1065 replies to this topic

[jayare]

Liking the sounds on the vids Kam! I'll have to catch up with you at a track somewhere and take you up on the offer of a pax lap - I'll return the favour when mine's finally done (still trying to summon enthusiasm for the bodyworkon mine at the mo!)

JR

[Kam]

Thats not the first time I've heard that about the Watsons setup.......I nearly went watsons but decided to keep mini track even though I knew the car would be carrying more engine weight up front so could cause issues but there is so many factors to take into account when suspension is being setup it didn't bother me

But I want to know how they handle, it's not the lap times im interested in as such, just more how they handle

I'd be lying if I said it felt anything other than mini going round, it does feel and look mini, but I reckon its maybe because of the interior? I would defy anyone to sit in mine and know something was not right.....until I start bouncing off 8k on the standard mini dials

Its a shame you had to leave early at the nurburgring when I saw you, would of glady taken you round for a lap, also if you ever see the guy who works for Lizard Logistics and drives a red mk2 golf round the 'ring ask him what he thinks of my car, he collared me in the car park after to find out what engine I had as he had trouble getting past me and loosing me on a straight and I can't remember if there was two or three of us in the car?????

I took Chris (Gingermonkey) round at Castle combe and although I had problems changing down hard and getting third due to the nut and bolt in the linkage etc the car didn't show itself up, he would know more than me if mine was struggling round the corners as he's got the 1800 on 12's with a bit more interior than mine! I've taken Burnard for a little drive around the roads, taken bakker110 and twrminisport a lap round the 'ring, they all know the suspension stills needs fettling with but then again the car was being test driven on the trip as it was still being finished as the guys left brands hatch for dover!

Seriously mate either honda or vauxhall I would recommend, the car becomes a controllable animal if you like that sort of thing on the road its got more than enough for a mini and I've embarrassed enough on the road, even the ones I just about keep up with as they don't expect it - and this coming from someone who's got all the standard interior, even underlay under the carpet! steel wheels and steel front end........take all that away.........

I have no qualms about having a laugh with anything out on the road whether I can take it or not, end of the day my mini has got nothing to prove

[Kam]

still trying to summon enthusiasm for the bodywork on mine at the mo

Just nike it JR!

I don't have enthusiasm, I just do it did it through the whole build here whether I was up or down as I knew what the outcome would be........effin awesome!

[Burnard]

Thats not the first time I've heard that about the Watsons setup.......I nearly went watsons but decided to keep mini track even though I knew the car would be carrying more engine weight up front so could cause issues but there is so many factors to take into account when suspension is being setup it didn't bother me

But I want to know how they handle, it's not the lap times im interested in as such, just more how they handle

I'd be lying if I said it felt anything other than mini going round, it does feel and look mini, but I reckon its maybe because of the interior? I would defy anyone to sit in mine and know something was not right.....until I start bouncing off 8k on the standard mini dials

Its a shame you had to leave early at the nurburgring when I saw you, would of glady taken you round for a lap, also if you ever see the guy who works for Lizard Logistics and drives a red mk2 golf round the 'ring ask him what he thinks of my car, he collared me in the car park after to find out what engine I had as he had trouble getting past me and loosing me on a straight and I can't remember if there was two or three of us in the car?????

I took Chris (Gingermonkey) round at Castle combe and although I had problems changing down hard and getting third due to the nut and bolt in the linkage etc the car didn't show itself up, he would know more than me if mine was struggling round the corners as he's got the 1800 on 12's with a bit more interior than mine! I've taken Burnard for a little drive around the roads, taken bakker110 and twrminisport a lap round the 'ring, they all know the suspension stills needs fettling with but then again the car was being test driven on the trip as it was still being finished as the guys left brands hatch for dover!

Seriously mate either honda or vauxhall I would recommend, the car becomes a controllable animal if you like that sort of thing on the road its got more than enough for a mini and I've embarrassed enough on the road, even the ones I just about keep up with as they don't expect it - and this coming from someone who's got all the standard interior, even underlay under the carpet! steel wheels and steel front end........take all that away.........

I have no qualms about having a laugh with anything out on the road whether I can take it or not, end of the day my mini has got nothing to prove

It goes like ******* off a shovel with a firework up its ass, and id still call it a mini
Needs better brakes though imo

[Kam]

I think someone may have broke into my garage??? As I found a combination of coolant and oil



I think someone has replaced my b-series engine with an a-series one??? Haven't seen an oil leak on my floor for ages

Front off, jacked up to investigate......



