14 replies to this topic

[applejackpandora]

~~~~~Please delete this text before posting the topic~~~~~~
Please give your topic a title that quickly describes your problem. Just putting 'Help my Mini doesn't work' is useless to anyone trying to help.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Model: mini 1000
Year: 1980
Description of problem (please be as in depth as possible):

i fancy upgrading from the original plastic box, looks ugly and you know the rest..
cant decide what to choose and im unaware of the benefits or downfalls of the cone and the pancake..
apparently the pancake makes a better sound and looks better.. but i dont want to have sound over power or what not. and help appreciated

Any non-standard parts that might be involved with the problem?

[Tommyboy12]

What carb is this attaching to?

[applejackpandora]

What carb is this attaching to?

ahhh.. now my lack of mechanical knowledge starts to show..
im not actually aware of this.. everything else is standard to the engine so i'll go with the standard size.. ive heard thats either 1.5" or 1.25" cant remember..
thanks.

[minilee94]

i think what he mean is what carb like hiff44,hs4 etc

[mike.]

Pancake filters are the worst performing filters you can buy. They look quite nice but that's all they're good for.

Get a cone filter from a decent manufacturer and it'll last a lifetime with proper care.

[Dan]

If you want power over sound, stick with the plastic box, install a K&N element to it, and drill 5 to 7 25mm holes in the forward face of it outside the filtered volume.

We're seeing that opinion about pancake filters a lot here lately. The thing is in a Mini it's not always the case. The proximity of the bulkhead, and the stuff on it, and the speed of the air travelling up that bulkhead means that a decent pancake can and often does outperform a cone. Those terrible classic foam pancakes that are quite tight and thin are indeed awful but a proper pancake from a good company with decent height is fine. To say that a cone must naturally be better because a pancake must include a 90 degree turn in the air flow massively over simplifies the dynamics of gas flow. This is not based on received wisdom, but the results of actual testing. Not testing by myself I must add, but the testing has been done.

[applejackpandora]

thanks for the posts guy.. much appreciated.

for the answer to the type of carb.. i have no idea. . would it say on the carb itself or in the logbook/manual or would a haynes manual tell me? would it be a Hs4 Su carb as this is the only filter that fits a 1000cc http://www.minisport...o_PCFC1502.html ,ignore the filter.. just using the carb info for the example.

so from the previous comment.. would a minisport pancake do the job as a 'decent pancake' or would i have to go for more of the 'after-market' sort.. so to say. im not tight with my money.. but it doesnt grow on tree's with me either :L
or if i was to go for the cone, would just be the sorta simple way to do things?
and would i expect to do alot of experienced tuning for both. other than adjusti8ng the idle or jet?

cheers

[applejackpandora]

thanks for the posts guy.. much appreciated.

for the answer to the type of carb.. i have no idea. . would it say on the carb itself or in the logbook/manual or would a haynes manual tell me? would it be a Hs4 Su carb as this is the only filter that fits a 1000cc http://www.minisport...o_PCFC1502.html ,ignore the filter.. just using the carb info for the example.

so from the previous comment.. would a minisport pancake do the job as a 'decent pancake' or would i have to go for more of the 'after-market' sort.. so to say. im not tight with my money.. but it doesnt grow on tree's with me either :L
or if i was to go for the cone, would just be the sorta simple way to do things?
and would i expect to do alot of experienced tuning for both. other than adjusting the idle or jet?

cheers

[applejackpandora]

thanks for the posts guy.. much appreciated.

for the answer to the type of carb.. i have no idea. . would it say on the carb itself or in the logbook/manual or would a haynes manual tell me? would it be a Hs4 Su carb as this is the only filter that fits a 1000cc http://www.minisport...o_PCFC1502.html ,ignore the filter.. just using the carb info for the example.

so from the previous comment.. would a minisport pancake do the job as a 'decent pancake' or would i have to go for more of the 'after-market' sort.. so to say. im not tight with my money.. but it doesnt grow on tree's with me either :L
or if i was to go for the cone, would just be the sorta simple way to do things?
and would i expect to do alot of experienced tuning for both. other than adjusting the idle or jet?

cheers

to the minisport pancake filter.. would this be a better choice if i was to go for one http://minispares.co...ty=pb&pid=35280 or would it be more.. 'aftermarkety' again.

[MiniLandy]

Get a genuine K&N filter. They are expensive, but there's a reason for it.

I've had a genuine replacement element before, both on my 998 and 1275, and now the 1275 has a pair of K&N cones on my twin HS2s.

If you're replacing your standard paper air filter with a K&N jobbie, you'll need a different carb needle too.

Edit: Yeah, the filter in the post above this would be ideal if you've definately got the standard HS4 carb

Edited by MiniLandy, 01 May 2011 - 10:01 PM.

[applejackpandora]

Get a genuine K&N filter. They are expensive, but there's a reason for it.

I've had a genuine replacement element before, both on my 998 and 1275, and now the 1275 has a pair of K&N cones on my twin HS2s.

If you're replacing your standard paper air filter with a K&N jobbie, you'll need a different carb needle too.

so with the link on my most recent comment.. is that a genuine? and a estimate of the carb needle size & cost by your past experience?

[MiniLandy]

Yeah, that's genuine, Minispares are a really good parts supplier.

As for carb needles, they're a few inches long, a couple of mm thick, and cost six quid from Minispares.

Have you got a standard exhaust manifold and system? And inlet manifold?

[applejackpandora]

yeah they've seen quite a service from me

oohh i was expecting a fair amount, thats pretty darn good then.

umm the manifold is standard, as the system is too i believe.. even tho it does sound more 'beefy' than some of my mates mini's.. more of a grumble.. that could be the 'straight through pipe' i think.. it was on it when i bought the mini.. no cat.. if that helps anything.. as for the inlet manifold.. i also believe to be standard.. the only thing ive changed on the engine is the sparks and oil filter.. everything else doesnt look upgraded in anyway.

[MiniLandy]

Sounds like it might have an LCB on, post a pic up to confirm.

I only mention this because changing the exhaust, mainfolds, and air filter all at the same time gives a very obvious choice of which needle to use. Otherwise, carb needles are a bit of a dark art.

[applejackpandora]

a pic of the engine bay where the maifold are or underneath? your gonna have to be pretty basic with me here.. bit of a mech noob. i can tell you it has a center exit exhaust.. might help? dunno.. it sounds like a bike exhaust.. just more bass'y. but its a standard end on the exhaust.. as far as i can tell.
as for the picture.. it may be a couple of days as its currently in my mate garage having a hole welded up..