Racing Green 89 Mini

[MiniDave]

I had ordered a new Lucas Sport coil which came in yesterday - surprised me since I only ordered it Wed afternoon and it was here Friday! Anyway, bolted that in last night and boom, car started instantly and I could feel the difference even just running in the garage.

Drove it to brekky this morning and again - started on the first turn of the key, idled better and ran perfectly, engine def feels smoother too.

I have a new set of wires and plugs on the way, and I got a valve cover gasket too as I haven't checked the valve adjustment in a while, so.....time for some maintenance.

It also feels like something's loose in the front end, it tramlines and darts around under braking - never did that before.

I need to pull the fuel tank and see if I have a leak like Bruce found as I also have a LOT of fuel smell when the car has sat for a bit.

[94touring]

Yeah see it's a noticeable difference!  Those lucas sport coils are 40k too after researching them

[MiniDave]

Ok, cool!

I'm def happy with the improvement..... I wonder how long it's been on there, and how long it's been going bad? I think quite a while actually, to both questions.

I'm thinking I may wind up pulling the motor this winter and see if I can fix the oil leaks once and for all, and while it's out give it a better coat of paint.

[94touring]

Was it just a regular coil and not the higher voltage? 

The inno dizzy uses the low ohm coils. It idles different going from 1.5 to 3.

[MiniDave]

Didn't look at the specs, just that it's the Lucas Sport coil, 3 ohm.

Since I don't have a radio nor intend to get one, on advice from Kent I ordered a new set of plug wires with copper cores, and some new firing pins just because.

But it's probably overkill as it's running perfectly now. I need to drop the idle back too, as it seems to have gained about 200 rpm.

[94touring]

I was wondering what the old coil was. 

I'll see 100-200 rpm difference between low ohm and high ohm too.  I run non resistance plugs also.

[MiniDave]

I still have the old one, I can measure the resistance of the low voltage side and see if there's something going on there....

[94touring]

I still have the old one, I can measure the resistance of the low voltage side and see if there's something going on there....

I was curious because if the idle is up a couple hundred, even when the old coil was working properly, it would be interesting to know what the old coil voltage was to compare improvement to a 40k volt. Do you plan to regap the new plugs wider too?  It's another small benefit.

[MiniDave]

Old coil Ohm'd out at 3 ohms, kind of a disappointment - I had hoped to see something off there. The new one def runs better, starts way easier than it has for a very long time.

Dunno about the plugs, I suppose I can try them wider and see what happens.

[MiniDave]

Doing some maintenance on the Racing Green, it may have a leaking radiator - I need to find a shop that can pressure test it to see.

I also was thinking it was time for new cones, can't decide if these are bad enough to bother with or not...I don't have new ones to compare them to.....

Whadya think? Squished or OK for a while more?

[Willie_B]

Are those the Smooth-a-ride ones? They are a bit taller then the regular ones so they may be getting ready to be replaced soon.

[MiniDave]

No, those are just stock MiniSpares cones.....I don't think they're as bad as I thought after looking at them a little more. I'm going to leave them alone for now.

I'm replacing the motor mounts - I've been helping a friend get his old Mini back on the road and one of the things we did was put new motor mounts on it as the ones on the engine ( an engine he bought from someone else - a 998 instead of the 850 that was in it) were really old looking.

However, while nosing around looking for some more parts we needed I found a set of OLD mounts, and these are completely different than the ones we get today - so he gave them to me and I'm putting them on the green car to see what they do about some of the buzz and vibrations it makes. I'll put up a pic tomorrow to show the difference in how they're made.

They're turning into a real project tho, and I have no idea how I'm going to get the one on the right side of the engine changed out - the left was hard enough and I had plenty of room after taking out the radiator. But with the big fresh air tube and the brake booster on that side, well it's going to be a challenge!

[Dan Moffet]

That cone looks OK to me. For reference, in this photo, a squished cone is on the left, a front SmoothaRide is on the right and in the middle is a rear SmoothaRide, which I believe is stock height.

