GNAT - Rebuild - The Sequel

Discussion in 'Car Builds, Projects, Idea's Experiments' started by Nathan, May 11, 2015.

  1. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Huh, What, Again!!

    The current major issue:

    No compression in Cylinder 2

    How did that happen?

    The short answer, a spark plug came apart.

    [​IMG]

    The long answer. At MOTD 12 in 2014 a ViPec was installed to replace the factory ECU. You can read about that little adventure at http://www.motoringalliance.com/forums/cooper-s-engine-drivetrain/21628-gnat-gets-vi-pec.html

    Leaving Fontana last year (2014) the car was running rich. This was done on purpose as the O2 sensor in my wideband was reading funky. The plan was to replace the O2 sensor, download the ViPec software, connect to Jan via laptop and he'd tune the car. Instead I had a heart attack and triple bypass. That incident has been chronicled at http://www.motoringalliance.com/forums/motoring-alliance-site-announcements/21653-im-down-but-not-out.html

    My head, the one with my brain, not the engines head, has been sorta out of sorts ever since. This lead to me forgetting to take the new spark plugs to the shop for my annual spring maintenance. If I had' we'd of seen the damage to the plugs.

    While pulling up a hill near Fontana the engine made a pop, power dropped off and a big cloud of smoke game out the back. I was able to limp back to the Vendor Row and diagnose the issue.

    The car is currently in Detroit, Chad and his crack team at Detroit Tuned put on the trailer and hauled it back to Detroit.

    A borescope has been dropped in for a view.

    The text message from Chad.

    That is the initial view, the head needs to be pulled. OEM parts such as gaskets and the like have been ordered. Gnat is tentatively scheduled to be torn down later this week.

    We'll see what is found.

    On the way to Detroit

    [​IMG]
     
  2. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    Sorry Nate. At least it's in good hands.
     
  3. Goldsmithy

    Goldsmithy MINI Alliance Ambassador
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    You couldn't ask for Gnat to be in better hands. Hope Gnat is home from the hospital soon...
     
  4. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    Send that RMW head to Jan to have the valves and seats replaced.
     
  5. 00Mini

    00Mini Well-Known Member

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    This might explain some of your cold weather starting issues this last winter.
     
  6. Gil-galad

    Gil-galad Club Coordinator

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    Are we getting Gnat rebuild commemorative t-shirts this time around? :cornut:
     
  7. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
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    Hard to get into any better hands.......
     
  8. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Not sure yet.
     
  9. CHKMINI

    CHKMINI Club Coordinator
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    Rebuilt-The Sequel
     
  10. minirab

    minirab Well-Known Member

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    And the audience is waiting! (sort of like Blinkey from the UK)
     
  11. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    I say T-shirts are in order, and Chad could video the rebuild and post them here. That way we can all be part of the fun!


    Thats ok Chad you don't have to think me for the idea.:D
     
  12. Spa2k

    Spa2k Well-Known Member

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    Remember to start slowly, go for short durations and don't overdo it.

    Wait - that was our advice to you a year ago.

    Oh well, it still applies. :Thumbsup:
     
  13. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    Another Gnat centric T-shirt? At the rate Nate's going, my closet won't be big enough, thank god Dick doesn't do a shirt every time he blows something up, there'd be a worldwide shortage of polyester...There is a joke involving "wardrobe malfunction" in all of this, but I haven't figured it out yet.
     
  14. Jason Montague

    Jason Montague New Member
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    :blush2: And I thought that those kinds of things only happened to MINI Margi and me. Thanks for the warnings, between now and several years ago(with another Gnat emergency rebuild) there are 2 shops on the 'only send your ex wife to them list'. Detroit Tuned the place for MA MINIs.:Thumbsup::Thumbsup:

    Jason
     
  15. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    BIG UPDATE


    I. There allegedly will be video. People are talking to people that know of people that are people.

    B. I had a short text conversation with Chad of Detroit Tune fame, today.

    3. He'll be working on Gnat come Tuesday. I did not ask which Tuesday.

    d. Emily Martian painted a watercolor while at MOTD, entitled Gnat with a Broken Heart, to be revealed at a later date. In the meantime check out her awesome work here and here.
     
  16. ColinGreene

    ColinGreene Well-Known Member
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    Emily is a complete bad ass.
     
  17. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
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    Emily=Stoopidgirl(on m|u)?
     
  18. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    That would be affirmative.
     
  19. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Ahh, the plans of men. A few cars scheduled before me were a bit more of a challenge than first expected.

    My patience shall be rewarded.

    My fingernails, not so much. Nom nom nom.
     
  20. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    Think positive:

    Law of averages. If the cars in front of you were more of a challenge than expected, then, statistically, yours should be less of a challenge than expected. It's all got to even out sometime...

    Fingernails are ok. When you start going after your toenails, we have a problem. Although if you can do that, it means you've lost more weight, so there's that.
     

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