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 Posted: May 2, 2015 08:15PM
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I have run NGK R's before with no problems.

If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.

Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.

 Posted: May 2, 2015 05:26PM
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I have the "R" plugs in my mini right now. They were in there when I got it. Would it make a difference? 

 Posted: May 2, 2015 12:37PM
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R usually denotes a resistor plug.

If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.

Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.

 Posted: Apr 27, 2015 06:54PM
 Edited:  Apr 28, 2015 09:19AM
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So I decided to pull the plugs out and this is what they look like, looks like they are running a tad to rich. They are BPR6ES. Now above it was noted to make sure not to use the BPR6ES to use the BP6ES or the B6ES. What is the difference with the "R" ones?

 

edit, found out the "R" means resistor. Does it make a big difference on the minis with resistor and non-resistor?

 Posted: Apr 27, 2015 05:55AM
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CA

The Haynes 1969- Oct 1996 manual calls for spark plug gap of 0.8mm = 0.0314 inch. 'Old school" gap for many plugs/cars was 0.032 - 0.036 inch. So, 0.025 to 0.028 would probably be a bit small. It would probably depend more on the health and strength of the coil. Too small a gap and a powerful coil is wasted. Too big a gap and a weaker coil would probably spell poorere combustion.

The same Haynes manual lists plugs as follows:

  • All models up to 1986:                Champion RN9YCC
  • 998cc engines 1987-1989           Champion N12YCC
  • 998cc engines 1989 onwards       Champion RN11YCC
  • 1275cc engines 1990 onwards     Champion RN9YCC

However, since your (Zsamboki's) engine is a swap and rebuilt, those bets are off.

The oil in the carb probably did the most benefit. The carb spray did apparently improve idle, so I supsect it cleaned not only the carb (whose innards generally stay pretty clean) but also the combustion chambers, especially the plugs.

Drive it a bit and then check the plug condition (htese aren't all the possibilities, just a simplified list):

  • dry beige colour suggests good combution
  • dry lightly sooty suggests slightly rich or idling too long.
  • damp sooty with a fuel smell suggests very rich

 

 

 

 

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Apr 26, 2015 05:31PM
 Edited:  Apr 26, 2015 07:06PM
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My minis original motor was a 998cc. But the previous owner told me the tranny was rebuilt and has a 1300cc motor now. After looking into the minis, I figured probably its a 1275cc not a 1300cc as I can't find any. And the motor tag is missing so I can't even find out exactly what it is. Is there any tell tell sign to find out what motor it possibly is? 

 

edit: so today I got some free time to play around with the mini. I went and bought a Carburator cleaner spray. I sprayed the whole thing nice and cleaned. Put a bit of oil in the top of the carburetor, than sprayed the cleaner into the carburetor. Seems to run much much better now. Don't get the too rich smell (fuel smell) in the exhaust anymore and seems to idle better. When you spray the cleaner I put the choke on and it idled a bit rough. After a few minutes of spraying, the idle went up and idled really smooth. Took it for a spin and seemed to run nicer also. I am very happy. 

 

Thanks to everyone for for all the help on my journey here ????

 Posted: Apr 26, 2015 05:03PM
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CA

So what would the harm be in fitting BPR6ES if BP6ES is not readily available?

 

"Everybody should own a MINI at some point, or you are incomplete as a human being" - James May

"WET COOPER", Partsguy1 (Terry Snell of Penticton BC ) - Could you send the money for the unpaid parts and court fees.
Ordered so by a Judge

 

 

 

 Posted: Apr 26, 2015 03:41PM
jeg
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Leaving that screw hole empty won't do any harm, trying to put a screw in there might damage the threads if they're not clean.  Personally, I'd leave it open, but either way, it'll be fine. 

As to the spark plug gap, right out of the box they're pretty good.  You could check them if you'd like; I haven't the spec for 1988, but I imagine something around 0.025 - 0.028" should be pretty good to start with.  It'll be in your Haynes.

The peasants are revolting...          

"Gone with the Wind" - a brief yet moving vignette concerning lactose intolerance

 Posted: Apr 26, 2015 01:54PM
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Thanks for the pictures. As for the hole, it does go thru the clutch cover. I can see inside with my flashlight. would this be a vent or can I just put a bolt there. 

 Posted: Apr 26, 2015 01:21PM
 Edited:  Apr 26, 2015 01:28PM
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CA
Image Gallery

The first pic is (more or less) how my car was plumbed when I got it. The two crankcase vents (one each end of the motor) were joined by hoses and a plastic Y-fitting, then connected to the port on the carb. (By this time I had installed the aluminum intake and Freeflow exxhaust header.) THis worked OK, but as you can see my HS4 carb looks tired, which it was.

