Mini is ALIVE!

[Dan Moffet]

Yesterday, I finally found time to wake Desiree from her long winter slumber. Tires were low but holding. Oil is full and clean, Rad is full to proper level. Absolutely no drips on the floor! Battery charged. Spark plug wires connected (wondering why I'd left them disconnected).

She started! Because I'd squirted oil into the cylinders and swished it around, cranking with the plugs removed, there was the usual cloud of oil smoke. It took a while for the engine to warm up and purge the oil and whatever was left in the carb bowl.

Once warmed, there is some roughness and idle eventually drops away to nothing. I attribute that to 2 year old gas. High octane with stabilizer, but that doesn't last forever.

So, today, I pumped the 3/4 full fuel tank out (about 5 imperial gallons) and put that in the Jeep which was 3/4 full and uses regular gas. The next step is to go get some fresh gas and try that. I'm hoping she will only need a hearty romp to clear her lungs.

[BruceK]

Great to hear its back!

[Dan Moffet]

I actually got for a Mini drive today! Only about 25km (who's counting anyway?) but she ran like a champ. Between, the weather (too hot for someone with thicker Canadian blood), too wet (no fun with old tires and sloooow wipers) and stiff legs due to a Baker's cyst making me, already n old guy less mobile).

But Yaaaaay! The feeling is back - I felt like 22 again.   All the way up to 110kph for a couple of bursts, which reminded me the wheels deserve rebalancing.   

[Jims5543]

Nice!!!  We have entered our "car storage winter" here in FloRida.  Triple digit heat index and unrelenting sun make a drive during the day too hot to try.  The evenings might be better, I need to get mine out for some exercise and a valve adjustment.  Maybe next weekend. LOL!  (I say that every week)