9645 replies to this topic

[bluequinn]

Solved the no lights problem. Which is great because I'm going out in it tonight.

[bluequinn]

I made it even more shiny. 
Now my front windows match the rear ones 

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[MattMini94]

I haven't been on here or used the Mini in a little while as usual life stuff has been getting in the way such as work,the rubbish weather we've had until recently as she only comes out on dry days & a tempermental modern daily driver that has been giving me loads of greif for the last few months with airbag issues but thats all sorted now so it's time to focus on the Mini or Winnie as she's become affectionately known as, stuck the battery on charge at the weekend to which I discovered the battery was knackered as it didn't charge so a nice brand new Varta battery is coming tomorrow so whilst I was doing nothing today I changed all 4 shock absorbers to Boge ones I had in my stock as last time I drove her about 3/4 months ago I thought the handling was just a little sloppy. The rears were the original ones from new & the fronts were dated 1998 so I think they were bit overdue & the bushes on all 4 were perished so was good timing

Upon completing the rears though the fuel tank wouldn't go back properly so I got my dad to come over & he found a small previous bodge on the fuel pipe, what someone had done was instead of getting the correct size fuel hose for the original hole in the boot floor they'd drilled another hole a bit further back from the original hole & put a hose in that was way too big for the hole which was split which also explains the fuel smell i was getting so my dad went into his garage & came out with a better pipe, fitted it through the correct hole with the correct grommet so tank now sits better so all is good
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Also booked her first show of the year so will be on the LSMOC stand at Mini Festival, before that though the Rostyles just need a touch up. Also waiting on tickets for next years IMM as its in the UK

Edited by MattMini94, 21 May 2024 - 12:57 AM.

[bluequinn]

I did a few things in the last couple of days.

 

Firstly I replaced the disintegrated fuel tank breather pipe, and the passenger side demist hose. Mine was degraded and split and mostly demisting the passenger's shins. The new one came in MG Rover packaging which was amusing.

 

In the photo with balloons attached to the Mini you will see there is no rear foglight.
That photo was taken 3 owners ago, in 2015. Always google your registration and you might find old pictures of your car.

 

The switch was there, but it didn't work. The wires were just about poking out under the bumper. I bought a nice stainless replacement from Tex (much nicer than the plastic Rover item) & replaced the inline fuse. A couple of bullet connectors and some heat shrink later and we have a working foglight. 

 

I cannot believe it's been at least 9 years and 4 owners before that got fixed.
 

Today I changed the oil and filter. There were a couple of snags. Firstly loads of oil decided not to go into my catch can, but instead soak the floor. No idea why. Secondly I removed the plug and the thread looked weird. A closer inspection revealed that it was full of the aluminium sump thread, which had detatched. You can see the thing that looks like a spring in the 3rd photo. I guess it was overtightened by the last person to do it.
The plug still seemed to thread in and I could make it nice and snug, so I'm hoping I can live with it. I didn't make it too tight, but instead smeared a small amount of Threebond silicone around the outside to prevent it unwinding. I'll check for leaks tomorrow. 

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Edited by bluequinn, 22 May 2024 - 06:00 PM.

[stuart bowes]

Is that not a helicoil?

If so presumably presumably fitted by a previous owner as a fix when the original thread in the casting got damaged

Edited by stuart bowes, 22 May 2024 - 06:09 PM.

[bluequinn]

Is that not a helicoil?

If so presumably presumably fitted by a previous owner as a fix when the original thread in the casting got damaged

 

Oh bugger, I hope not, I've chucked it in the bin. Should it have come out with the sump plug if it was?

It seemed like it just filled the threads of the plug rather than creating new ones if that makes sense. Also it seemed to be aluminum.

Looks like I'd better dig through the bin if it is. And then waste 5 litres of new oil.

[stuart bowes]

I would say yes dig it out if you can but don't just take my word for it .. lets see if anyone weighs in with a more experienced opinion before you drain the oil again

 

I'll be honest I've never actually used one it's just something I've heard of and it looks like it might be 

Edited by stuart bowes, 22 May 2024 - 07:58 PM.

[bluequinn]

Here's another angle of it, if that helps.

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[MiniFanGraham]

Arranged for some Tuning/Dizzy set up on one of minis.
Jim Parkes Tuning - can highly recommend him if your around Sheffield, Rotherham, Chesterfield
over 40 years experience

Well worth it, corrected my dizzy timing that was way out, replaced sparks and mini fired up :) been trying to do it myself for a few months.
spotted that I need new needle and jet, so will be ordering them next
and call him back to set up carb.

[MiniFanGraham]

Carb out now on bench, stripped down
Ready for cleaning, awaiting refurb kit and new needle
then rebuild once all cleaned and parts arrive
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Edited by MiniFanGraham, 25 May 2024 - 01:27 PM.

[Designer]

Fitted refurbished Carb, Filled her up with coolant. Moop started first time once fuel was pumped through and run sweetly. Yee Haa.

[Quinlan minor]

Re-attached a bit of carpet, in the footwell.

A job I've been meaning to do for a while.

[Jordie]

Pushed mine outside then back inside

[Shooter63]

Here's another angle of it, if that helps.

That actually looks a bit wierd, a helicoil has a thread form on the outside aswell as on the inside, I would be interested in a photo of the gearbox thread itself, just to see what's going on.

Shooter

[roblightbody]

After a series of problems with the Mini last year and this year, it all come good yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years, we had a fantastic Mini run in the West of Scotland with friends and friends-of-friends.  We had quiet roads (despite the bank holiday), and blue skies as we travelled around Loch Lomond (Balloch to Arrochar via the Gairloch road) and then round via Tyndrum to Inveraray for lunch, and then onwards to Dunoon for afternoon tea (although sadly Dunoon appeared to be closed...).  They day ended with a sunny ferry trip across to Gourock, and a final photo call on the Esplanade at Greenock.  Sometimes it pays to completely ignore the weather forecast!  With the CBs in play, it very much felt like the old days for many of us, as we'd started doing this sort of thing 25 years ago.

 

We had 5 classic Minis and 7 modern MINIs - one of which was a rare Y-plate R50.  Those in the MINIs either used to have classic Minis, or still did but they were needing repaired, hopefully yesterday gave them some motivation!

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Edited by roblightbody, 26 May 2024 - 11:21 AM.