I know... I realized after I got ALL those %#@% studs tightened up and had to pull them off and do it all over again. I had just fitted it all together and turned around to see one of my magnetic trays sitting on my workbench with all four of them staring back at me. This was followed by a quick walk around the block counting to 10 repeatedly.

This was more than the usual. It was really strong and starting to get sucked into the house, strong enough to be unpleasant (dangerous?) to even be in the garage without the doors open for ventilation. 

Thanks for that suggestion. I had no idea. I only wish that the product pages listed the thicknesses of the wrenches. I've got some on order for next time.

Ian's method with the cable is one I've used for years. Easy.

Just tell her that's what a garage is supposed to smell like. With modern cars having hermetically sealed fuel systems, we forget what garages used to smell like.

If you do not have the correct line clamps use vice grips with a rag or fuel hose covering the jaws to stop any damage.

Good call on the ignition wrenches Doug, i have a set from Sears but am not sure they include 7/16" i will have to look.

To fit the 3rd spring pulling up that Ian mentioned i believe you need the factory air box, i have seen them fitted facing down when the air box is changed out to separate air filters.

I would just get a longer length of rubber fuel line and place the filter against the bulkhead behind the master cylinders.  Place where it fits best and join up using appropriate lengths of hose.  Its a lot easier to check whether its collecting rubbish (and clean it if it is).  Wherever you place the filter, make sure the pumps is pushing into the filter rather than trying to suck out of it....

Sears will sell you some neat little thin open enders/rings.... (You only need 2 (of the same size) .. but others in the set will be useful elsewhere (or so I find.

Personally I don't worry about the third spring (haven't fitted one for decades).. but if you do ..remember that it pulls up... ie..in the opposite direction to the other two

I find the easiest way to clamp the cable is to remove the springs allowing the throttle to go full open and bringing the clamp area up to the top.. But remember...before you remove the springs, push the cable into place and adjust the length to give a tiny bit of slack then mark it .. so when you have the throttle fully open (see above) you know there's enough slack for it to close properly.

Cheers, Ian

PS... just something else to worry about ... Do you have the proper hardened washers under the manifold retaining bolts??  Doesn't look like it in the photos....

+1 to the ignition wrench sets in English and Metric, very handy tools in tight locations. The better sets go out to 7/16 and 10mm, box end, box combination, and right angle offsets. Mine are all sears and we’re cheap.

Before you grind wrenches to thin them, look for a set of "ignition wrenches".  They used to be common in automotive stores, now you probably have to order them online.  Sears still has some and there are plenty of sets to choose from on Amazon.

I didn't even think of crimping the line. I'll add that to the list—great suggestion. I was worried I would damage the fuel line or not get a tight enough seal and end up spewing fuel all over the garage floor. As it is, the whole garage stinks like fuel right now, even without any leaks. My wife is *not* pleased. I'm assuming the smell is because I still have the carbs open to the air without the air filters on.

I have been meaning to create some "home-made" thin wrenches, but I don't have my own grinder so it just hasn't happened yet. This is not the first time I have been swearing about that exact problem.

Now you have me worried that I may have overtightened the cable clamp. I didn't go crazy on it, but I wouldn't describe it as "just nipping it". Hmmm.

I DO have all three springs. That was another adventure... As I was trying to stretch the brand new center spring to connect to the trunnion, one of the spring hook ends popped out of the spring and disappeared into the engine bay, never to be seen again. Thankfully I had the old rusty springs still and I was able to salvage the hook from one of those. As an aside, this whole project was a reminder to go see the eye doctor as I realized that focusing on all these tiny bits is getting harder and harder and my glasses just aren't cutting it.

That will work.

No need to drain the tank just crimp the fuel line.

Use an old 7/16" open end wrench and grind it down to about half of it's thickness to hold the throttle linkage steady while tightening the cable clamp with another 7/16" stubby, just nip it or it will break.

I can't see in the pic whether you have them or not but you need three return springs one on each carb and one in the center on the cable.

I wanted to close things out and report back on how I did based on all the advice here. Understanding that the secondary tube on the float lid in my original picture was an overflow port was a huge aha moment for me. I rotated it back around and kept it for now. I went ahead and got the original metal pipe and got everything hooked up. I like the idea of moving the fuel filter to the rear, but I haven’t had the time to drain the fuel tank so I have temporarily routed the filter around the master cylinders to keep from kinking the hose. It is a temporary fix, but it will work for now.