Next photo is with the HIF44carb installed. Same connections. Since I was having weird problems with the HIF44, I took it to a Mini specialist mechanic who put a rubr cap over the port, and told me it was upsetting the carb's performance. He left the end of the hose open. To cut down on fumes, I added a nipple to the back of my cone filter and connected the hose to it.

In the third picture you can see the hoses are joined by a chrome Y-tube... I broke the plastic Y piece in the process and had to make my own, from chromed flex-pipe like you see under the bathroom sink.

You can keep your small filters - unless the fumes they vent start to be a problem or oily residue starts to ddiry up your engine bay.... which is very nice by the way.

The hole in the clutch cover is for monting something on the outside. The hole probably does not go through, so you don't need to plug it.

 

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Apr 25, 2015 08:40PM
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Thanks Jeg. That's a better write up on the Carb than the one I found. ill make sure to print this out for future record. As for the plugs you listed, are they pre gapped or do I have to adjust the gaps on those? If I have to adjust the gap, you wouldn't happen to know the gap size?

 

Also, as for the small filters I have, would you guys just recommend taking them off and tieing them in with the carb? I alsI noticed that there is a hole here in the  picture here. Should something be there? Or should I just put a bolt in there so it isn't open.

 Posted: Apr 25, 2015 03:16PM
 Edited:  Apr 25, 2015 03:23PM
jeg
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I applaud your enthusiasm, but I will also caution you to be slow and methodical in your approach to solving some of the issues/problems associated with your induction system which we've recently discovered.  It appears that the previous owner didn't really know too much about what he had and didn't have it set up very well, so learn a bit and go slow.  That he used 20W50 oil the last time he did an oil change is great, but has nothing to do with carburetor.

Read these pages; Berlen Fuel Systems is the current owner and manufacturer of our beloved SU carbs.  These tech pages will help you understand what you've got and how to get the most out of it:

Standard SU carburetor damper oil is virtually the same as 20W motorcycle fork oil.  I'd recommend using this in your carb suction chamber's damper tube for now until you get the fuel mixture adjusted correctly; 20W synthetic motorcycle fork oil will be more stable than dinosaur oil at under bonnet temperatures.  The attached image says to fill the carburetor piston rod to 13mm above the top of the hollow piston rod - kinda hard to understand when you're just beginning with these carbs, so stop filling that small diameter rod when the damper oil is up to around 1 inch below the top.  It'll only be a small amount that you put in there, probably only about a tablespoon or so. 

Since you've solved the massive vacuum leak caused by the carb's crankcase ventilation port being left open by the previous owner, I'd simply recommend fitting a shiny-clean new set of spark plugs (NGK BP6ES or B6ES - not BPR6ES) and raising the carb jet 1 complete counter-clockwise turn of the largish adjustment nut (beneath the spring under the carb body) and then richening the mixture as required.

With the new spark plugs installed, you'll be able to determine your ignition timing, fuel/air mixture and spark plug heat range.  We'll discuss these points later on, if you care to...

  • The new plugs will develop a grey haze on the center electrode (little stub inside the white insulator) that extends all the way to the tip of the electrode which will indicate your ignition timing; a clean stripe that stops short of the electrode tip will tell you that your ignition timing is too far advanced.
  • The white insulator will be clean very nearly all the way to the base where it connects to the spark plug body with a slight greyish film extending upwards about a millimeter from the base.  Nice mixture and heat range correct.
  • There will be no blistering or coloring on the white insulator itself = the spark plug is keeping itself clean.
  • There will be a sooty ring around the perimeter of the end of the thread area, stopping at the plug's ground electrode which will, after a short while have a bit of a 'blush' stripe about half way between the plug body and the tip of the ground strap.

Once you get the 'basic mixture' correct by adjusting the jet position in relation to the needle, you can fine-tune the throttle response by playing with different damper oils.  I prefer to do these in the evening, when other drivers have their headlights on and I can see via my rear view mirror if I'm leaving big clouds of black exhaust behind me.  If so, oil is too thick, so try 15W or 10W, maybe even 5W.  If the car stumbles on rapid accelleration, oil is too thin, so try 30W or 40W.  And so on...

But it all assumes you've got the right suction chamber spring, the correct damper, the correct needle and have adjusted the steady-state cruising mixtures correctly (the correct needle for the engine spec. etc..). 

It's a bit of an art/science to get everything right.

 

Edit:  Oh, and what the heck is a 'cult' tank?

The peasants are revolting...          

