? If it was 6 months or more, change them.

Get two latex gloves, and snip a small holes in each one (one hand make the holes a little bigger to get the HT leads through). Put on latex glove over the coil, with the wires coming out the fingers, and one over the distributor, with the HT leads coming out the fingers.

This SHOULD be enough to protect the electrics in the wet. If its not I suspect that the connections you have going to the coil have corroded and become dirty to a point where the smallest amount of moisture will cause problems. The only way to get around this would be to cut the old connections off, and (possibly adding some more wire, crimped on with heatshrink around it), add new weatherproof, insulated spade connectors.

[MARViN2003]

The rubber glove over the dizzy will help!

I would also check out your HT leads - both to the spark plugs and from the coil - make sure they are all good.

Also, check that if you have spark plugs were the tips screw on (where the HT lead goes) that they are screwed on all the way and the HT leads all fit snug.

Edited by MARViN2003, 10 March 2008 - 12:06 PM.

[Ethel]

...and you can repair your grille with a pop rivet.

[Jenny]

thank you so much for all the tips guys, I will make sure to get it all sorted properly this weekend with the electrical contact cleaner and the rubber glove. I will just hope the rain eases off later this week.

[Jammy]

Just noticed your in Faversham! If you have anymore troubles after you've tried all that, feel free to send us a PM as I'm only in Sittingbourne.

[Tom Booth]

Have you considered scrapping the points system for an Ignitor kit?

Since I fitted mine, I have had no problems in the rain *touch wood* and I'm not using the weather gaurd.

There a doddle to fit, the only majour is timing it back in, but thats something a garage could do in 10 minutes.

Mines also improved on BHP and MPG rates since fitting the ignitor too! I did replace the cap and rotor arm at the same time thou, for the price they cost you would be mad not to!

[Jenny]

thanks Jammy, that is very kind of you, I will let you know how it goes. Tom, I have been recomended to switch to electric ignition by my mechanic, so I think it might be worth the investment, money is just really bad at the moment but I think its top of the list to get done now.

thanks again

[lrostoke]

I doubt the ignitor would solve your problems...I've got one fitted to mine and it can be a right pain in the rain..or could be I seemed to have beat it

Were I'm at now is a total blanking of the grill appart from a section at the rad end / alternator including making the external bonnet release catch protrude through a slot in my blanking material..I'm suprised the proper weather guard you have fitted isn't doing the job.
The main way of stopping ht problems is to make sure it is dry and clean, spraying with wd40 and other products just makes them sticky and attract dirt which leads to tracking of the spark causing misfires.

touch wood the blanking of the grill seems to be working, plus Ive also fitted some upgraded ht leads and a sports coil.

[liirge]

My mini moke, has incredibly large grills at the front, and the front had a piece of metal over it to stop the rain getting in it:

looks like a really old sign or something my grandad used!
But yer a block of perspex sounds like a good idea, slightly away from the front to allow air flow into the bay!