I was getting a bit paranoid it could be a head gasket issue going by a coolant/oil combo but the coolant was just a spot that dropped in a pool of oil found the culprit(s) - drivers side driveshaft seal weeping oil and the vtec solenoid Took the whole hub assembly malarky off (what fun) and found the seal



Had trouble hooking out the old seal for some reason, there's not really anyway you can get to it easy as you think, the frame gets in the way but found a way, short pry bar flipped over



BOTH SIDE SEALS ARE DIFFERENT SIZES ON A b16a2 not just the external size but also the internal one

Luckily the honda parts guy knows what he's talking about as he had recently change some on another engine, why they are, who knows? who cares?

Drivers side



Passenger side



Both together



I think honda and rover have a good understanding of one another, they are like one almost.......

Tapping in the drivers side seal takes a one and half size socket nicely



And the pass side takes a one and five sixteenth socket size nicely to tap it home



Both sockets a mini owner should already have, right?

Getting the intermediate shaft out means you got to take out the support bar, 2 12mm and one 17mm



But the allspeed rear mount gets in the way so you can't just pull the intermediate shaft out, so out with the rear mount, 11/16ths and a 19mm



I'm not trying to teach people to suck eggs here, just keeping up with a detailed build update throughout, as it may/may not help someone else out and give an insight to how to tackle it - changing most seals when you first get the engine is a good start though

Pat on the back for myself



As for the vtec solenoid, easy three 10mm bolts, oil will come out so keep a cloth handy



^^^^^ Not a cheap seal so don't start crying down the phone to honda.....

The coolant drip was only from one of the recently replaced pipes, not done up tight enough. Decided while I was here to sort out the heater pipe I had trouble with before and get a proper 180 degree 16mm hose and some others for plumbing it



Eventually the rest will be blue hoses aswell but that can wait, engine bay appearances aint important to me

Also while I was here I thought I might aswell get the 'biaatch pin' out from the gear linkage (mini owners know this one aswell!) when I put it back in I forgot to coat it in some anti-seize compound but luckily with the right size 5/16 punch it came out easily



No longer a 'biaatch pin' infact I might call it a 'mistress pin' it was that nice and easy to get out

Coated up and popped back in



I think I need a new rad at some point, my fan was quite loose, could be because my rad is not secured at the moment and the fan is being shook about its damaging the fins as its held in place





My rad is from a jap import type-r and had a couple of extra holes at the bottom that needed to be bunged off, these do get in the way near the bottom of the frame and front end, will look for another normal civic vti/crx del sol one now

Car is looking a bit sorry for itself at the moment





Hate seeing it like this, especially as the cars is usable, was hoping to take it on a little trip at the weekend aswell, not sure where though so it needs to be done tomorrow at some point now, no doubt it will be as I'm starting to love this ******* now!

[Kam]

It goes like ******* off a shovel with a firework up its ass, and id still call it a mini
Needs better brakes though imo

Cheers Chris, but braking on the road is overrated anyway, besides I was trying to scare you

[Burnard]

meany

[Kam]

Well my weekend trip aint happening this weekend, was planning on doing a quick weekender at the 'ring but found out the northloop was booked up all weekend so I might try for next week (I really do do things last minute ) my mate might be popping along aswell as he needs cheering up as he got made redundant recently and I thought was better way to cheer him up by hooning around the 'ring in a vtec mini

**prays for ok weather**

So took it easy today getting the car back together - I think this may be the first time I have ever taken it easy working on the build since I started, did feel strange - started off with re-routing the air filter, its proper tight in there, everythings in the way and got the new heater hose on aswell, chopped down the 180 degree to give enough clearance, was a ball-ache getting in on there, not much room between engine and frame when in sitiu, I bought a 90 degree (70mm) bend but had to cut it down to try and get it on as the clutch master is in the way





Getting there



I do need a new rad, I found out my one is apparantly for an automatic as it has two extra holes at the bottom that are meant for the auto-boxes



Both holes are bunged up so it don't leak it just they seem to be getting in the way down there with the front end and frame, will keep an eye out for a rad from a manual but no biggie at the moment, this works, its a bit rattly when moving along but end of the day this is a mini

