Recent posts

#31
Maintenance and Modifications / Re: My Mini stinks!
Last post by BruceK - November 23, 2025, 09:40:24 AM
Quote from: MiniDave on November 23, 2025, 08:33:08 AMLooks nice, are you going to test it before you put it back in the car? 96 hours of cure time.....4 days.....will you give it some extra time just in case since it was thick in a couple of places or are you eager to put it back in?

Did the stain in the boot under the tank clean up? What did you use on that, some compound and polish?

No, I'm traveling for a week so it's going to be a while before I reinstall it.

I haven't cleaned up the stain yet. It appears to be gum and varnish from the leaky tank, so perhaps something that is strong enough to break through that without hurting the paint - if I can avoid doing that.
#33
Daves Garage / Re: Racing Green 89 Mini
Last post by 94touring - November 23, 2025, 08:46:23 AM
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.
#34
Maintenance and Modifications / Re: My Mini stinks!
Last post by 94touring - November 23, 2025, 08:43:32 AM
Was thinking and I suppose if I didn't have the option to let the paint drain,I'd let the excess pool by the filler neck.
#35
Maintenance and Modifications / Re: My Mini stinks!
Last post by MiniDave - November 23, 2025, 08:33:08 AM
Looks nice, are you going to test it before you put it back in the car? 96 hours of cure time.....4 days.....will you give it some extra time just in case since it was thick in a couple of places or are you eager to put it back in?

Did the stain in the boot under the tank clean up? What did you use on that, some compound and polish?
#36
Maintenance and Modifications / Re: My Mini stinks!
Last post by BruceK - November 22, 2025, 07:47:50 PM
Okay. It's several hours later and the paint is dry enough for me to take photos of inside the tank. I'm happy with the result.
#37
Maintenance and Modifications / Re: My Mini stinks!
Last post by BruceK - November 22, 2025, 04:58:20 PM
Update: I completed the tank restoration process today. I spent a lot of time with the cleaner/degreaser to remove all the gum and varnish. I was going to use drywall screws in the tank during this process to help agitate and go after the surface rust. But then I realized the screws are coated with something so I went with regular zinc wood screws. I spent well over an hour rotating the tank and shaking it back-and-forth and trying to get every area addressed.

Then, like shampoo, it's rinse and repeat with the second cleaner/degreaser bottle. Then another rinse. 

According to the latest instructions from POR15 it's not necessary to have a completely dry tank before adding the metal prep solution. But I decided this would be a good time to try using a hairdryer as a trial run for later in the process when I definitely need to have completely dry tank. The heat from a hairdryer definitely makes a huge difference (whoodathunkit) and it got the tank completely dry in about 20 to 25 minutes.

I spent a lot of time with the metal prep solution, rolling it all over the inside of the tank, ensuring every area got at least 10 to 15 minutes of coverage with the solution. I believe it's basically just phosphoric acid, but it does etch the metal and attack rust.

When I rinsed the tank after the metal prep it really looked good on the inside with a nice light gray coating over the interior surface.

Using the hairdryer, I made sure it was again completely bone dry, especially in the seam gaps, and I popped the top on the can of POR15 gas tank sealant paint. The instructions indicate must be stirred, and that was definitely necessary as some of the material had settled to the bottom of the can. 

Once it was stirred, I poured the quart can into the tank and gently rotated it, and all directions to ensure coverage. I spent about 20 minutes slowly, rotating it to cover all areas. The instructions say to pour the remaining paint back into the can where it will harden overnight, and then open the tank petcock and position the tank so excess can drain out over 30 minutes or so to help prevent a puddle or pooling of the paint. Sure wish the Mini fuel tank had a petcock, because it was not easy to get the excess out of the tank due to the internal design of the filler neck. The filler neck tube extends into the fuel tank and there's a ridge there so it is not a smooth transition from the tank to the filler neck. That ridge kept some paint from draining out of the tank. So I basically continued to rotate the tank around, trying to distribute the excess evenly everywhere.

Nice to have it finally done. The instructions say wait 96 hours before use. I'm going on a trip so when I come back, it should be ready to install.


#38
The Lounge / Re: A new game... Post pics fr...
Last post by MiniDave - November 22, 2025, 04:56:51 PM
And they're legal?

Like my "Euro" plate is!   :grin:
#39
Daves Garage / Re: Racing Green 89 Mini
Last post by MiniDave - November 22, 2025, 04:55:44 PM
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.
#40
The Lounge / Re: A new game... Post pics fr...
Last post by BruceK - November 22, 2025, 10:28:14 AM
Quote from: MiniDave on November 20, 2025, 07:44:50 PMIs that a real thing? That IS horrible......
Yeah, apparently some company is selling those stickers for E-types based up upon the car's actual metal license plate.