 

After all of this was done, I was surprised by what a pain in the butt it was to connect the throttle cable. With the connection point down below the dual carb linkage it was pretty much impossible to get any tools down there, not to mention the fact that none of my wrenches are thin enough to easily grasp both nuts on the trunnion simultaneously. I’m sure there must be some secret method that escaped me, but I finally muddled through. Now I just need to find the time to get the air filters back on and get everything in tune.

 

Thank you again for all the help.

Scott

The unleaded fuels we get in North America tend to go sour after a month or two, making starting of Mini engines and small engines such as on snowblowers, lawnmowers etc. gradually more difficult. Easier to drain small engines and run them dry. To store gasoline for any length of time, especially in a fuel tank, one needs to add a stabilizer, which helps keep the fuel much longer. Modern cars with electronic  fuel injection and spark are more tolerant.
In Canada, we have summer gas and winter gas. The winter gas has a different set of additives that do I'm not really sure. The only thing a typical driver sees is the prices jump up due to a "shortage" in the production cycle when the refineries switch from winter to summer. Something we have to put up with, like road salt and potholes.

Have you checked that the carb is actually empty (dry)??  I would have thought that the float level would fall as fuel is used without being replaced until the idle went so lean that it cut out...  I wouldn't have thought that the engine would suck ALL of the fuel out of the float chamber...

When I put my car in long term storage I just filled the tank, changed the oil, removed the battery and put some wooden blocks under the suspension.  Four years later I put in a new battery, gave the recalcitrant electric fuel pump a bang with my shoe.   It started, we checked the brakes and drove off to get new rego documents.  A few weeks later I did change the brake fluid but that was more of a precaution than anything.  

Maybe they put stuff in fuel used in colder climates but I must admit its something I've never (sic) worried about with my Minis..

Cheers, Ian

Been there, done that.

The correct lid to use is the AUD 272 (out of stock) if you use the correct copper pipe. As i said you can use your existing lid if you clock it so the inlet faces the radiator. To use either of these set ups you need the copper pipe or a Tee connection. You could use the bottom lid picture you posted as long as you can clock it to where the fuel lines will not foul anything.
The overflow piped lids were used mainly on other Brit cars, the Mini still has an overflow system under the metal tab there is a breather hole.

Metal filters are good but on a low pressure system i prefer a clear plastic one so that you can see the condition of the filter.
I am sure the glass filter would be ok you could even re route the fuel line and mount it in the trunk if you wanted to or just keep it up front with a shorter filter.

I hadn't thought of that, though with my luck, I'd probably forget to reconnect it in the spring! An electric pump sure helps fill a carb to get it started again - just turn on the ignition and wait before cranking the engine. If the tank is full, the carbs will likely be re-primed by gravity, though it may depend on the type of electric pump installed.

In the past when I have wanted to store a car with dry carbs I have had the good fortune that the car had an electric fuel pump.  With the power to the pump disconnected you just need to idle the car for a few minutes until it runs out of gas.

Since my Mini's fuel tank has been treated with POR 15, I'm not worried about it rusting. I run the tank down to about half-full and add stabilizer, then run the engine until I'm sure the stabilizer has made it to the carb. Then I treat the engine for storage.
That way, I have no worries about fuel flowing into the crankcase. My preference is to keep the carb wet so the inlet needle doesn't stick. Since I have a HIF44 installed, it is not possible to completely drain it dry and I doubt HS types would be much better. The small bit of residue might cause gumminess. On the other hand, I wonder if the carb dries out anyway over several months.

Thank you Dan, makes sense. Thinking of adding a fuel shut off valve to prevent the possibility of the problem, also I like the idea of running the fuel out of the carbs for winter storage, and keeping a full gas tank.

Thanks for all the information; this was really helpful.

I have a few follow-up questions.

I did not realize that the second pipe on the right-hand carb was an overflow pipe. I was looking at pictures from google image search to try to figure out how I should try to route everything. If that is an overflow pipe, how does this setup even work?


Or is it the difference between these two lids?



---------------

If I relocate the fuel filter to under the boot, does it matter if I locate it upstream or downstream of the fuel pump? Also, should I switch to a metal filter since this one is glass and it will be exposed to the road?

Thanks!
Scott

Looking at your original pic the front lid you have will work you just need to clock it until the main line points towards the radiator. If you want the correct lid just order the same one without the overflow tube, you will need the copper line and move the fuel filter to make this work though.