I do like it when its wheels finally hit the ground again



I'll place the cone in a good place when the front ends back on, main thing was getting the routing done from the inlet

Also my speedo cable snapped, surprisingly not at my weld, just the main part of the cable itself



I remember when I was on a private airfield recently and was pootling along near the end of the mini speedo gauge and it just dropped, figured it just popped out of the gearbox (again) but no, it snapped

No biggie though, spoke to Geoff at Watsons who is gonna get a speedo cable from a rover 216 or something and make an adapter plate for me that I can put in the place on the gearbox where the honda Vehicle Speed Sensor would go, speedo cable then plugs into back of my dash as normal its all rover

I could make it myself but cba

Was gonna put on the front end and go for a little test drive tonight but didn't fancy any fireworks dropping on my roof so I'll head out tomorrow

Also, I got my HD camera back from my mate so will try and get some better footage done.....

[Kam]

meany

Not really, remember your in a mini - inside and out! its acts like a mini should!

[Burnard]

I meant the scareing me bit

And i still think you should put that filter nearer the intake, you will get better throttle response and probably more power aswell wait, i didnt just suggest you make MORE power!

[Kam]

I meant the scareing me bit

And i still think you should put that filter nearer the intake, you will get better throttle response and probably more power aswell wait, i didnt just suggest you make MORE power!

More power? I thought thats just a clarkson thing!

I need LESS power!

I can't see how I can sit the filter right on the inlet, there really aint no room back there, besides the throttle response is spot on at the moment, as I've got a lightened flywheel it works well, the filter is getting some fresh clean air the moment as there is loadsa room around it - along with rain, road grime and general muck

Could make a shield/guard for it but its that thing again - cba Apart from a 'S' bend to navigate I'm sure the air can find its way round to the inlet, if it can't it needs to find another car!

I really really really really need to get a power run done on the rollers to see where I stand, could get one done at a local rollers asap but want Track and Road to do it, they can handle the mapping aswell as the last time it rolled there (cambelt/cv boot fiasco) the VTEC wasn't engaging (relay fiasco) so need to make sure the map is catered for as now the VTEC is working

I might let you know the outcome, or I might not

[Kam]

Well I got the car finished today and so it needed a test drive, a quick trip round the block aint my version of a test drive so headed out armed with my camera I got back from my mate

Most are blurry as I need a proper dash mount but I'm refusing to drill any holes at the top of the dash to mount one as the dash has to look normal, I will try and work a way around it though......what that actually means though is I have no idea how

Roads weren't empty today unfortuantely......



Check out the beemer going for it on the exit, I was in third low down in the revs and just planted it



I have ALOT of time for learners, was one myself blah blah blah but unless the person teaching can actually teach....MOVE OVER as there was a line of cars about to undertake you!



Some people do move over - mini coming through!



Spin up on demand if you like that sort of thing



All safe fun (ish)

Cars running well, couple of bits to sort out but I reckon it might make an appearance at the 'ring this weekend........

[billyboy83]

Great vids mate, and even better you have it back on the road. Dont they like to spin up easy in the damp. i dont even bother takin mine out now if its wet or damp. even still that never stoped my vtec geting smacked in to Saturday nite.

[briain]

Great build really like the idea of a completely standard looking mini been that fast. Any plans on doing the round nose? Also how much do you think you've spent on the build so far? and finally you could probably hang the camera out of the bar the goes form the mirror to the screen using something like ram mounts

[Burnard]

I meant the scareing me bit

And i still think you should put that filter nearer the intake, you will get better throttle response and probably more power aswell wait, i didnt just suggest you make MORE power!

More power? I thought thats just a clarkson thing!

I need LESS power!

I can't see how I can sit the filter right on the inlet, there really aint no room back there, besides the throttle response is spot on at the moment, as I've got a lightened flywheel it works well, the filter is getting some fresh clean air the moment as there is loadsa room around it - along with rain, road grime and general muck

I was thinking allong the lines of a sock filter, or a after market one like u have in that lil gap where the silicon hose ends. Not sure from the picture how much (or little) space there is though.

Just looking at your clutch cylender, is that a clutch specific one, or is it a brake/ clutch? and where did you get it from? Could be perfect for what im after.