Getting Gwen the Mini to Run.

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As I said elsewhere I was told yesterday that the old gal is "smoking" a bit on hard acceleration or sudden foot off the gas.
I popped the plugs out just now and bar just the one they all look perfect. Yesterday's trip was 76 miles and I really gave it a good thrashing at 70MPH on the Dual carriageways.

1754921836480.png

1,2 & 4 are lovely and white and clean but #3 is a bit oily and dirty. I suspect we have some issue with Cyl #3.
I will do a compression test and go from there.
I tried revving up from a cold start to see if I got any smoke out the back, but there wasn't any.
Maybe when it gets hot the valve stem seals on #3 let by, who knows?
There is a burnt oil smell in the cab when you are really gunning it, but nothing is visible in the rear-view mirror.
 
Well, that's interesting. Allegedly a 1275 "Metro" engine.
I did the compression test (3-squirts of oil in the cylinder and spinning over) then move on and do the next one.
Cyl 1 = 210
Cyl 2 = 180
Cyl 3 = 165 (first go) 175 on extended cranking.
Cyl 4 = 180
As it is a 1275 "Bitsa" I am not sure what I should be getting anyway but Cyl 3 is the "dirty plug" child and it stands out from the others. Apart from the high value of Cyl #1 they are all within 10% of each other. But 3 is oily. Maybe its stem-seals on #3?
Not sure what to do next TBH. Is it running? - Yes.
🙂
 
landowner said:
Just enjoy it, shouldn't look too deep into engine health otherwise it'll be out on the bench for a rebuild.
If it sounds right and doesn't use gallons of oil then keep on blasting it down the road
Give it a little more fuel and advance and sod the experts :D
Click to expand...
Well, its already returning only 27MPG so I'm not sure she needs more motion-lotion. :D
 
DanClarke said:
Well, that's interesting. Allegedly a 1275 "Metro" engine.
I did the compression test (3-squirts of oil in the cylinder and spinning over) then move on and do the next one.
Cyl 1 = 210
Cyl 2 = 180
Cyl 3 = 165 (first go) 175 on extended cranking.
Cyl 4 = 180
As it is a 1275 "Bitsa" I am not sure what I should be getting anyway but Cyl 3 is the "dirty plug" child and it stands out from the others. Apart from the high value of Cyl #1 they are all within 10% of each other. But 3 is oily. Maybe its stem-seals on #3?
Not sure what to do next TBH. Is it running? - Yes.
🙂
Click to expand...
Have you checked the tappet gaps? Might be a bit off on #3.. or the rocker could be a bit worn.. it won't take much
 
DanClarke said:
Well, that's interesting. Allegedly a 1275 "Metro" engine.
I did the compression test (3-squirts of oil in the cylinder and spinning over) then move on and do the next one.
Cyl 1 = 210
Cyl 2 = 180
Cyl 3 = 165 (first go) 175 on extended cranking.
Cyl 4 = 180
As it is a 1275 "Bitsa" I am not sure what I should be getting anyway but Cyl 3 is the "dirty plug" child and it stands out from the others. Apart from the high value of Cyl #1 they are all within 10% of each other. But 3 is oily. Maybe its stem-seals on #3?
Not sure what to do next TBH. Is it running? - Yes.
🙂
Click to expand...
Now that is interesting, in that I was always told to do the compression test first, on a warm/hot engine, but NOT putting any oil into the bores, then do the same again putting oil in the bores.
You seem to have jumped the first bit.
If there is is a difference it means there is bore wear. The oil momentarily blocks up the leaky bores.
I use cylinder compression to indicate to me which tappets need further adjustment and once you get all 4 the same then the engine runs sooooo smoothly.
Cylinder one could be running the tappets too tight. or at least one of them!
Bit strange that one.
 
DanClarke said:
Well, its already returning only 27MPG so I'm not sure she needs more motion-lotion. :D
Click to expand...
My MG Metro-ed one did 20 mpg till it got warm then climbed to 40 mpg and the engine then got much tighter evidenced by the starter struggling to turn it over!
Which is yet another reason why I stopped driving it to work, as, at 8 miles, the commute didn't get it beyond 20 mpg.
 
Stanleysteamer said:
Cylinder one could be running the tappets too tight. or at least one of them!
Bit strange that one.
Click to expand...
Don't get that logic, if tappets are too tight or not properly gapped then the valves can never fully seat closed and I would expect a loss of compression, but number one is the highest of the lot. ;)
 
DanClarke said:
Don't get that logic, if tappets are too tight or not properly gapped then the valves can never fully seat closed and I would expect a loss of compression, but number one is the highest of the lot. ;)
Click to expand...
Guess I misplained myself!
I meant too loose so that the valve sat too tight, but that prolly doesn't make much sense either.
Ignore me today,
As you say, for a cylinder to achieve its highest compression, the inlet has to be open early enough, stay open long enough then close bang on time for maximum compression, Ditto the exhaust must not open too early but must close early enough.
Have you tried using a DTI to check tappets, as wear on the top of the push rod/valve can be misleading? At the end of the day the feeler gauge is often bridging a gap between a curved thing and another thing which ,might have worn curved. Not ideal

I expect if you did it again, dry, number 1 would drop back to "normal".
 
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