Mini engine issues- no idea how to solve them
Discussion
Hi all,
Owner of a 92 Cooper, the last year with a carburetor I think. It spends a lot of time in a garage as I live abroad, and I can't find a good specialist to take care of it as it needs to (local garage basically doesn't know how to deal with it). It spent some time with them for some maintenance and came back in a sorry state: Water temp stays just above the blue area when before it would go just bellow the middle line; lack of power, doesn't maintain idle and stalls, power cut at 3000 rpm (suspect it needs timing done) and very poor mpg (around 15 if I'm lucky. )
Im fed up with giving my money to people that just make it worse, so I've decided I'll just learn how to fix it myself and hopefully learn something along the way.
Any idea of what tools I need to buy to solve these issues and some helpful guides to do so?
The stalling part- Could it be a vacuum leak?
Is the timing something simple to do if I have just a timing gun?
(Engine is to my knowledge, a stock 1275 with maybe a stage one? Has a hif44 and I bought it like this)
Owner of a 92 Cooper, the last year with a carburetor I think. It spends a lot of time in a garage as I live abroad, and I can't find a good specialist to take care of it as it needs to (local garage basically doesn't know how to deal with it). It spent some time with them for some maintenance and came back in a sorry state: Water temp stays just above the blue area when before it would go just bellow the middle line; lack of power, doesn't maintain idle and stalls, power cut at 3000 rpm (suspect it needs timing done) and very poor mpg (around 15 if I'm lucky. )
Im fed up with giving my money to people that just make it worse, so I've decided I'll just learn how to fix it myself and hopefully learn something along the way.
Any idea of what tools I need to buy to solve these issues and some helpful guides to do so?
The stalling part- Could it be a vacuum leak?
Is the timing something simple to do if I have just a timing gun?
(Engine is to my knowledge, a stock 1275 with maybe a stage one? Has a hif44 and I bought it like this)
Get a Haynes, preferably the slightly older blue one if poss.
Agree with the above, check/change the thermostat at the same time flush the rad in case it’s bunged up, but I’d expect it to run hot of that was an issue.
The senders are cheap and 5 min change.
Get a cheap timing gun, their cheap now as nobody uses them. Put a tipex dot on the pulley marker and move the dizzy in small increments.
New points and dizzy, plugs for the full house.
Yes it could be a vacuum, check them and the grommet that goes into the servo.
Mini spares in Enfield or Huddersfield does any spare you want.
Agree with the above, check/change the thermostat at the same time flush the rad in case it’s bunged up, but I’d expect it to run hot of that was an issue.
The senders are cheap and 5 min change.
Get a cheap timing gun, their cheap now as nobody uses them. Put a tipex dot on the pulley marker and move the dizzy in small increments.
New points and dizzy, plugs for the full house.
Yes it could be a vacuum, check them and the grommet that goes into the servo.
Mini spares in Enfield or Huddersfield does any spare you want.
My 1992 Spi Rover Cooper displayed similar issues to yours with low water temperature, erratic idling and high fuel use.
The thermostat had been replaced to no avail and I was convinced that the inlet manifold temperature sensor was to blame, but the issue was cured by a good flush of the water system and the radiator. There must have been rust / crud / debris causing a blockage somewhere.
I would also recommend joining / searching the mini forum www.theminiforum.co.uk as there are some very knowledgable folk on there who may be able to help or point you in the direction of a garage who can.
The thermostat had been replaced to no avail and I was convinced that the inlet manifold temperature sensor was to blame, but the issue was cured by a good flush of the water system and the radiator. There must have been rust / crud / debris causing a blockage somewhere.
I would also recommend joining / searching the mini forum www.theminiforum.co.uk as there are some very knowledgable folk on there who may be able to help or point you in the direction of a garage who can.
Could also be the oil level/grade in the carburettor. The SU carbs have a dashpot on the top to damp the movement of the needle that controls the fuel air mixture. This could be gummed up preventing it movely freely also is the manual choke set correctly?
Whereabouts are you as there are plenty of Mini specialists out there.
Regarding water temperature, there isn't a whole lot to wrong, could be the sender or an air lock, stuck heater valve.
Whereabouts are you as there are plenty of Mini specialists out there.
Regarding water temperature, there isn't a whole lot to wrong, could be the sender or an air lock, stuck heater valve.
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