"Gone with the Wind" - a brief yet moving vignette concerning lactose intolerance

 Posted: Apr 25, 2015 01:27PM
 Edited:  Apr 25, 2015 01:31PM
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Thanks Dan, yeah the past owner told me to put in Castrol GTX 20w50 oil and gave me the old oil filter box. He used a Bosch 72161 oil filter. I was going to change it even though he just changed it because the washers on the oil plug leak and I was going to put in new washers. But went to CanadianTire and they don't have anything for the minis. Was going to see if I can find anything locally before ordering online. I'm still waiting for my Haynes manual I ordered for the mini as I was going to change the plugs and plug wires to do a little tune up. So hoping they have something in the manual about type of plugs and wires. I know the insulation on one of them is bad as when it's running and I pull out the #3 plug wire I start getting big shock. Don't get it on the other ones. Plus the plugs don't look like their are in descent condition. Looks like someone took the pliers to the tip that the boot sits on. 

I did take the carb apart a little to learn about it some more. Printed out a comete tear down of all the parts on the carb. Well all I got to was took out the part that holds the needle. And then adjusted the one nut that controls the rich and lean ratio. Don't want to mess with too much right now till I get my Haynes manual in the mail. 

 Posted: Apr 25, 2015 01:00PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zsamboki

I was playing with it. And when you say to make sure the oil is topped off to the top of the chrome neck, mine isnt. From what I have read, this would be dashpod oil?

To be more precise. DO NOT fill to the top of the chrome neck.

Your dashpot is chromed, or has a chromed cover. When you unscrew the black cap, you will find a rod attached to it with a cylindrical lump of brass on the end. This is the dashpot damper piston. The bore that it comes out of needs oil in it. Yes, "dashpot oil". But you only need to fill this bore, with the brass piston in it. If you need to pull it all the way out, make allowance for the brass piston. Any more oil than that will just leak down into the carb and eventually get burnt. But doing so justs adds gum and dirt to the carb.

Dashpot Oil: Yes they do make "dashpot oil" but many people use other oils that are much cheaper. If your car still had an owner's manual, it would vey likely say to use the same oil as you put into the engine, which should be 20W50 or something close. But the oil that you need in the carb will depend on the condition of the carb as well as other factors. 20W50 may be too heavy, especially if your carb is fairly new. Some people use 3IN1 oil, or 10W30 or motorcycle fork oil, or (I think) automatic transmission fluid or some such. The point is, unless the vendor of your car recommended something he found worked best, start with a medium weight oil like 3IN1 or 10W30 and see how it works. Since you are a new owner, and unfamiliar with what a Mini motor likes best (seat-of-the-pants kind of thing), don't worry about it too much - just make sure some oil is in there. As you get to know you car and it to know you, it will "tell" you what it wants.

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Apr 25, 2015 12:25PM
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I was playing with it. And when you say to make sure the oil is topped off to the top of the chrome neck, mine isnt. From what I have read, this would be dashpod oil?

 Posted: Apr 24, 2015 08:35PM
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Assuming you have a HS4 carb (float chamber on the side) there is a jet adjusting nut underneath the carb just above the red or black jet. You turn it clockwise to richen the mixture and counterclockwise to weaken it. To check the mixture once warmed up you need to lift the piston inside the dashpot upwards slightly and the idle should raise up about 100 to 200 rpm then drop off, you may have a lifting pin on the side of the carb to do this task otherwise you just stick your finger down the throat of the carb to lift the piston or you can lift the piston by removing the black damper on top of the carb and move it to one side so it jams to lift it. Make sure the oil is topped off to the top of the chrome neck inside. If you have not got a Haynes manual it is worth the $35 or so to buy one specific to your Mini.

If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.

Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.

 Posted: Apr 24, 2015 01:52PM
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Ok. Good. I put a screw in the end of the hose so it's nice and tight. As for adjusting the mixture now, please be patient as I'm learning here how the carb works. Where would I do that? 

 Posted: Apr 24, 2015 01:48PM
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Yes it is if not connected to anything. You should need to adjust the mixture now as it had to be running really lean with it open to the air.

If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.

Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.

 Posted: Apr 24, 2015 01:38PM
 Edited:  Apr 24, 2015 01:43PM
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That hode has nothing connected to it. It just comes down by the washer fluid bottle. I blew in it for the hell of it and I can hear it coming thru the carb lol. I plugged that one yesterday. I hope that's the one im suppose to plug? 

 Posted: Apr 24, 2015 11:52AM
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Zsamboki: follow the bigger hose inthis picture of your engine Same hose as Jeg's yellow arrow points at. Is it conncected to anything? On some cars, as Jeg says, it is connected to the crankcase breathers. In your case it may exit through the inner wing (fender) and be connected to a cannister out in the wing. That woukd be the one you're asking about. If it isn't connected to anything then block it up as Jeg uggests. They make rubber caps for cpping teh carb nipple, but if you don't have one, use a short pice of hose and put a tightly fitting bolt in the other end. Add hose clamps if you want to be sure.

You may not have a canister. It may ahve been removed suring teh life of your car, or maybe it never had one to begin with.

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

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