664 replies to this topic

[M44K TS]

Cheers mate

[wardyxxx]

How did you go about fixing your rear headrests? I know its in this thread somewhere, but I'm on the iPhone atm!

[M44K TS]

Drilled some tight fitting holes in the rear shelf, found some chrome tubing with a slightly bigger diameter as the headrest poles, cut the tubing to the length that I want the headrests to sit at then slotted them in. I had to chop a few inches off the pole closest to the fuel tank so it would clear it though.

I have got some headrest inserts from a 1996> Rover 200 which means they'll be in that little bit more secure. I'll just have to enlarge the holes in the shelf for them to slot through. Another one of those small jobs to add to the list.

[M44K TS]

I think I've finally found some bits that I've been searching for, for a very long time.... Pics when they arrive.

Also waiting for a 2nd full length stainless window runner so I'll have a pair so no excuse to eventually get my electric windows sorted

The new clock pcb should be here soon too.

[M44K TS]

Right, I've been searching for a set of these for about 3 or 4 years now as they're no longer made, finally found an X-part dealer that had them in stock, (South Lakes Mini's, great service too )

They're the genuine door step tread plates in plastic with the stainless insert, much nicer looking than the usual solid chrome ones in my opinion too.




Should finish the car off nicely.

[mini_mad69]

Your going to have a little bently by the time you've finished this.


Looks great.

[wardyxxx]

You should've asked about those tread plates! I've been trying to shift my pair for years! I've got a different mini badge, that's why I never fitted them! Doh! They do look miiiiiint though!

[M44K TS]

I asked about the a while back but no-one knew anywhere that still stocked them, plus it's the winged logo ones I was after

Cheers though

[M44K TS]

For anyone that's following this, cracked on with the heater control in the new centre section of the centre console.

This is the main rotary mechanism that will control the heat

It's going to be fitted in the cigarette lighter hole

Which means notching the bottom part out..


In order to get the mechanism to slot in so there's enough threads poking through the other side to secure the cup part with the red 'hot' marking for the temperature


Heater control fitted

And the vents fitted, so it's pretty much ready to go back into the car

[M44K TS]

The new speedo/clocks PCB turned up today, seems better quality than the original too. My current PCB has had sections of wire soldered in to bridge damage and one of the tracks where the loom plug is has came off (oil pressure light I think) so is currently wedged in the plug so not ideal.



Also, the 2nd 1 piece window rail/support turned up. Lets hope these are better than the OE ones have a habit of rusting and dropping off the glass! Definitely no excuse not to do the electric windows now....


I'm going to try and get over to the car and make a start with removing the interior to get the bulkhead sound deadening pads fitted, clock pcb, heater control and fan speed control done. Then it'll be a case of getting it booked in to Green & White to have the rad changed, (I vowed never to remove a Mini rad ever again, I'd only end up mashing it)

[M44K TS]

Long overdue an update, so here goes, a day of disasters.....

Went to sort a few jobs on the Mini today, mainly wiring in the heater fan speed resistor, but forgot to take all my wiring stuff over with me, so then decided to tackle the new heater control cable, new instrument circuit board and door step tread plate things.

So, as the car was reversed in the garage against the passenger side and therefore couldn't get the door open far enough to get the n/s tread plate fitted, or to get the dash out, so because it was a nice sunny day, I decide to work on the car outside which would have made life a lot easier.

Went to start the car and it seemed to turn over quite slow so stopped, I thought it was odd because the car charger is left connected on a timer plug so it's on twice a day for an hour at a time, I checked the charger was connected still as I thought it might have came off but was still connected fine. Tried to turn it over again and the engine fired with a loud clattering noise so switch it off immediately.

Had a quick look under the bonnet and noticed that the radiator fan was wedged up against the timing cover breather and also the trigger wheel on the crank pulley.

So, out with the rad and off with the fan for inspection. (in a way, it's worked out quite well as it needs a new rad anyway so this has gave me the kick up the backside I need to replace it)

This is the fan once it was out, it's bent a few fins to the point that they're almost ready to snap off. I have no idea how or why it's suddenly decided to catch on the timing cover breather or the trigger wheel as it was fine when I parked the car up last time. It looks like the fan is/was sitting too close to them somehow. Oddly, it was still clearing the rad cowling.



There's a few blades that are split like this.

Where it has been chewed up by the trigger wheel.


So bought a new rad, fan and an extra spacer just in case from Mini Spares so hopefully can get cracking next weekend.

I did manage to fit the drivers side sill tread plate though



Anyone experienced anything similar to this or does anyone know why the fan would suddenly catch on something?

[liirge]

oh dear! have you checked the water pump for play? this can be the cause of these things.

[M44K TS]

Cheers, It seemed nice and tight, I'll check again though just in case, been told to check the timing cover breather as I think it's still the Metro one I have so isn't tapered at the top like the Mini one should be.

Am I right in thinking that an extra fan spacer should give me the clearance I need should it be the breather getting in the way?

[M44K TS]

New rad, fan and spacer have turned up so will fit those at some point at the weekend and see what happens...

[M44K TS]

New rad & fan fitted this afternoon, spent a while finding suitable bolts as I've added an extra spacer to the fan so it clears everything, ended up using some spare clutch housing bolts cut down to size as the originals weren't long enough. No play in the water pump, everything seems nice and tight still, engine mounts seem solid enough so no idea what caused the problem.

The only problem I had was with the bottom rad hose jubilee clip, I'd put it on back to front so couldn't get at it to tighten it so spent ages trying to get the hose off but couldn't, eventually, separated the jubilee clip and slotted a new one on the right way round, everything has fitted together perfectly. Filled the cooling system with fresh coolant, ran it up to temp, everything seemed good,bled up straight away, no leaks, red hot heater straight away and no overheating. If it wasn't for the car having a flat tyre I would have taken it for a drive to really test it.

Also demonstrated the megajolt rev limiter to my mate who hadn't heard it before, caught him unaware as he was walking round to the back of the car, sounded like anti-lag, he almost had to change his undies

Anyway, pics...

Chipped some paint off the block getting the alternator tensioned Damn Mini Spares top hose and the upside down writing


3 fan spacers has done the trick


All back together as it should be, I'm even liking the yellow fan again, was going to paint it black like the last one, but strangely like it whereas before, I used to hate them


Next job is to top up with fresh fuel, take it for a run & thrash the knackers off it to get the emissions down a bit ready for the MOT next month as it's done quite a bit of idling over winter and hasn't really had a good run. Then, remove the dash, fit the new clock pcb & wire in the heater fan control which was the original job last weekend!