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Yes, it started life as a 998cc Morris Mini-Minor
Getting Gwen the Mini to Run.
- Thread starter DanClarke
- Start date
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I cannot turn the thing over to set the static timing (even with all plugs out).
I need a socket on the crank bolt and I don't have the socket.
Alternatively I could jack one front wheel up and try putting it in gear and turning the wheel I suppose.
A bit too darned cold for that malarkey today though.
I need a socket on the crank bolt and I don't have the socket.
Alternatively I could jack one front wheel up and try putting it in gear and turning the wheel I suppose.
A bit too darned cold for that malarkey today though.
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This is exactly how I received it from UK minis. I have changed nothing (yet).
It did run (badly) when it came off the transporter, and has run that way twice more until it just "died".
Now, if I had paid a lot of money for it and not £12.95 I might be tempted to have a moan about it; but gift-horses are best not examined too closely and you cannot expect perfection. I will work my way through it all.
Another "winner" has spent about £2,000 getting his one running properly. But as they get valued at £10k+ no-one is likely to complain.
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I cannot see a vacuum diaphragm can on the side of this dizzy, unless it is hidden underneath somehow. It should have one, if it is a 49 D4.Not decent one's yet I am afraid. The cap is held on with screws not spring-clips; to get at the screws I will have to take the front gorilla off the car I think. I will see if I can find a pacifying banana.
The plastic box of tricks in the side wall of the dizzy is the smart/advance/retard electronics stuff I think. I cannot read any tradenames/marks on it for the angles I can see clearly with these old eyes. Sorry. I will see if I can get the grille off later today (weather permitting) or tomorrow (same deal). Thanks for looking/helping.
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And then apparently modified still further.
The MG Metro engine had the best standard cam BL or Austin-Rover ever fitted. So reference to a "lumpy cam" shows someone has really mucked around with it.
He could do worse than put it back to standard spec, mine ran like poop of a polished shovel.
With the plugs out.I cannot turn the thing over to set the static timing (even with all plugs out).
I need a socket on the crank bolt and I don't have the socket.
Alternatively I could jack one front wheel up and try putting it in gear and turning the wheel I suppose.
A bit too darned cold for that malarkey today though.
If you push on the belt and turn the fan it should turn, if its miles away to turn remember that spanner/screwdriver/solenoid, gently
.J
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£12 or £20,000, they should be in a good state.This is exactly how I received it from UK minis. I have changed nothing (yet).
It did run (badly) when it came off the transporter, and has run that way twice more until it just "died".
Now, if I had paid a lot of money for it and not £12.95 I might be tempted to have a moan about it; but gift-horses are best not examined too closely and you cannot expect perfection. I will work my way through it all.
Another "winner" has spent about £2,000 getting his one running properly. But as they get valued at £10k+ no-one is likely to complain.
If the engine is like that, what is lurking beneath the shiny paint.
They make tens of thousands of ££'s from those raffles, so the cars should be in a good state.
I would have said something personally.
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Can't help but agree with the sentiment, but at the end of the day, if he moans, they could just hand him back his stake and raffle it again!
Looks like the gift-horse is a bit of a Greek gift horse!
Like Dan said others have spent good dosh getting them to run. Wonder how much Mini 1275 engines go for nowadays?
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To an extent and indeed in principle I agree mate.
But, the T's & C's of the competition (small print) are that they do not warrant any of the cars to be fit for any purpose and the winner assumes all risks. It is a very clever business model that possibly returns them a good profit. I'm not upset, it is worth > £12.95 even in parts & scrap.
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OK, I am stuck for the moment. I can't turn the engine over (as I said above).
I tried to jack it up but none of my jacks will even slide under it so I can't turn the engine over to #1 10° BTDC by putting it in gear and turning a raised front wheel. Thinking Cap On time.
I tried to jack it up but none of my jacks will even slide under it so I can't turn the engine over to #1 10° BTDC by putting it in gear and turning a raised front wheel. Thinking Cap On time.
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Well, the £20 offer is still open, don't expect you to rush in, take your timeTo an extent and indeed in principle I agree mate.
But, the T's & C's of the competition (small print) are that they do not warrant any of the cars to be fit for any purpose and the winner assumes all risks. It is a very clever business model that possibly returns them a good profit. I'm not upset, it is worth > £12.95 even in parts & scrap.
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So you couldn't even change a wheel if you got a flat?OK, I am stuck for the moment. I can't turn the engine over (as I said above).
I tried to jack it up but none of my jacks will even slide under it so I can't turn the engine over to #1 10° BTDC by putting it in gear and turning a raised front wheel. Thinking Cap On time.
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- Benfleet, Essex
To be fair, it came with no appropriately shaped/sized Mini roadside tools included. No spare wheel in the boot etc. etc.So you couldn't even change a wheel if you got a flat?
It was a "show car" and a family tourer so any "tools" stayed with the previous owner.
I can see a small scissor-jack in my near future.
Thinking "This is ruddy crazy (not being able to get a wheel off the deck)"!
