Tim
1848 posts
Joined: 18/10/2004 09:40:59
Location: Bournemouth United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Which kind of fuel?
I'm fairly sure all the minis were designed to run on leaded fuel, so keep on with the additives. Whether it's the additives that are causing the fuel pump problem I couldn't say.
Posted: Jan 03, 2008 09:32 AM
John
163 posts
Joined: 09/09/2004 09:32:06
Location: DK-2000 Frederiksberg Denmark
Re
If in doubt or you really dont want to pull the cylinder head to look for inserts, you can use RedLine Lead Substitute (available on this site - look for REDLINE) as a fuel additive.
Posted: Mar 01, 2006 05:06 PM
re: additive
Our host has recently begun selling Red Line Lead Additive - it looks expensive, but you only use a little (Although Ive got unleaded inserts, I use a small coffee scoops worth in a full tank). One 335ml bottle will treat 378 liters of fuel - seems like a rather good investment. http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?pid=37639#
Posted: Dec 07, 2004 11:04 AM
benezere
14 posts
Joined: 29/04/2005 20:43:30
Location: Bromsgrove United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
cylinder head help, please!
i have a 1275 engine, from 1984, it hasnt been converted to unleaded fuel, what do i do? do i need a new cylinder head? or can i have the original head modified?i dont want to use additives and would prefer not to use fuelcat or other similar products as they dont seem to be safe to me. your advice would be very much appricated. o and if i need a new head, where can i get one from?? -Ben-
Posted: May 06, 2005 12:54 AM
re
If you cant get unleaded seats installed for a while, you might want to use Red Line Lead Substitute - available on this site. The dosage per tank of fuel is quite small, so its really economical to use. Unlike some lead additives, the Red Line works - its good stuff! Heres the link: http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?pid=37639
Posted: Dec 17, 2004 03:16 PM
kevin shaw
26 posts
Joined: 24/01/2005 13:37:30
Location: Boston United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Tips on starting an engine that has been stood for 4 years
I plan to change oil and filter drain petrol and replace with fresh with additive, possibly pouring some down the air intake of the carb as it has a mechanical fuel pump take sparks out and pour engine oil into the chambers and let it sit there for a day or so while charging the battery and putting core plugs in it etc. i may turn to engine over by hand slowly as to not crack the piston rings. any more tips welcomed.
Posted: Dec 06, 2005 08:03 PM
J. Lyon
214 posts
Joined: 11/12/2006 18:57:13
Location: Colorado springs United States
850cc Head change?
My intention with this mini is just to slightly tune the 850, enough to get it into the range that most americans deem acceptable on the road, and I'll admit, most of us americans, if not all, are pretty egotistical about what our cars can do, but hey, I'm getting a mini so that's got to count for something, right? Anyway... Eventually I'll change out the engine and trans with a performance tuned 998, the one that's in my Mk1 right now, once I have it done and have the money for a 1275. But that project is going to have to wait at least until may of next year. I have a lot of stuff to be doing between now and then and unfortunately can't spend the money I'd like to on my minis. Oh, and I do know that the 12G295 head is getting rarer these days, but I can't seem to find anyone who wants to buy one. I've got two of them, just by a stroke of luck, they're both in for cleaning right now, plus I'm having the machine shop pull the head studs while it's with them. So I'll have to 12G295 heads that are bare and clean and just need to be assembled with new stuff. I'm probably going to change out the seats so that I can use unleaded fuel, since it's getting harder and harder these days to get lead additives even. So, if any of you want a 12G295 head, I'll sell it to you, but if I don't get any takers, it's going on the 850cc. Cheers!
James
Posted: Oct 20, 2007 03:53 AM
1948 posts
Joined: 28/05/2006 16:49:46
Location: cambridge United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
1275 automatic camshaft, is it a cooper ?
yeah i think its between 10:1 and 11:1 when it starts pinking or knocking on standard grade fuel without retarding ignition. uv gotta be careful with those lead replacement additives iv read alot about them and most can cause alot of problems u can get away with using them on a head that has been used on lead for along time but once the lead memory/ deposits wear off then even with most additives the valves will start to reseed. two products however are ment to be up to standard redline lead substitute and superblend zero lead 2000. no other lead replacement products passed the new tests. do u know how much its going to cost to have valve seats done? if u got head chamber enlarged slightly by meashening in right places like perfomance onces are then u could probley increase capasity enouth to get the compression ratio bellow 10:1 and not have cost of complet engine rebuild. also thicker cooper gasget would help if there avalible. unless engine could do with rebore of course.
