Mark's old Mini. Problems......
Turbo Mini Forums

When I first left Newcastle, the car was a dream to drive.
When I came to Norway it was also, but then the night setteled in and it was approc 15degrees and raining. This made the car go VERY cold, and I had difficulties getting it over 55degrees. ( No thermostat) This meant in turns that I had to run the car on choke, to even get it running.
On two occasions, I was going to overtake people, but when the boost kicked in (only 4psi) it stalled immediately, and even if I let go og the throttle, it just died. Starting it after this was a pain as well.

Day 2.

After 200miles driving, there was a LARGE hill, just like Alpe D'H?ez ( Does anyone watch Tour de France?) where I overheated it. The speed was kept down by a lorry which was in my way. I couldn't get past and that meant no air through the radiator, at least not enough. This was without choke in 25degrees sunny weather. Fair enough really.
After this, the car went OK. I never had it above 4psi on boost and because it was in the middle of day, temperature was OK.
Later on, the sun went away, and temperature dropped. This meant it was choke-time again. I noticed after a few miles that when it came on boost it stuttered and misfired. I tried changing down to third to get the revs above 2800 which is when the boost comes on, but no success. It just died. We let it there for some good ten minutes, because I just could not start it. We eventually got on our way and drove 100miles before total break down. No life, no nothing. I called Mark, and he told me to check the fuel pressure valve, and it was loose. I had no tools to check this, so I called my dad to come and pick me up. ( I was 50miles from home) I put it in the garage and did nothing to it. ( I hated it by this time :) )

As the dizzy is movable by hand. this ofcourse could have changed during the drive, but most of all. I think it's the fuel pressure valve.

When I fetched the car in Newc. there was approx 1cm showing on the bolt on the valve. When I adjust it now ( with a fuel press gauge) there is approx 5mm showing on 4psi fuel pressure.
This might mean that the gauge is faulty, or possibly the valve. I've tried another valve at 4psi, and it's no better. This could mean that the gauge I'm using is wrong.

But, even if fuel pressure is too high, the float in the carb should close when it's full. That means that off boost it should run right??

Mark; I do not know where the dizzy was set when on the RR last time, do you?? Is this dizzy tailor made for this unit, or should I get another dizzy?

What about the needle, could it be that it's just too rich on idle and cruising at 4psi???

Help appreciated :)

the dizzy is std metro turbo, set to haynes figs

Everyone knows that instructions only have to be read if the thing doesn't work....

bit of an update , just spoke to vegard on the phone and the car is running a lot better , he has put on a friends fuel regulator on and turned the dizzy so the car starts and idles.He is going to take the car out for a spin now and give some boost so lets hope all goes well.


one other thing as vergard is so far away any help he can get will be good as many of you know the car you may be able to point him in the right direction .

Everyone knows that instructions only have to be read if the thing doesn't work....

Is this still running with the Vauxhall fuel pump?

I think we've accertained the regulator is almost definately at fault. I'll give you a Tip Vegard - buy a good gauge - a 0-30 psi boost gauge will be ideal. this is an essential tool now you have a turbo mini...

Anyway, If it is the regulator, then it's certainly going to be down to one of two things:
1) the vauxhall pump that has goosed the diaphram in the regulator due to it's large FLOW rate, resulting in the diaphram in the regulator being stretched, OR
2) The return to the tank has become restricted (you had a lot of stuff inside the car - could these have been sitting on the fuel return?) again, stretching the diaphram...

For me, i'm going with no.1 - because Mark has had a regulator problem before...
I'd advise you install a restrictor on the fuel inlet to the carb - nothing too difficult to make, just a short piece of 6mm rod (or whatever size is needed to fit snugly inside the fuel inlet pipe to the regulator), with a 4mm hole drilled through it, to basically restrict the flow of fuel entering the regulator...

I would also remove the pipe from the bottom of the regulator (return) and check you can blow through it easilly (take the petrol cap off first though!)

I reckon the many hours you were driving the car for has probably done this purely on a 'time' rather than 'lead foot' basis.... With that pump it was bound to happen sooner or later...

You can get replacement diaphrams for the regulators (save a lot of money), someone posted the company a while back...

Good luck Vegard - It'll be well worth it once it's sorted.

Edited by turbodave16v on 30th Aug, 2004.

Sorted :)

I have now swung the dizzy to where it starts easiest, and I adjusted the valve to approx where it was when I fetched the car in Newcastle. We took it out for a spin and it was great (11psi) The only problems now are torques steer and horrible 13" wheels :)

I'm going to order a fuel pressure gauge tomorrow along with an oil-temp gauge.

But, and there is a big but. When comihg home from our little trip, the engine died when depressing the clutch. It has always slowed down ( due to the grey diaphragm) but never stopped. Unless I keep it above 4000rpm it dies when depressing the clutch.
This is either end-float ralated or possibly release bearing related. What was the endfloat set to, and did you change the bearing when haviong the engine apart Mark??

I notoced that the 7/16" screw agains the clutch arm was 1cm from the arm, so I adjusted it properly. But, you have not got any big nuts on the input plunger, so it might been that the clutch has been pushed so hard (and far) in that the thrusts have been worn exessivly. What do you think??

Cheers for the tips guys. Greatly appreciated. :)

edit: The fuel pressure regulator looked as if it was a stretched ballon, but not totally stretched. Some ripples were present. Is this correct?

Edited by Vegard on 30th Aug, 2004.

may be an idea to buya new regulator anyways, there not to dear, and given the age of the MG Metro turbo (asumign thats where this regulator was sourced) it has probably seen beter days!

*edit*

cant remember exactly for sure how the pre-verto setup "sits" but if there is no big bolts you may be pushing a part of the clutch assembly into the transfer casing, causeing the slowing down ?! If the thrusts were so worn/under so much pressure aso as to stall the engien theyd be pretty shafted by now! IMHO :cool:

Edited by evolotion on 31st Aug, 2004.

turbo 16v k-series 11.9@118.9 :)

Denis O'Brien.