Note the "Quebec Garage" in the background with the Mini peeking out. It served as a winter garage until I got a garage added to the house. I had patio slabs for a floor with polyethylene under them to limit the rising damp, and put the Mini well up on blocks for good ventilation.

[MiniDave]

Thanks for the pic Dan, and I think you're probably right...I'm going to leave them alone for now.

I wondered about the "garage", I'm sure that's better than parking outside in the elements, but I would worry about snow load - a friend had one of those in Rhode Island and it came down on the roof of his car! You guys do get snow up there, right? I mean, I know we joke about "The Great White North" but I also know some places don't get as much snow because of their proximity to lakes or ocean.....

I think the way you did it is about as good as it gets, but having a real garage/shop is so much better!

[Dan Moffet]

Yeah, we do get some snow here in Ottawa, though not like the western mountains get. Here's a picture facing the other way on the patio. I had the garage by then.

I used the shelter for a few years, taking it down for the not-snow season. That saved it from UV attack. In winter, I kept an eye on snow buildup and periodically went inside with a push broom, lifting the material to make the snow slide off. No problem with critters either.

Alas the guy I sold it to didn't deal with the snow.

[MiniDave]

I'm changing the motor mounts on the green car - I was helping a friend with his old Mini and found a pair of original motor mounts from who knows when, but these are the ones I remember from back in the day. I'll put up a couple of pics so you all can see the difference. I don't know if it will make any difference in the buzzing and vibrations I feel but I figure that even tho it's a ton of work, if it helps it will be worth it! I also have some new bushes for the engine steady - rubber instead of poly.

I got the one installed under the radiator and to get the other end done I'll need to pull the wok, I can't see any other way to get to it since this car has the brake booster on that side. I think if I pull that big fresh air tube and the squirters bottle that should let me get to all the wok bolts, I can't see any way to get to the motor mount bolts otherwise.

[MiniDave]

After spending hours trying to get all the bolts out of the wok so I could get to the motor mount bolts, I finally gave up with one bolt left to get and decided to try and take the mount bolts out instead. It took more hours but I finally got them all out and the new one bolted in, then spent more hours putting the wok bolts back that I had removed!

But, the mounts are in at last.

I tried to find a coolant pressure tester but the one from the Auto parts store did not fit - it was supposed to be "universal" but I sure couldn't make it work. There are zero radiator repair shops in Kansas City anymore - none. All they do is replace radiators now. So, there is absolutely no place that can test it for me and I'm back to my own devices. I may try a different brand of auto parts and see if they have a pressure tester that will work.

I had used some of the MiniSpares one piece bushings for the engine stead but they had play in them and allowed the engine to move around under accel and decell, so I replaced them with some stock old school bushings with the sleeves in them. Those tightened up nicely and now the motor doesn't move at all!

That's where I left off today, tomorrow I'll take the alternator down to the parts store to have it tested, I may be ordering one of those along with a new radiator. This stain is what has me concerned - if it is a leak it's a tiny one, cause I only have to add water every few days of driving, and then only about 6 oz.

[94touring]

Looks like a leak in that area to me. 

[MiniDave]

Yeah, I'm thinking I need to get another one on the way to me.....

I've got a bunch of parts I need to order for the hot rod, some for this car and a bunch for the 06.....I guess I'll be spending some cash the next week or so.....

[MPlayle]

It also looks close in line with the tip of the overflow tube to me.

[94touring]

Oh yeah the overflow tube is right there. Just now seeing that. 

[MiniDave]

That's why I wanted to get a pressure test done on it.....to be sure. A new chineseum radiator is only $70 shipped, but I don't want to get one and have it not be the issue.

[cstudep]

I have the harbor freight pressure test set. Not sure if it fits the mini or not but I can try it tonight and let you know if you want.

[MiniDave]

yes, please!

[cstudep]

Well I got home late last night and didn't have time so went out this morning. I can't find my radiator pressure test kit so I have a feeling I loaned it to someone and have yet to get it back.

I'll see if I can hunt it down, but I don't remember who I might have even loaned it to lol.