Posted: May 28, 2006 10:59 PM
161 posts
Joined: 28/06/2006 11:39:53
Location: Downham Market United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Ohhh dear!
Hi Chris, Nope, running the complete 1098 setup, with fuel additive... keeping the 998 head, as that is going to be part of the eventual 998 rebuild project, so we will eventually have a complete 998 again! Pistons are dished on the 1098. Gotta consider a head stripdown and rebuild though, as Ive just moved it off the drive to let Clair out in my Pug, and it was a tad smokey when cold... its alright when hot. Reckon it could well be the valve stem seals, being the silly little O rings, and some oil has run down the inlet guides when warm and thin with the engine stationary. Had a MK1 Astra that was a pig for that, until I did the head! Shes still a little rocket though! :-) James
Posted: Aug 08, 2006 08:19 AM
taffy1967
1783 posts
Joined: 27/09/2006 18:58:07
Location: Rhondda-Cynon-Taff United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
The additive wouldn't upset the fuel pump, it's probably just had it's day that's all.
All Minis made after 1989 are unleaded compatible, so that's any Mini made from the Mini 30 LE onwards, plus the Mini Flame Red, Racing Green, Rose & Sky LE's.
Posted: Jan 04, 2008 02:27 AM
Plug gaps and fuel
Just to add to that - a plug gap of 25 - 30 thou should be fine with a normal coil. It's not that critical. They say you can go a bit wider with a high-energy "sport" coil. More impoprtant is to make sure the plugs are clean after a long hard run - not white (which means overheating due to weak mixture) and not black (too rich) but a sort of light brown.
If you're doing high mileage then probably you will need to consider a fuel additive. If you're not, and you're not doing high revs either, I would say don't bother. The do say that if you decide to use additive, you should stick to the same one every fill-up.
However, more damaging is to run the mixture too weak, as this overheats the valves and plugs and will cause you problems sooner or later.
Posted: May 10, 2010 05:52 PM
hey guys. Hers my car...
If it's running on the original engine/cylinder head then it shouldn't need any additive, because your model, along with the Mini Racing Green, Mini Sky, Mini Rose and Mini 30LE etc were all unleaded compatible. In fact they were among the first Minis in 1989 able to run on 95Ron unleaded fuel.
If the ride is that hard, check to see if the previous owner fitted adjustable dampers. If so check how hard they've been set at and all you usually have to do is turn the little screw at the base of the damper with a screwdriver.
Turning it to the right increases the firmness and to the left decreases.
I've got Spax Gas Adjustable Dampers fitted all round on my Mini (plus Adjust-Ride cones too) and I haven't got them turned up much because the roads are so poor here.
But my Mini still handles very well and backed right off is equivalent to standard dampers, where as turned right up and it will handle like a Grand Prix car but provide a very hard ride.
Posted: Nov 22, 2007 05:53 PM
Hey all,
I have a 1978 Mini 850 and I was wondering if it still took leaded fuel, or unleaded? I've been putting lead additives into it, but my fuel pump is failing, so either that's just cause it's old, or it's possibly the lead? Any info is helpful!
-James
Posted: Jan 03, 2008 02:54 AM
John Mullaney
4 posts
Joined: 10/11/2012 22:18:37
Location: Hull United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Overheating, burning oil and idling too high
Hi Barry,
This is all very helpful and i'm pretty sure that at a base level at least i understand what you're saying. There's a garage near me with a rolling road who also helped me on the failed emissions test part of my recent MOT, which the car passed (they used a fuel additive that apparently de-cokes the full system and it seemed to work, however what i think you're saying is that's only a patch fix and all these problems are related, so thanks). I've noticed slight leakage of oil on the rocker gasket so i'll replace that (not too tricky) and get the car in for a proper once over.
