MINI Max has a new little brother, Buzz

Discussion in 'Classic Mini' started by Minidave, Mar 9, 2014.

  1. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    I've seen plenty of fuel hose leaks, injector leaks and so on, but I've never seen a plastic fuel filter crack that wasn't old as the hills - not to say it couldn't happen of course as your friend found out.

    But I like the see thru filters so I can tell when/if they're getting dirty. this one is only a few months old, but I bought a new one tonight and I'll see tomorrow if it does the same thing. I also like being able to see the fuel flowing thru the filter so I can tell the pump is working and it's getting gas.

    Besides, it IS entertaining!
     
  2. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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  3. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    That's interesting! I did not know YouTubz offered that.....I've recently been discovering some amazing loop musicians......
     
  4. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    Buzz Report 9/6/2014

    Dateline Kansas City:

    Buzz not only started this morning, but ran perfectly all day, including several stop and go trips to Autozone, Johnny's Tavern for lunch and to the fuel station for a fresh fill up.

    Conclusion: so far so good! :D

    More as it happens........
     
  5. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    :fingerscrossed: Good news!
     
  6. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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  7. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    I think I've finally turned the corner with Buzz, so to speak......it runs well, drives well, I like the tall gears and it's easy to drive on trips now that it's a more relaxed cruiser/

    Still a lot of things to do, but I should easily be ready for our fall Classic fun run in northwestern Arkansas, anyone with a classic who wants to join us, I should be starting a thread soon on our next run.
     
  8. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    I'm still chasing the hot running issue on Buzz, so today I changed out the leaking heater valve (I had it blocked off) and the 160* thermostat for a 180* since the weather will be cooling off now. I also pulled the radiator and ran some water thru it, but it is not clogged up - I'm sure of that - and the fins are clean too. But just to be sure I ran some SS wire thru the few cores I could reach thru the neck - clean as a pin. I noticed it's made like modern radiators - plastic end caps with an aluminum or brass core just like on my new MINI.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    So next I pulled the water pump - it does have the deeper impeller, no leaks or wear in it, and the 4 1/4" pulley that they claim is the best.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    So what the heck is causing it to run hot on the highway like this? I'm puzzled. I hate to throw money at it in the form of an aluminum radiator if that's not the issue....when I called MiniMania this summer they said the "supercool" radiator I have now is as good as an all aluminum one.
     
  9. ImagoX

    ImagoX New Member

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    When is it running hot - just when stopped/idling, or while actually driving?
     
  10. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    Matt, only on the highway, around town it was fine.....

    But today I think I finally have a solution in hand. I took this one down to the local radiator shop and they pulled the lower crimped-on cap off, when they did they found the radiator was clean as a pin inside, just as I thought.

    However - I was led to believe I had the "Supercool 2 core" radiator, today after talking to Jack at 7 enterprises, it turns out I have the "barely adequate for a 998 on a cold day in winter cheap ass crap throw it away not cool" radiator!

    So I have a new all copper and brass Supercool 3 core winging it's way towards me via Big Brown, it should be here on Monday and I believe my hot running problems will be history!

    At last.
     
  11. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    I'm happy for you Dave! :Thumbsup:
     
  12. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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  13. ImagoX

    ImagoX New Member

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    That's the one I bought for my rebuild project. Still haven't had the chance to test it yet. but...
     
  14. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    I got the radiator Monday from UPS, and it wasn't even damaged! Yay...

    Before I put the radiator in I decided to go after the last major rattle in the heater assembly while the coolant was still out....it's not too hard to get out as it's only held in there with 2 studs and 2 screws... and a few hoses. Once out I found the artful bodger had been in here too....the heater core itself is only help in place by foam pieces and they been replaced, but it was still loose in the case....

    [​IMG]

    I decided some grommets would stop it from contacting the edges of the holes and wearing a hole in the pipes, so I drilled them out slightly and fit the grommets, a nice co effect was it took all the play out and the core was now held snugly.

    [​IMG]

    Next I fixed the control flap that directs the air up to the defrost or into the car - these cars were all built to a cost and it shows in assemblies like this - the flap pivots on two pins with no bushings so it also could have been rattling too - I put some shrink tape over the pins and not only did it quiet the noise, it pivots more smoothly now too! I also replaced the foam on the flap that seals it to the core.

    [​IMG]

    It took a huge amount of willpower not to completely disassemble the housing, sandblast and paint everything and rebuild the motor, but somehow I managed... :lol:

    Once I had it all back together I realized where another set of rattles may have been coming from, there are two long studs that hang the rear of the unit on some tabs - once I measured the distance between the tabs I figured out that there have to be some nuts on the inside of the studs to back up the outer nuts, otherwise as you tighten the outer ones they just bend the tabs and it never really tightens the unit down - so that was my next challenge

    [​IMG]

    Got it all installed and banged on it with my fist - no rattles!

    [​IMG]

    Yes I see the green wire hanging down, no I don't know what it's for.....

    Tomorrow afternoon I'll get the rad installed and fire it up and see how it works, if it goes well I'll start taking some short trips, if all goes well there I'll do some longer ones and if that goes OK, I'll call it good for our trip this November.
     
  15. ScottinBend

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    :Thumbsup:

    Love it when a plan finally comes together.
     
  16. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    Great work Dave, :Thumbsup:I hate things rattling inside my car also. :incazzato:
     
  17. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    I know, right?

    My new MINI has a horrible rattle - so bad I can feel it in the floorboards - but it only happens on certain road surfaces (like in my 'hood) and even tho I've had it on the rack several times I cannot find what's loose or where it's coming from - it's driving me nuts!

    (I know, short trip!)

    The radiator will go in today, then I'll get it warmed up and see what it does. It's pretty nice out right now - 75* or so - but it ran hot on 75* days before so while not the same kind of test as when it's 100 out, it should give a good indication of whether I've got a handle on it now.
     
  18. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    Well, I got the coolant back in and fired it up (started immediately - yay!) and let it warm up - the thermostat opened just as it should - started moving water at about 170* - and no leaks! Also the heater put out plenty of warm air, and I heard no rattles..... could it be that I've finally fixed all the dash rattles and vibrations? :eek6:

    Even so, there are plenty around the rest of the car still to be dealt with.

    I also found a small persistent oil leak that's been there since the overhaul - it was dripping right at the drain plug, but I knew it had to be coming from somewhere else - today I found the fitting for the oil pipe that runs from the block to the oil filter was slightly loose. A couple of pulls on a wrench and it looks like it's dry now!

    In this pic it's the silver pipe, the fitting is just under the coil....I had thought it was coming from the braided hose below that - the one that goes to the oil pressure gauge. I'm glad to finally get it sorted....

    [​IMG]

    Tomorrow I'll drive it to school and then to our club's monthly Thursday night Sonic event, if all goes well I'll do some longer runs this weekend.
     
  19. Crashton

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    I'm sure you've nailed you cooling issues. Enjoy the drive Dave.
     
  20. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    Yay little Buzz is buzz free, warm, not overheating and dripping oil.

    Sounds like you should have a good weekend motoring. :Thumbsup:
     

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