Turbo Exhaust Manifold Leak
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi all,

Just got my Mini Turbo going today for the first time! - Very happy!

Just got a few teething problems:

1, Oil Leak from selector rod - Easy fix,
2, Only starts and runs on Choke?
3, Popping - Presume this relates to the below,
4, Slight exhaust manifold Leak between head and Manifold.

In relation to Point 4, Only the center of the 3 branches is leaking, i have heard storys about the center branch of the manifolds warping because of the heat,
What would you recomend as a solution to this? im hoping this will also fix the popping problem.

Also i am using the proper turbo manifold gasket.

Also any ideas on the only starting and running on choke side of things? when i let the choke back in after starting it will stall, could that also relate to the manifold leak?

Cheers all.

Have you got the two nuts either side as tight as you dare?

you need some time and a large file and a straight edge, unless you have a miller, bridgeport

the centre face shrinks back with the heat over the years, you need to remove metal off the two outer faces so they are level with the centre one,

the choke and popping issue is the mixture ........ its too lean try adjusting this, after you have set the ignition timing correctley first!

My exhaust kept blowing on the centre branch. I removed the studs and now use bolts you can pull these up alot tighter!

It will be getting machined though when it comes off for the winter!

yeh i was going to get it machined at work over the winter but im after a tempoary solution at the moment, any ideas?

Metal shim?

Thanks Ben ross i'l try richening it.

Cheers

Right, just richen'd it up a bit and it's better but still pops, will see what happens when ive sorted the exhaust manifold,

Just remembered another little problem,

When i turn the key back from point 2 to point 1 when trying to turn it off the ignition light comes back on and the ignition doesnt cut out, so the engine stays on and i stood next to it with the key in my hand lol, at the minute ive just stalled it to stop it,

Any ideas why the ignition is coming on lol?

cheers

As benross or if your careful enough, attack it with a grinder. Take small amounts off at a time, always checking with a straight edge. The gasket should take up any slight deviations.

Edited by Jason G on 3rd Oct, 2009.

Heard about this one. apparently the altinator is back feeding through the ignition light and feeding the coil, Correct me if wrong.

I think the solution is to fit a diode in line.

as for the leaking manifold I had a similar problem many many years ago. I filed the back face of the adjacent inlet manifoldfaces till the heights were equal.

Own the day

i dont really want to take it all off untill my winter rebuild, was thinking about trying shiming the centre one see if that seals it but im not too sure what sort of shim to use.

cheers

how about (for a temporary bodge...)

slacken the manifold off, if there is enough warpage you may be able to the centre exh part of a second manifold gasket in there.

or if the gaps not that big, get a bit of copper sheet of ebay and shim it with that.

thanks Mini13, thats along the lines of what i was thinking.

cheers

i gave in in the end and just got the grinder out, now lovely and flat now with no leaks. :) lovely.