13 replies to this topic

[buddylove]

My clubbie has been doing this for a few months now. It feels very hesitant to start accelerating from a stop and while driving it will lose power for a split second like its starved for fuel. I had a similar issue with my Mk2 Golf and it was the in tank fuel pump, but that car was fuel injected. I was wondering if it would be the fuel pump in this case or something to do with the carb? I am pretty sure that the carb is slightly out of tune as it does run a bit rough. I just recently replaced the spark plugs and gapped them correctly (which smoothed out the idle a little bit) as well as an oil change. It just doesn't feel like it has the oomph that it should.

Thanks!

[buddylove]

bump

[mini.cooper998]

check the dashpot oil if its empty the dashpot can shoot up without damping when empty and run to rich feeling like a petrol starvation use the correct oil too as thick / thin oil can have a similar effect.

Andy

[buddylove]

Just topped off my dashpot oil when I did the oil change and its still doing the same thing.

[taffy1967]

Have all the electrics been renewed recently too?

Like the ht leads, dizzy cap, rotor arm, contact breaker points and condenser?

[Rosslin Racing]

if you have a clubbie it may well have a HS4 SU carb, take the lid off the fuel pot and see if its all working ok. you may find a brown silt in the bottom ( I found a pot screw once) this silt can get into the choke tube and it play havoc with setting up the carb clean it all and bobs the neigbours dog!

[buddylove]

Thanks for the help. Still new to carbs, is the fuel pot near the dash pot? With my next order, I was planning on ordering some new leads, cap, and rotor. I have never replaced the contact breaker points or condensor in a car, what are those?

[liirge]

If its an HS series Carb its the pot to the side of the Carb, the lid is held on by 3 screws, the fuel pipe will attach to it.

[robh]

Check that the tube that connects the carb to the distributor is connected, it is a vacuum advance and if its not then the pickup will be faltering.
If it is, take the top of the distributor and check by sucking the carb end of the tube that the distributor advances.

Disaassemble the carb, make sure that the piston glides in the dashpot, gunge in here can cause what your feeling, but it wouldn't go away.

Be careful with this one...
Disconnect the fuel line to the carb and place it into a bottle,
if you have an electric pump, switch on the ignition DO NOT CRANK THE ENGINE, petrol should pump cleanly into the bottle. Let it run for a bit, it shouldn't slow...
If you have a mechanical pump, disconnect the king lead at the coil and crank the engine, again there should be petrol pumped into the bottle.

Check the connectors that go to the coil are good onto the wire and tight onto the Lucas plugs, if they are sloppy, it could be arcing here, but I don't think this is your problem.

Check the inside of the distributor cap for hairline cracks, this will do all sorts if you have one, especially when there's a bit of damp about.

Check the distributor arm is clean and for cracks.

If you can get access to an airline, blow air through your fuel lines.

Last but not least check that the new plugs are the correct type.
I have fitted new plugs and points and had all sorts of bangs and misfires, only when I reverted back to my original plugs did it all settle down.
The motor factors just replaced them with 4 more, when I asked how often this happened they said "Oh every now and again, its one of those things!"

Good Luck

[liirge]

[Rosslin Racing]

Thanks for the help. Still new to carbs, is the fuel pot near the dash pot? With my next order, I was planning on ordering some new leads, cap, and rotor. I have never replaced the contact breaker points or condensor in a car, what are those?

yes that would help as well.

[Globule]

I had (and still have to a degree) a similar problem, changed all the ignition components (coil, distributor cap, HT leads, rotor arm, condensor, contact breaker points, took the carb off, changed the fuel filter) and it was the contact breaker points that seemed to make the biggest difference to performance so i would certainly change them if you can! You will need a timing gun and feeler gauges though! It's all described in haynes how to change them and set them up correctly

[buddylove]

Thank you for all the help, I'll get to ordering the parts and checking on the few areas that might be trouble spots. Have a great night to all of you!

[taffy1967]

Try and get hold of a copy of this book I mentioned in this thread as that is like a dummies guide to everything on the Mini: -

http://www.theminifo...howtopic=108744

Not that I'm calling you a dummy of course, no that book just taught me loads, including setting the points etc.

Edited by taffy1967, 27 December 2008 - 09:40 PM.