I just watched a YT clip showing how to lift the Mini and put it on Axle stands and I reckon although my big-lift jack for the Rangie won't go under the car to reach where you would eventually put the axle stands, I can get it on the front horn of the sub-frame where the stay-bar goes and lift it there. Bloke on YT says it's how he has always lifted his car, so that'll do for me.
Tomorrow!
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Special valve spring compressor as mentioned.
Put this into Amazon, the link to the thing on amazon didn't work.
Put this into Amazon, the link to the thing on amazon didn't work.
US PRO Tools Overhead Valve Spring Compressor Remove Springs Without Removing Head 5599
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I have a special trolley jack that'll go under low slung cars as most of mine also won't go easily under modern cars. I even carry it in the Disco, as the Land Rover one cannot be trusted. (seal issues). Jacking points on modern cars are so poop I rarely use them, looking always for stronger points like where suspension is attached, or suspension arms themselves.To be fair, it came with no appropriately shaped/sized Mini roadside tools included. No spare wheel in the boot etc. etc.
It was a "show car" and a family tourer so any "tools" stayed with the previous owner.
I can see a small scissor-jack in my near future.
Thinking "This is ruddy crazy (not being able to get a wheel off the deck)"!
I just watched a YT clip showing how to lift the Mini and put it on Axle stands and I reckon although my big-lift jack for the Rangie won't go under the car to reach where you would eventually put the axle stands, I can get it on the front horn of the sub-frame where the stay-bar goes and lift it there. Bloke on YT says it's how he has always lifted his car, so that'll do for me.
Tomorrow!
Sometimes I use the scissor jack that came with the wife's car just to lift the body up enough to enable me to get a trolley jack underneath. It doesn't lift the wheel off the ground!
EDIT. I didn't mean the car's jack COULDN'T lift the wheel off the ground, it totally could, but I just feel happier using a proper jack so I can get things high enough to get an axle stand under it.
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Now I know It might be fair to accuse me of a "cop-out" but I have decided to not try and get this running on the current dizzy (which has no vacuum advance system). Reading a few internet forum things leads me to the conclusion the current dizzy is intended for mad-boy racers who want to tear around in a screaming hurry with the revs constantly up through the roof like they are on a permanent "track-day". Well, that's not me.
So, I am going to buy a Lucas 65DM4 Dizzy (has vac advance) and supports 1 Ohm high power coils (means you can have a 35 thou' plug gap if you want to). So I will order one today and restart the "fixing" when it arrives. I don't really want to be grovelling around on the floor too often doing all this at my age.
My reasoning is that I could spend a lot of time bringing the timing back into line so it "basically runs" only to find that without the vac-advance the experience is a really grim one.
A complete new Dizzy + cap etc. etc. is c.£80 so it isn't a huge outlay to bring the thing back towards "standard".
BTW I noticed a light coating of mayo inside the rockerbox cover, but that is most likely to be because it hasn't been run for any extended period of time in order to get up to a proper temperature in there for some while.
Please bear with me while I regroup.
So, I am going to buy a Lucas 65DM4 Dizzy (has vac advance) and supports 1 Ohm high power coils (means you can have a 35 thou' plug gap if you want to). So I will order one today and restart the "fixing" when it arrives. I don't really want to be grovelling around on the floor too often doing all this at my age.
My reasoning is that I could spend a lot of time bringing the timing back into line so it "basically runs" only to find that without the vac-advance the experience is a really grim one.
A complete new Dizzy + cap etc. etc. is c.£80 so it isn't a huge outlay to bring the thing back towards "standard".
BTW I noticed a light coating of mayo inside the rockerbox cover, but that is most likely to be because it hasn't been run for any extended period of time in order to get up to a proper temperature in there for some while.
Please bear with me while I regroup.
freelance
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Put it in 4 th gear and just push/ pull it to line up the timing marks, providing you’re on the flat, ign off naturally
I don't think its a cop out at all.
I took leccy ignition off a bike once and went back to 2 sets of points cos it was a botch job and cut out in the damp/wet (and I was skint and needed transport). It still has points even now
.Electronic ignition can be good, but points based ignition is easy, and reliable enough for what you have/need.
You could probably sell that dizzy to recoup some cost.
J
Hicap phill
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That 10’ seems a bit high. Has it a differnt cam?OK, I am stuck for the moment. I can't turn the engine over (as I said above).
I tried to jack it up but none of my jacks will even slide under it so I can't turn the engine over to #1 10° BTDC by putting it in gear and turning a raised front wheel. Thinking Cap On time.
Start at 6btdc
Hicap phill
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Not gone right through thread.., you have got a correct coil for the electronic dizzy?
Once a mini is running well don’t worry about noise. Headphones/ear protectors work well.
(Mine was 1340 full race,straight cut box & lowered roof, all lines run internal which MOT man hated)
Once a mini is running well don’t worry about noise. Headphones/ear protectors work well.
(Mine was 1340 full race,straight cut box & lowered roof, all lines run internal which MOT man hated)
