Winter is coming.........

Cold running and why tuned Minis simply quit running when pulling up.

Winter is coming, and with it various issues that affect Minis used throughout the year, no matter what the conditions.

This month's consideration is cold running and why a plethora of tuned Minis simply quit running when pulling up. Ignoring the few that are down to various other ailments, the main issue is just the cold weather. Those that suffer more ...

Cylinder head - Combustion chamber shape

Since the reasonably recent publishing of a certain Mini tuning, performance and maintenance guide that has strangely coincided with a batch of new readers/devotees of a certain prolifically quoted 'bible' on A-series engine modifications - the subject of all things cylinder head have bounced into the fore once more.

Something I was heavily canvassed over at this years (2003) Mini in The Park event whilst doing duty as Mini 'agony aunt' and 'doctor'… In particular the subject of the combustion chamber was foremost in discussion since the aforementioned 'guide' exhibited a number of wildly different chamber profiles with very little in the way of supportive technical information. Now, I have considered the pros and cons of doing this missive. On one hand, I am not out to increase sales of said guide since I'm not one of its supporters in any way. On the other I am certainly not attempting to belittle the efforts of the featured company as they have long been at the forefront of perf

Ignition - What's needed

Firstly - re-runs or re-hashes of technical literary prose always brings to light either new, or old forgotten subjects for close scrutiny/re-examination. The arrival of 'A Well Known A-Series Tuning Bible' is no exception. Good news as far as I'm concerned as it keeps me gainfully employed!

This dissertation is centred upon that old chestnut 'ignition systems'. Technological advances running through the entire automotive world hasn't ignored the system that supplies life-giving sparks to bring your engine alive. It's true - no spark, no power. Much of the technology applied has been about making bigger, fatter, longer lasting, and more consistent sparks. The plethora of Mini spares suppliers have embraced this whole-heartedly as it's another string to their bows of profit generation. And it's this that's causing the problem - again Mini owners are being sold stuff that they don't need, or more pointedly will NOT increase power out-puts one iota.

2003-08, Oil gallery plugs

Here's something unusual that cropped up a little while ago that I've never commented on before - main oil gallery plugs/bungs.

I'd been conversing via e-mail with a guy that was experiencing weird oil flow/supply problems with his performance street engine. Initially he'd been blaming it on the supposedly superior oil pump he'd bought. He sent it to me; I inspected it and found it to be in perfect health with no signs of causing the issues in hand. Firstly there was a claimed total oil drain down from the pump causing lack of initial supply on start-up for a few seconds, and then repeated crank bearing failures when used in anger (i.e. at high rpm for protracted periods). Unless there is something drastically wrong with the oil pump and fitment - cracked pump body, non-flat mounting surface, mounting bolts too long, split gasket, etc. - it will not drain down simply because the inlet and outlet ports are above the centerline, near the top of the pump as it is mounted to the block.

Choice of radiators

Choice of radiators

Radiators Read about heat conductivity, core, fin design, tube sizes and design changes

Cylinder head 2022

Historical Article - March 1992 - Wild Thing!

In 1988, a humble 1973 Mini 1000 was minding its own business somewhere in London, when along came a young Mini freak called Jason King, who wanted to change it for ever, and make it famous.

Jason persuaded the owner to take £450 for the car, and then proceeded to throw £12,000 worth of presents at it for the next 3 years. Every minute of Jason’s spare time was spent working on his new car and every minute of his working time was spent looking for spares.