468 replies to this topic

[Dom]

Thanks D.Cooper.

Busy weekend... Saturday was up at 530 drove over to Sittingbourne where I met up with a friend. Left the Mini at his and then we drove to the Renault World Series at Donington Park. Had fun on the way there and back with a few motorbikes, a TVR and a 993. Racing was good. Only let down was the dull weather. Got back, jumped in the Mini and headed home arriving back at 8 pm. I then drove over to Gillingham where I went Ice skating with some friends. I was parked up in a layby where we arranged to meet with the engine running for about 10 mins. Friends drove passed, I pulled out and then the engine died. It would not turn over. Friends came back, pushed the car out of the main road to safety. One of friends is a mechanic, he couldn't see anything out of place. Left it for 20 mins. Started it up and it was running again, back to normal. So, went ice skating had a good time. I then drove home arriving back about 12 and a friend followed in his car to make sure I got back safe, which I did. Ran like normal.

Sunday afternoon left the house, went to whitstable to pick up a friend. Mini running fine nothing out of ordinary. Proceeded to Brands Hatch to watch the Mighty Minis and other racing. Got to Brands and once in through the main entrance it died. I turned it over and it got going again. Drove it over to the Southbank and then stopped near the centre with some Minis, where it died again. Pushed it into the parking place and left it. Watched the racing. Some exiting formula renault and close Mini racing. Darren aka Torino met up with us and had a look. Thought it might be the fuel pump, the carb or the coil but it was a mystery what it could be. Darren headed home and we watched some more racing. As we left it started fine and we proceeded to drive out of Brands Hatch upto the automatic barrier where it stalled three times before I got under it! It then got going again and we got upto the speed limit. (50) It then died and wouldn't start at all. > So we pushed it back to the petrol station that we'd just passed and I got on the phone to the recovery service. They arrived within the hour. The recovery man said the carb was fine, the fuel pump was fine and that its most likely to do with the coil. Arrived home at 7. Friend got the train back.

Today, took the coil off and put on the spare one. No different, it wouldn't fire up. Mini is parked up and retrodan is coming accross tomorrow evening to have a good look.

[minimanclive]

If it's not the coil then it may be the ignition module on the side of the distributor. If that's playing up you'll have great trouble getting it started.

[miniboo]

cor lummy guvnor you aint having much luck with your new engine!!

sounds liek it could be the ignition module amplifier thingy on the side of the carb liek minimanclive has said

[Jammy]

Is the ignition module the same as the Metro one? Black thingy with a metal underneath, and a three pin plug (of which only two pins are used), if so I believe I have a spare you can have Dom. I should be able to come over one night later this week and fit it, but probably not til the later half of the week, after the Minus has MOT.

[Dom]

Thanks for the offer Jammy, your welcome to pop round but that seems ok. We've come to the conclusion it must be the distributor. Watch this space...

[Dom]

It LIVES!

Thanks to Jammy

Before it wouldn't fire up when turning over. Jammy replaced the ignition module, and it started only firing on 2 cylinders. There were 2 contacts on the distributor cap that won't making contact. Changed the cap and it ran.

[Dom]

Made a new signature, which makes the Mini look great thanks to photoshop and my new camera

I had planned to remove the standard front seats and put in the Metro ones until I learnt that you have to drill through the floor and fit stainless steel bolts.

The timing is getting done at the garage tomorrow, which should make it run sound again... despite that it has been averaging 40 mpg.

[Dom]

Mini has had the timing done and now runs great

[Dom]

Friday 26th October commenced at 8:30 am... Today was going to be a long day! |

On Wednesday, my headlights decided to pack up but I couldn't do anything about it as I had no time... so I made sure to be back before it got dark.

Friday came and I went in to Uni in the mist with the sidelights on. People could see me from behind and that was all that mattered. I rang Manne Hutte and asked them if they had a spare headlight switch, after putting me on hold for 5 minutes and some umming and ahhring he got back to the phone. Yes he did! So I said I'd call him back and head over later. I then went and did my Special Effects class from 10 to 1 where I put my previously recored green screen footage into the composition we were given. From that went straight to photography 1 till 4 where we learnt how to shoot in motion. I then returned to the Mini and found a parking ticket... Uni parking permit out of date, damn. It says 2006/2007 so I assumed it would last till end of this year but no it doesn't. Anyway, met a chap called Samir in the same situation so jumped in his fiat and drove accross to the office of accounts to find the person we were directed to see was not there! So we split, I drove home in the near dark and got back. I then took my switch out as I was going to my friends 18th in Canterbury so needed headlights to get there and back. I took the switch apart, tested it with a multimeter and only the prongs for the sidelights would register. I tested the wiring of the headlights and that worked fine, it was deffinately the switch. My dad managed to get some wire and have the headlights permanently on. Once this was done I drove over to Manne Hutte, which is near Ramsgate arriving at 6:15, (they close at 6:45 on Fridays... he told me) I tested this switch and only the headlight prong would work. So got the multimeter out and the opposite was happening with my switch, only the headlight prong would register on the multimeter and the sidelight would not. After some more umming and ahhring the chap gave it to me for a discount price. Also bought a cigarrette lighter fresh from a metro, with its casing so I can mount it... anyway I drove back home with headlights and got back in good time. I then had some tea, emailed a few people and hour or so later went out to Adi's party. Met up with loads of mates from Uni, had a good time and then left around 2 am with working headlights!

Life of a student!

[Dom]

Some pictures earlier in the week

[Jammy]

Oh aye, taking young ladies deep into the woods are we!!

[jameswildcooper]

looking good mate

[Teapot]

Mmm, nice pictures. Good paintwork, nice lines and chassis in perfect condition. Are those standard bumpers?

This fo-tog-raf-ee of which you speak .. seems like a good idea ...

[nev_payne]

Mmm, nice pictures. Good paintwork, nice lines and chassis in perfect condition.

Sorry are we talking about the Mini here or am I missing something?

Edited by nev_payne, 27 October 2007 - 11:22 PM.

[Dom]

Thanks for the comments

Hmmm.... Mini now sounds like a chopper.

Going back to thursday, I hit an unavoidable concrete ball that was in the road, which caught underneath the car making an unpleasant sound. I pulled over and couldn't see anything out of place or out the ordinary. Yesterday it sounded as if one of my windows were open but was not the case.... hmm puzzled. Then today, as I pulled out of a petrol station the Mini transformed into a chopper! I pulled over and dashed to the back to see if I'd lost my exhaust, nope it was still there. Looked at the manifold, that was still secure and in place, then looked between the backbox and silencer and noticed it was lower.



I'm booked into my Mini friendly garage tomorrow and hopefully they can weld it up and/or fix it.