21 replies to this topic

[Danuneek]

Hi, i'm having to replace my HIF44 carb as its gone and having shopped around i've found some cheaper new ones. However, they are been advertised for use on Maestro, Montego and Metro. I’m guessing this doesn’t make a difference and they can be used on a mini. It does state that they have an electronic choke, would it be possible to fit this way and not have to bother fiddling with the choke on a cold morning.

Thanks.

[Guess-Works.com]

The electronic choke ones need the 'black box' which controls it and some sensors adding...

You can apparently change them to run a manual choke but not really worth the hassle IMO.

Metro's never had the auto-choke, only Monties and Maestro's

[Dan]

How exactly has this carb 'gone'? There's not really anything that can fail in an SU carb, all the wearing parts are replaced easily using a service kit. If the main castings are broken or the piston has become loose in the chamber then fair enough it should be replaced but ultimately an SU carb is fairly bullet proof.

[rozzer1275]

I agree with gessworks I used to have a couple of maestros and the choke was controled by an ecu of sorts, one of them had been converted to manual choke with a kit I have know idea if the kit is still avalible.

[Danuneek]

My current carb is a HIF44 1 3/4 with a manual choke, but recently I got it tuned and the mechanic said it would need replacing. I know some people prefer to recondition them with kits and so forth, but I've been advised by a number of people that its best to get a new one because it eliminates any future problems. I'm no expert and find it very confusing when there's such a variance of opinion. But the mechanic and minispares were very assured that I should get a new one. Maybe they were just trying to make some money, but the mechanic was recommending different books so that I should do jobs myself in saving money. I know that to get it running properly he dropped the carb, but its too high on emissions now and will fail its MOT. So for now its fine, but it needs sorting within the next few months. Not really sure what to do, but if I can buy a new one off ebay for about £70 I would prefer to do that and know its going to work.

Edited by Danuneek, 02 January 2009 - 03:23 PM.

[Guess-Works.com]

My current carb is a HIF44 1 3/4 with a manual choke, but recently I got it tuned and the mechanic said it would need replacing. I know some people prefer to recondition them with kits and so forth, but I've been advised by a number of people that its best to get a new one because it eliminates any future problems. I'm no expert and find it very confusing when there's such a variance of opinion. But the mechanic and minispares were very assured that I should get a new one. Maybe they were just trying to make some money, but the mechanic was recommending different books so that I should do jobs myself in saving money. I know that to get it running properly he dropped the carb, but its too high on emissions now and will fail its MOT. So for now its fine, but it needs sorting within the next few months.

Well, that sounds like a mechanic which is not familiar with the SU carb, Dan's spot on, unless the actual body of the carb bis damaged then a service kit will replace everything else, all it may need is a new jet and needle to the correct the emissions...

Unless of course you're trying to run a 998 with a 1.3/4" carb which will not be the most successful of ventures.

Edit, just had a rummage through the forum, and it seems like your emissions problem is related with the fact the car WAS an Spi, and has been converted to run with a carb.. so could be subject to the more restrictive emissions of the later model mini.

Edited by GuessWorks.co.uk, 02 January 2009 - 03:27 PM.

[dave-88_123]

ive seen a couple of conversion kits on ebay recently but it seems alot of trial and error involved

[Danuneek]

My current carb is a HIF44 1 3/4 with a manual choke, but recently I got it tuned and the mechanic said it would need replacing. I know some people prefer to recondition them with kits and so forth, but I've been advised by a number of people that its best to get a new one because it eliminates any future problems. I'm no expert and find it very confusing when there's such a variance of opinion. But the mechanic and minispares were very assured that I should get a new one. Maybe they were just trying to make some money, but the mechanic was recommending different books so that I should do jobs myself in saving money. I know that to get it running properly he dropped the carb, but its too high on emissions now and will fail its MOT. So for now its fine, but it needs sorting within the next few months.

Well, that sounds like a mechanic which is not familiar with the SU carb, Dan's spot on, unless the actual body of the carb bis damaged then a service kit will replace everything else, all it may need is a new jet and needle to the correct the emissions...

Unless of course you're trying to run a 998 with a 1.3/4" carb which will not be the most successful of ventures.

Edit, just had a rummage through the forum, and it seems like your emissions problem is related with the fact the car WAS an Spi, and has been converted to run with a carb.. so could be subject to the more restrictive emissions of the later model mini.

