1985 Tahiti Blue (was Flur, now ??)

[MPlayle]

Time to start the new thread on this one.

Got the start of some "tlc" parts in today: new rocker cover and fixings, new full boot trim kit, and new front seat diaphragms.  Also picked up locally some new 11" wiper blades.  (Pictures later.)

I got the license plates to put on earlier in the week.  I need to make brackets for the front plate.  It will give me something to do this weekend besides contract coding.

I'll be driving it some next week.   71.gif

[94touring]

Did you see the original thread I bumped up?  That's back when it was freshly imported.

[MPlayle]

Yes, I saw the revival of the original thread.  Proves that with effort in the right hands, it became its own little phoenix!

[Jims5543]

What kind of communist state do you live in that requires you to have a front plate?

Please tell me Tejas does not do that? I thought that was a New England /California thing....


God Bless Texas??? No God Bless FloRida... we have no front tags....

;D


Enjoy Flur (keep the name it is awesome) I look forward to seeing what you do with her/him/it.

[MiniDave]

Lots of states have front plates, Kansas doesn't but Missouri does. OTOH, my friend Don who lives in MO doesn't run a front plate on any of his cars and has never had an issue.....enforcement varies, I guess.

I'm still running my English plates on Buzz - it is registered and plated in Kansas, but I just keep the plate in the door pocket - but I've never had an issue anywhere I've driven him.

My friend John has fake English plates on his classic - it's not registered anywhere - and he says he's never had an issue either. I guess as long as you don't drive stupid or rob a bank, it's not a problem!  :-)

[MPlayle]

Yes, Texas still has a front plate requirement.  At least for regular plates and "classic" plates.  I think "antique" plates (and possibly YOM) may be only rear plates.

First things planned are:
- boot trim kit
- replace dented valve/rocker cover
- replace aged wipers
- replace broken/breaking seat diaphragms
- solve a hesitation accelerating from idle

Then I plan on deciding whether to remove the SPI, converting back to carb.  The Rover ECUs cannot be serviced/replaced if they start having issues.  I may also do further cleanup on the wiring at that time - replace the SPI harness with a plain one.

[MiniDave]

If you can cure that hesitation, I think I'd stay with the SPI as long as you can......it's nice not having to run a choke and deal with carb issues, plugs last longer, better mileage and more power too.....

[MPlayle]

MiniDave,

That is the plan initially.  I am doing the research for conversion as a backup option.

I know I will also need to address an issue with the fuel gauge/sender as well.  That may entail a replacement fuel pump as I think the SPI sender is integrated with the fuel pump - not certain.

If I convert, I will also have to figure out an adapter for the temperature sensor as the one for the SPI is in the manifold where the coolant flow is routed through the manifold.

[MiniDave]

Funny you mention the temp sensor, the Mad Mini boys just did this very thing on their Mini that they're supercharging....they took the thermostat housing and drilled and tapped it for the sensor. However, if you didn't want to do that you can buy new housings already tapped online from several vendors, just get the right sized hole to match your sender.

I have a late model fuel injected car fuel tank, the sender is separate from the pump on it - it's on the side of the tank behind the plastic shield panel.

Here's a pic looking down into the tank from the hole where the pump mounts, you can see the float....

I think there are plenty of ECUs around, if nothing else from guys converting to carbs. I know a guy who has one here in KC, problem is they're all used and you don't know till you plug it in whether it's any good or not.

[MPlayle]

MiniDave,

I discovered the very thing you show about the sender this afternoon while test fitting the boot trim kit.

As you say, when you can find a replacement ECU, it is still just as old and may be questionable as it is.  Also, Rover did several variations of the ECU on the SPI - some with immobilizer circuitry and some without, slight wiring differences, etc.

Going the drilled thermostat housing route was one of my thoughts, but it means knowing what the thread of the SPI temp sensor is.  Otherwise, you have to try to match a sensor to the gauge.

Since the inline heater valve has been removed, I thought if I could find out the thread size of the temp sensor I could do up an inline 'T' fitting to hold the sensor.  The heater is fed from a sandwich plate under the thermostat housing.  With it being always on, readings would be accurate enough as it would be close to the head and in regular flow similar to how it currently is in the manifold.

I need to get out my manual and start looking into the possible sources of the hesitation.

Today was mount the plates (done), install the new wiper blades (failed - have narrow bayonet arms, blades are for wide bayonet), adjust hand brake (done), test fit boot trim kit (done).

I'll have to order some different wiper blades.  I need to also pull the battery and clean the terminals.  I need to clean up one of the spares for putting back into the boot as well.

A bit of miscellaneous wiring to trace and identify as well - some in the boot (likely from the "disabled" immobilizer) and some in the engine bay.  While I am at the wiring tracing, I also want to wire in a power port for phone charger and GPS.

Not too much on the list and a small start made today.  Need to start driving it now it has the plates on it.

[Davisio]

Good to see you getting to work.....

The fuel guage never really worked correctly. Upgraded tank? 9 gal I think.

Throttle hesitation always pissed me off. Re-routed throttle cable and that helped. Used to stick really bad. Think it might be old fuel?

And..... should be able to charge phone via usb on front of stereo. ;)

I'll write more when I'm not getting yelled at to come to dinner. Salmon tonight!

[94touring]

That throttle cable was very irritating.  I've done a number others and none that temperamental. 

[MPlayle]

It is the original size tank for the SPI Minis.  It may be either the sender float or resistance coil is bad.  I topped up with premium, so perhaps with getting it out and driving I will get any "old fuel" issue out of the way.

I will see what I can tell about the accelerator cable routing as well.

Once the rpm's are up a bit, it seems to respond fine.  It just stumbles coming off idle.  It does it whether trying to move or not - can be in neutral and still gets the stumble.

