15 replies to this topic

[ledet]

I'm having issues with my Mini (what a surprise, huh). It's a 1992 Rover Mini Cooper, 1.3 carb model, left hand drive. I'll give you the entire story: 

 

Started the car up after it hadn't been used for a week. It ran quite roughly and with lower revs than normal, but I figured it just had to warm up, so I let it idle for a bit with the choke on(choke didn't seem to work properly though...), but after a minute's time it stalled. Then it wouldn't start up again. Waited a bit, and it started and ran roughly again. This time I noticed the carb was leaking fuel, though. 

 

I figured it might have an issue with the carb (HIF44) like a stuck float or something, so I took the carb apart and gave it a service with new gaskets, O-rings, jet etc. 

 

With the serviced carb back in and adjusted the car ran pretty good again. However, during the adjustment process, the clutch pedal went soft... After a bit of idling, white smoke started to come out of the engine bay, coming from behind the rocker cover (but seemingly not from the carb). The smoke smelled a bit like burnt rubber (or maybe a burning clutch?). Also, I couldn't get the car into gear.

 

I checked the clutch's path through the engine bay, and the cylinder on the top right of the engine bay (when looking from the front of the car) had fluid and I could see the fluid moving when the clutch pedal was pressed. I could also see the arm in the bottom left of the engine bay (where it enters the gearbox) moving slightly (but only when the car was running). 

 

 

So my issues are: 

Clutch pedal is soft

Car won't go into gear

White, smelly smoke is coming out of the engine from behind the rocker cover

 

This happened after a week of the car being parked up in a garage and after a carb service. I'm not sure if the clutch/smoke issues are related to the carb issues or if it's just due to the car being parked for a week. 

 

Engine gurus, please help me identify this problem and tell me what I should do. I want my beloved Mini back on the road.  

 

Thanks

[Carlos W]

Check the pipe that runs from the clutch master cylinder to slave cylinder hasn't melted on the exhaust.

[blacktulip]

yeah the hose could be leaking all over the manifold hence the soft pedal and fumes.

[Carlos W]

I don't know the route of the clutch pipe on a LHD, but I imagine it could've been disturbed during the carb removal and refitting and it's ended up melting on the exhaust

[dklawson]

+1 for the above.

 

The engine issues and the clutch issues are probably not related except for the time at which they occurred.  White acrid smoke is burning brake fluid.  It has a unique and unpleasant smell very different from burning oil or gasoline. 

 

Wash the area around the clutch slave, it's hose, and the back of the engine in that vicinity.  When dry, look for leaks after you operate the pedal a few times.  The soft pedal can be from problems with the master cylinder but since you are also reporting smoke, it may be that your car has experienced a failure of the slave cylinder hose or the slave cylinder seals.

[ledet]

Thanks for the replies. It sounds like a plausible cause for the problem. 

 

I don't have that much experience with working on cars or troubleshooting. What does the slave cylinder look like, and where would it be located on a LHD car? 

 

Also, how would I fix a leak on the clutch pipe or cylinder? 

Edited by ledet, 25 August 2015 - 03:11 PM.

[Carlos W]

The slave cylinder is on the left side of the engine if you're looking at it with the bonnet open.

 

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

The master cylinder is on the bulk head directly above the pedals.

 

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

The route for the pipe on a LHD is a lot longer than a RHD and must cross from one side of the engine bay to the other (but I've never actually seen a LHD)

[dklawson]

On LHD cars there is a long steel tube tube that crosses from the master cylinder to a bracket on the bulkhead.  The clutch slave will be at the bottom end of a hose descending from that same bracket on the bulkhead.  

 

Standing at the front of the car and looking down at the engine, you want to find a slave cylinder similar in appearance to that shown in Carlos' first link and shown in the picture linked below.  Once you find that cylinder you will note it has a rubber hose connected to its right (back) side.  The hose goes from the slave cylinder up to the bracket on the bulkhead where it joins the metal pipe mentioned in my first sentence above.

 

The picture below is not mine but borrowed from the net.  It shows the verto clutch slave cylinder and bottom end of the hose.

[Blatherskite]

On LHD cars there is a long steel tube tube that crosses from the master cylinder to a bracket on the bulkhead.  The clutch slave will be at the bottom end of a hose descending from that same bracket on the bulkhead.  
 
Standing at the front of the car and looking down at the engine, you want to find a slave cylinder similar in appearance to that shown in Carlos' first link and shown in the picture linked below.  Once you find that cylinder you will note it has a rubber hose connected to its right (back) side.  The hose goes from the slave cylinder up to the bracket on the bulkhead where it joins the metal pipe mentioned in my first sentence above.
 
The picture below is not mine but borrowed from the net.  It shows the verto clutch slave cylinder and bottom end of the hose.

Yup, looks exactly like the picture - except reality is dirtier...

[ledet]

And I guess I should expect to replace the hose/pipe/slave cylinder then? 

[cal844]

And I guess I should expect to replace the hose/pipe/slave cylinder then?

To be honest i would, saves a lot of problems and waiting on parts!

[ledet]

I'm currently trying to troubleshoot the issues. The smoke seems to be coming from the wet looking spot in the exhaust just below the carb (see pic 1 and 3). It smokes even when the clutch isn't operated. Does that mean it has nothing to do with the clutch issues? Might it be a leak from the carb?

 

I can't seem to find any leaking spots around the clutch line (the other pics). I tried bleeding the system and topping up with fresh fluid in the master cylinder but the clutch still seems soft. I do see more movement on the clutch arm where it enters the gearbox. 

 

Any ideas? 

 

I'm gonna try removing and reinstalling the carb to see if it'll stop the smoking issue. But the clutch still seems weird. After bleeding the system the clutch still seems quite soft but there is some resistant in the last third or so of its travel, like something is actually working....

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by ledet, 28 August 2015 - 11:42 AM.

[dklawson]

My advice is to thoroughly clean and wash as much of the back of the engine as you can reach.  Allow the engine to dry, then have a friend start and rev the engine while you watch what is going on towards the back of the engine.  With all the old drips and such removed you should quickly be able to find the source of the leak and resulting smoke.

[ledet]

I tried that now, the smoke still mystifies me. I can't see any leaks at all, it just looks like the smoke is emitting from the exhaust pipes. As if they were painted with petrol. I have no idea what could be causing this.

 

The clutch seems to be working okay now, but the smoke is very weird. 

 

The car spurts out a lot of black gunk from the tail pipe, but I guess that's mostly due to it being parked for two weeks now and being switched on and off maybe 30 times without getting properly warm. 

[ledet]

UPDATE: 

I'm thinking I might be overthinking the smoke. I probably spilled a little fuel or oil on the exhaust and manifold in the process of servicing the carb and maybe theres just some residue on there that needs to burn off. Just a little worried that something will suddenly catch fire if I let it run while smoking... 

 

The clutch still doesn't work... A little more resistance in the bottom of the pedal's travel after bleeding but I still can't get it into gear. Maybe I didn't bleed it properly?