Yeh, it was a 1.3spi but now carb, what would you recommend?

[Dan]

Errm, you will never get a new HIF44 for £70.00. Not from E-bay or from anywhere. You will get another second hand one and that's likely to be in no better condition than the one you have currently. The retail price for a new HIF44 with electronic choke is about £260.00, I've just looked on E-bay and seen a manual choke, new HIF44 for £240.00 (buy it now). There is another guy selling an HIF44 that he is listing as new but in the photo he has included it's got fuel residue all over it and looks to have done a good 8 years on a car before just being washed a bit and even that is going for £120.00. You might find one of the far eastern SU copies on E-bay for that kind of money but if you get one of those there is no parts and service backup available.

Even with a brand new carb it's going to be very difficult to get an SPi car through its emissions test using a carb. There is no difference between a properly overhauled, used SU and a brand new one in terms of how well it atomises fuel and how cleanly it will run the car. to say a new one will eliminate future problems is total rubbish, a new one and a properly reconditioned used one will wear at more or less the same rate. If anything the reconditioned one should stay in good condition for longer than the new one.

[Danuneek]

Errm, you will never get a new HIF44 for £70.00. Not from E-bay or from anywhere. You will get another second hand one and that's likely to be in no better condition than the one you have currently. The retail price for a new HIF44 with electronic choke is about £260.00, I've just looked on E-bay and seen a manual choke, new HIF44 for £240.00 (buy it now). There is another guy selling an HIF44 that he is listing as new but in the photo he has included it's got fuel residue all over it and looks to have done a good 8 years on a car before just being washed a bit and even that is going for £120.00. You might find one of the far eastern SU copies on E-bay for that kind of money but if you get one of those there is no parts and service backup available.

Even with a brand new carb it's going to be very difficult to get an SPi car through its emissions test using a carb. There is no difference between a properly overhauled, used SU and a brand new one in terms of how well it atomises fuel and how cleanly it will run the car. to say a new one will eliminate future problems is total rubbish, a new one and a properly reconditioned used one will wear at more or less the same rate. If anything the reconditioned one should stay in good condition for longer than the new one.

How does everyone else get around this problem, Spi to carb is a common mod. How easy is it to take back to spi?

[Guess-Works.com]

I would hardly say it's a common mod, more a 'not unheard of' mod... and more often than not it's a complete 'older' engine which is installed rather than converting the existing SPi... The one advantage being, if you can prove the age of the engine is before the requirement for the cat test, then the vehicle is tested as per the age of the engine and not the vehicle...

It is possible to get a carburetted vehicle through the cat test, just not easy.

[rozzer1275]

Errm, you will never get a new HIF44 for £70.00. Not from E-bay or from anywhere. You will get another second hand one and that's likely to be in no better condition than the one you have currently. The retail price for a new HIF44 with electronic choke is about £260.00, I've just looked on E-bay and seen a manual choke, new HIF44 for £240.00 (buy it now). There is another guy selling an HIF44 that he is listing as new but in the photo he has included it's got fuel residue all over it and looks to have done a good 8 years on a car before just being washed a bit and even that is going for £120.00. You might find one of the far eastern SU copies on E-bay for that kind of money but if you get one of those there is no parts and service backup available.

Even with a brand new carb it's going to be very difficult to get an SPi car through its emissions test using a carb. There is no difference between a properly overhauled, used SU and a brand new one in terms of how well it atomises fuel and how cleanly it will run the car. to say a new one will eliminate future problems is total rubbish, a new one and a properly reconditioned used one will wear at more or less the same rate. If anything the reconditioned one should stay in good condition for longer than the new one.

How does everyone else get around this problem, Spi to carb is a common mod. How easy is it to take back to spi?

I run an spi with carb and have it tested to an older emmisions test by having an rebuilt older engine in it and i'm in the process of having the log book altered to suit.

you could convert yours back depending what has been taken off ie throtal and inlets, exhaust, clutch drop gear housing, ECU etc.

[Dan]

I'd agree that it's not that common to make the conversion. What is fairly common though is those few people that have done it finding that they can't get through the emissions test. As GW says, the best way is to swap the whole engine.

[rozzer1275]

do you know if you have an old engine in there already.