Edit: Another reason for considering the carb conversion: it opens up more possibilities for performance upgrades.  The ECU has limited adaptation for upgrades in its programming.  Switching to a different FI system has its own challenges that are likely the same or slightly more in cost than the carb conversion.

[jedduh01]

Every Spi / MPI i have worked on has had wonky Fuel Gauges...
I didnt seen your exact issue quoted. but Reading Badly?  Showing Empty with 3-5 more gallons in the tank.

I Had that issue -  and bent the sender rod-- I want to say i bet the Kink in it MOre Flat.. but think about your bends or try a few times when modding.
I got my car where i could trust-  E = Was EMPTY! better be putting gas in it- But it stayed FULL for a long time till the fuel level dropped down more and more.. Once it got below Half- OH yea= Runnin Low!

Hesitation - GOod Fuel = good start!
  I dont remeber the flow of this car - but make sure the Vaccum lines are good n dandy from the back of the manifold to the ECU . Thru a Flame trap too. 

It doesnt have a true distrubuto - but clean the contacts inside the Cap and the Rotor..

Throw new plugs in?

Techon Fuel Cleaner?

Clean the throttle body well - Open it up  clean aroudn the butterfly etc.

Throttle position sensor and or the idle speed conroler could be suspect- but from what i know require specat tools for tuning... Cleaning things is your best start.

I loved My SPI = sold it Locally and keep in touch with the new owner.  OUt of all the minis i work on - with the seasonal changes- temp and such- its the one you NEVER have to touch!  Other need a bit of carb tuning or adjustments for the seasons. If you go carb- sure you can ask for more PEP = but are you ready to spend bucko's for Heads and cams and such to make it peppyer?

[MPlayle]

I did not get to play with it much this weekend.

Fuel gauge: seemed to be dropping rapidly and "bouncing" when reading 1/4 tank.  Stopped and filled the tank to the brim - only took a bit over 2 gallons!  Gauge then seemed slow to rise and stopped a bit below full - estimate about 7/8.  So, yeah it is reading badly.  If the tank mouth did not have the "unleaded" flapper inside, I would use a coat hanger and flashlight to experiment with the sender a bit.  I may just run the tank down (keep a spare 1-gallon in the boot in case it runs out away from home) and remove the sender to experiment or replace it.

I will also run some fuel system cleaner through it.  Filled up with Exxon as it was nearest when I noticed the gauge acting wonky.

I've had a SPI Mini in the past and really liked it.  The main reason right now for researching the conversion is if the ECU packs it in.  Otherwise, I would prefer to solve its issues and enjoy it.

I'll get some cleaners (in tank and external) and give things a going over.  I think the plugs are fairly new as Dan and/or Davisio put new ones in a little over a year ago?  It came to me with an apparent spare air filter, so I'll check what is in there and replace if needed as I give the throttle body a good cleaning.  I'll need to chase through the vacuum lines as well.

[Davisio]

Ya. Plugs are reasonably new.
Also has a fresh coolant flush.
As for the air filter, I put a K&N in. The other one is the original. Just kept it as a backup.

[MPlayle]

Davisio,

Thank you for that update.  Glad to know it has a K&N and fresh plugs.

I'm going to be doing another coolant flush as it is already rusty looking.  It must still be flushing out some of the "mud" Dan found packing the heater core.

[MPlayle]

Got the coolant system pressure flushed this evening.  Some pretty dark nasty stuff got flushed out.  They cycled it about 7 times to get all the dark crud out!   :-\

Before they started, you could not see the tubes inside the radiator.  When they finished, the tubes were easy to see.

Their whole staff had to look over the car while they worked on it.

[jedduh01]

What did they flush it with? HOw exactly if you can describe

Ive got acar here- makes mud water after a few hundred miles-  engines out - Ive run / pumped water thjrut it and it comes out clear-but any additional tricks to take?

[MPlayle]

They use a pressurized tank system.  It forces out the old coolant and then pumps in new under pressure.

As much crud as Dan had to flush out initially (heater was packed full), it will likely take a couple more flushes down the line to finish getting it all out.  I checked it just a little bit ago and after the drive home and cooling down, it is already dirty again.  Just not as dark as before.

I also think I may have found part of the hesitation issues - all related to the accelerator pedal, cable and linkage.  The cable is still a bit too long.  The pedal has been welded at some point and is the at the wrong angle.  Part of the linkage is out of adjustment and actuating late when coming off idle.

I just have to find the article I saw recently about the linkage adjustment.  Then I will figure out the other two pieces.

[MiniDave]

What is it with these cars making mud in the cooling system?

When I overhauled Buzz I cleaned the entire cooling system and still got mud - found it was in the heater core, even tho I flushed the heck out of it too. So, new block hot tanked, new rad, new heater core and system is finally clean and staying clean.

I flushed and flushed the thing and still got mud out of it before I overhauled it.....where the heck does it come from?

[MPlayle]

I have no idea where the crud comes from.

I did find the thread on Mini Mania I was looking for about the SPI linkage adjustment.  From that thread and checking the manual, I do know that another part of the throttle response issue is likely to be the missing throttle pedal switch.  Not sure what all it effects in the system, but it seems involved in the throttle stepper motor function.

[MPlayle]

I did a little digging into the purpose of the aforementioned throttle pedal switch.  Its need is determined by which ECU is present.  One version of the ECU needs it in order to know the difference between indexing the stepper motor and normal running/accelerating.  The other version of the ECU does not need it.  Now to figure out which ECU I have.

[94touring]

I don't recall any sensors or switches on the pedal. 

[MPlayle]

It may well be the version of the ECU that does not require the "throttle pedal switch".  I plan on trying to check that this evening.