Dieing

[mandrillus sphinx]

my car's dieing, does hitting it with a big hammer help? Better still does anyone know a good garage in wigan, I don't think I could make it much further. It took two months to pass MOT because of high emissions then I got it back drove in the worst rain ever then ran out of petrol on the motorway then got petrol and it backfired and jumped about all the way home. Took it back to the garage and he blamed the plugs getting drenched for it sounding like it was going to explode and smoke coming out the back end. I have just been out in it, it is alot better but still juddering about at 70+ or when slowing down and just looked and the plugs are wet again. anyone any ideas and anyone have any good tips for keeping it dry, the splash guard seems to be doing nothing :(

[Gr4H4m]

Well a good set of HT's will be tight around the plug and should stop the top of the plug from getting wet. I use a Marigold glove over the dizzy with holes cut in the fingers to let the HT's out and then use small zip ties to stop the water getting down the hole...

Should only cost a few quid I would replace the spark plugs whilst you are there if they haven't been changed for a while...

Tip if you do 1 lead and one plug at a time you wont get the firing order wrong :D

[mandrillus sphinx]

cheers, the plugs have just been changed. I thought I had heard about the glove thing but then couldn't remember if I had just imagined it and I couldn't find where I had read it (a couple of years worth of mini mags takes a while to flick through). even though its alot better with them replaced its still going crazy at 70 or slowing down from anywhere above 50. it stinks of petrol as well once I get it back, I'm sure the timing is out but the garage I've been going said it was fine. I really need find someone close by who has dealt with minis

[Gr4H4m]

If you are worried about timing have you checked the VAC advance + pipe, as this will effect the timing on the move

if you can smell petrol have you checked for a leak (Pipe to carb, Fuel pump or float bowl??) I don't know how old your car is so it may not have some of this stuff....

[mandrillus sphinx]

It seems to be burning too much (I ran out of petrol about 30miles before I usually would, the fuel gauge doesn't work so I go off miles), you can only smell it after I've drove about in it and it was backfiring. I've blasted it up and down a junction of the motorway and it starts to judder at 70 (if I stay that speed, accelerating is fine) then to slow down I have to coast or it starts really juddering about. There doesn't seem to be anything leaking (besides oil which it always does) its a 1995 cooper 1.3i

[Gr4H4m]

mines doing this after I have changed the carbs it sounds like the mixture.... you could try changing the mixture but I have no idea how to do this on an i

[Steve]

I would agree with graham it does sound like the mixture, being to rich. When you say the plugs where wet again, is that the end of the plug ie when removed for the engine., or at the cap end. Have you clean inside the disy cap with some wd40 and given it a good wipe.

[mandrillus sphinx]

at the dizzy cap, pretty much everything around there was wet. I've had those changed and I've moved the plastic splash guard down, it looks like its been snapped in half at some point. I might give mini-metro a ring and see if I can take it to them but not having my car running means I'm more busy now, I've had to resort to buses and trains

[Gr4H4m]

at the dizzy cap, pretty much everything around there was wet. I've had those changed and I've moved the plastic splash guard down, it looks like its been snapped in half at some point. I might give mini-metro a ring and see if I can take it to them but not having my car running means I'm more busy now, I've had to resort to buses and trains

Use the marilgold glove and 5 small zip ties... but dont buy cheap one should only cost a few quid and you will hae a spare for the boot... Use Steves method and some WD40 in the cap to clear the water out.

[mandrillus sphinx]

I'll get to it, if it ever stops raining

[MiniRichy]

mines doing this after I have changed the carbs it sounds like the mixture.... you could try changing the mixture but I have no idea how to do this on an i

I think on the injection systems the mixture is controlled by the E.C.U, so I would take it to a Rover garage (if you can find one!) and have them check it with there computers.

P.S On my M.P.I you can buy a power boost valve (About £90!! from Minisport) which allows you to alter the mixture, but i am not sure if it would fit an S.P.I

[Gr4H4m]

I think on the injection systems the mixture is controlled by the E.C.U, so I would take it to a Rover garage (if you can find one!) and have them check it with there computers.

P.S On my M.P.I you can buy a power boost valve (About £90!! from Minisport) which allows you to alter the mixture, but i am not sure if it would fit an S.P.I


mmm those new fangled ECU thingies....

[mandrillus sphinx]

I've still not had time to get this sorted, its a terrible circle of no car means less time, less time means I can't take it to get fixed, not taking it to get fixed means I have no car. There's a Rover Garage about 5 mins away from me but it may well be the worst garage in the history of the universe. I think I could get it to mini-metro but I need someone come with to bring me back. At least its stopped raining now

[TONYELF]

I'm sure if you have a chat with M&M first to ensure that they may/can help you, and if you get there early enough they may let you watch (thats assuming you have the day off) ? All the best with that M8:)

[mandrillus sphinx]

It's fixed woop. but I may be in jail next week for killing the last person who worked on my car. I took it to M&M and they have sorted it out and gave me a list as long as my arm of the sh*t/bodged job that the last place did on it. just been and he tried fob me off, he said he is going to ring M&M and talk to them about what was wrong with it. It was a good job really because I was finding it hard not to snap and if he kept talking cr*p to me I might have killed him. But yeah, M&M did a great job (I think,all I've done is drive home but it seemed spot on)

[Deano]

Nice one good to hear some good news:)

[mandrillus sphinx]

yeah I might even be able to come down now

[TONYELF]

Great news. Glad to be of some help.:)