Yes, but what if it runs fine for a while, then takes a crap again? I still don't know why it did that.....
I agree with you. I would want to know what caused the original problem. It would be on my mind every time I drove the car. I'm sure you will figure it out Dave.
Well, just in case I ordered 5 sets of these special o-rings from England, had to special order half of them, the rest they had in stock. You'd think an o-ring is an o-ring, but nooooooooo........so I'll have enough for this car and my test stand carb into perpetuity! Just in time to get my EFI project up and going and I'll never need them again!
The need is always inverse to the spares on hand. I've always tried to stock spares. When I was driving MG's I had enough spares to build two more cars. Edit.... Changed my socks.
And the winning spell check goes to Metalman. Yes when brake fluid leaks on your feet spare socks are in order. Or maybe it's odor.
So, I took it for a spin today and was pretty disappointed in the performance, till I got back to the shop and found the acc cable had slipped and it was only opening the throttle about 30%! it's been raining a lot here, I hope it clears up tomorrow so I can put some more miles on it.
Sunny and warm this morning, so I took the green Mini for a good run, with some highway miles as well as stop/go town driving. 1st, it does have the 3-1 diff based on revs at highway speed, and I like it much better than the 3:44-1 that was in it before, it's just more relaxed and yet still plenty easy to drive in town. I also found the speedo is pretty accurate now - although a little optimistic much like it's younger BMW built brother. 74 is 71-72, so just about 2 mph fast - good enough that I can drive it without the Garmin now. Before it was wildly off....10-15 mpg slow! The death wobble is still there, much to my continued disappointment and inability to fathom exactly WHAT is causing it. I've been thru the entire front end, every thing is new - and I do mean everything - I've swapped tires and wheels from another car - I just can't figure it.....it doesn't seem as bad as before, but that could just be my imagination or wanting/willing it to be better. But I don't think it really is. Engine performance is hard to quantify - I don't think it's as strong as the engine I took out, but I have no info on that motor, for all I know it's got a cam and some high compression pistons in it or had some head work done, but this one runs exactly like a stock 1275 - which it is. Torquey, doesn't like to rev much over 5500 and so on. So, I now have a running, driving Mini that doesn't leak oil and doesn't smoke and with a quiet transmichigan - if I can fix the squeaks and rattles, I'll be in good shape for the summer season. I do need to get an alignment done tho
No, tires are in balance, and it only happens between 45-50 mph, and it's worse under light or no load, under load it hardly does it. Everything in the front end is new. I've tried another set of tires off a car that does not do it - still did it on mine. I know the subframe mounts are good..... I'll set my dash cam up next time I drive it and get a video. About the only thing I haven't tried is the brakes - which work fine - and have new pads and new rotors.....my thought there is a sticking caliper, tho I don't see or feel any evidence of it. I've had the car for 5 years and it's always done it.....I just drive around it, if you go either slower or faster it's smooth as can be. Guess which way I go?
Have you researched "Jeep death wobble"? I know they had it for years, maybe something there to check.
Yes, I've read about it, also happens on some hot rods. The common denominator there is a straight axle front end, totally different animal than on a Mini. They usually install a steering damper shock to cure theirs, I can't think of any way to do that on a Mini's rack and pinion setup. I remember some BMW's having the issue in the past, don't remember what they did to cure it. I'm going to have mine aligned again, maybe there's something amiss in the alignment.....tho I can't think of why it would cause this.
Well, the RG has developed a nasty oil leak on the left side, the only thing there that can leak is the crank oil seal, and I put a new one in before I put the engine in the car. <sighs> I can fix that in the car OK, but it's not fun, have to pull the radiator to get to it. It also smokes pretty good on cold start up, I have a stock 1275 12G940 cylinder head already built up, I'm thinking to go ahead and swap that on too while I'm at it to see if that cures the issue (worn valve guides or bad stem seals - or both). If it does and I get the oil leak cured I'll just drive it for a while and see how it goes. We have a local car show I'm already entered so I need to get this all done before June 12th. Should be doable...... I think I'll go ahead and rebuild the engine and transmission that came out of it, then at some point when I'm feeling energetic - or if the 2nd gear grunch is bothering me enough - then I'll swap them out.
So I was very disappointed to see the oil puddle under the car after doing all the work on it, so today since the Moke I've been working on was off the rack I put the Green Mini on and raised it up. Found the leaks were NOT from the front oil seal after all, but the pipe going into the oil filter housing was leaking for sure. Today DHL delivered my latest spares order (today? on a holiday?) and I had the new seals in that order so I changed them out and that fixed one leak..... Yes, one..... The other one is coming from the left axle seal. I thought I had changed them but remembered I was out of those seals when I went to fit the engine back in the car. I have new ones now but of course it's a boatload more work to change one now, as I not only have to drain the fresh new engine oil but disassemble the suspension so I can get the axle out of the transmission. And there's no way I would just change the one and not the other side too...... So I started it up and ran it for a bit to make sure the oil filter pipe wasn't leaking anymore (it's not) and I'll check in the morning to see how big a puddle is under from the axle seal. More as it happens.
Well, the puddle isn't large, but it's there.....so I'll go ahead and change the axle seals on both sides......it was so easy to do this while the engine is out of the car and so much work to do them when it's in. :-(
Right side is pretty dry, left side is definitely leaking....I have the suspension loose but I may need some help to get the axle out of the pot joint, I don't think there's enough room to just pull the pot joint out of the transmission and move it out of the way so I can pop the seal out and replace it, tho that would be the easiest way to do it. Still cogitating on how best to do this.....On the right side I can just slip the pot joint out of the transmichigan and change the seal. With the old joints I would just release the large end of the boot and pull the inner part out of the pot joint, but these new joints don't work the same way, they have in essence an inner metal ring that the boot attaches to rather than the shaft and the shaft snaps into this metal sleeve arrangement. Hmmm, it still might come apart by just releasing the big clamp and pulling the guts out. Need to study on it a bit before I go cutting clamps..... Everything else seems drier than a popcorn fart! Left side caliper seems to be draggin on the disc, while I have it off I may as well rebuild it - I was going to do this 5 years ago when I first got the car but they seemed OK after I cleaned up the pistons and changed the pads and rotors. Talk about project creep.....wonder if I have time to change the head too?
Today, well yesterday technically since it's after midnight.... I replaced the A/C Compressor Clutch and coil. I will try to update with pictures soon, but the power wire (which activates the AC), had lost all of it's insulation. Once I removed the old coil - it looked like crap! So, I installed a new set. The day before, I installed a BUNCH of new stuff... supercharger intake tube MAP sensor hose Brake booster vacuum hose (with non-return valve) gaskets for all above I was hoping to be farther along by now, but I discovered one of the radiator hoses had a little tear in it, so a new one should arrive on Friday. Of course, tomorrow, I plan to rinse the new radiator and also clean the A/C condenser. I'd hate to put that dirty old thing back onto a brand new radiator! So, Friday, when the hose gets here, I can finally reassemble the front end... AND... give B.A. a start! I wouldn't be surprised if he needs a jump since he hasn't run for a few weeks!