Thanks for the help.
Posted: Jul 24, 2013 12:16 AM
Octane rating
Unleaded compatible Minis are 95 Ron, where as earlier non unleaded compatiible Minis generally require 98Ron I believe?
Of course years ago a Mini 850 and 1000 would have originally run on 2 star fuel. But that's long gone and so you need a 4 star equivalent I guess.
If you've fitted a converted cylinder head or use a lead additive, then your Mini should run quite happily on 95 Ron fuel. You might have to retard the timing slightly to stop it pinking though?
It's said that a pre unleaded compatible Mini will run much sweeter on 98 Ron fuel, like Shell Optimax (or whatever that's called these days). Trouble is that stuff costs so much more, although some claim you get better economy out of it though?
Posted: Mar 15, 2008 09:40 PM
Jonny_Nicholl
50 posts
Joined: 19/04/2008 16:15:20
Location: Warrington United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Redex....does it work?
Just wondering if anyone has used Redex fuel additive, and if so, does it provide ANY benefits?
Is it a cash cow, a hoax to rid us of 10 or so pounds of hard-earned cash? Or is it a hones, relatively cheap way of attaining fewer emissions, lowered mpg and more POWER! (Redex's claims, not mine)
Preferably, any info on how a 998cc Single carb engine would benefit (if at all!)
Thanks, once more, in advance for any responses!
Posted: Jan 29, 2009 12:16 AM
Mini-man-rob
11 posts
Joined: 29/07/2009 13:59:29
Location: Platerton United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Calling all tech heads. Pinking and over-run thoughts.....
HI, I've just got a fantastic Austin mini mayfair 1983.Its brilliant but I'm having some issues with the enging pinking and with engin run on after the ignition is switched off. Its fully standard with a Ducilier type dizzy. I should say that I am running on unleaded with the standard leaded head and am therefore using lead additive. Its only done 40,000 miles from new (really it has!) and when tested the compression is good in all 4 cylinders. I have replaced the points, plugs, leads, condenser, rotor arm, dizzy cap and have been using a timing light to try and get it running right.
It says in the bible that it the timing should be set at 13-15deg at 1000 rpm with the vaccum advance disconnected. But it runs best (still with run-on but less pinking) at about 5deg at 1000 rpm.... it this normal? The engine idel speed really dips when I take the vac advance off the dizzy... (is that normal?) so to time it I have to increase the idel speed to 1000 rpm. but when I advance the dizzy the idel speed changes, and I have to re-adjust the idel speed and alter the dizzy again.... am i doing this correctly?
Am i right in thinking that the only real causes for this sort of condition is the temperature and pressure within the cylinder. The pinking is caused by excessive cylinder temperature although the temperature gauge reads totally normal and i'm not that keen to change the compression ratio. I haven't liiked at the fuel mix although I'm not sure if any adjustment of this would change the situation at all. Any thoughts are welcome as this is really stifling my enjoyment of the car and I'm worried it might cause damage to the engine if I leave it as it is.
Thanks Rob
Posted: Aug 13, 2009 02:06 PM
Bob
22 posts
Joined: 07/02/2005 12:39:51
Location: United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Engine splutters and then cutsout
Had an interesting problem with rear its head at the weekend driving along at a constant speed then the car acts like its running out of fuel ie splutters, no power then cuts out. Leave it thirty seconds and it starts fine then five or so mins later does the same thing. I know the fuel tank is about 3/4 full I have checked the fuel filter on the facet pump in the boot - no debris I have checked the under bonnett filter - no debris Checked emulsion tubes etc on weber 45 DCOE - no debris disconnected the fuel line to the carb switch on ign and fuel flows very readily out of the pipe so Im assuming it isnt blocked at all I have checked the distributer, electronic ign, HT leads, Coil, and spark plugs and they are all fine, Plugs may be very sligthly glazed from the last check but not cracked or anything Engine is 1293 stage 3 286 cam running weber 45 on unleaded with octane booster additive and has been running like this for a few months and ive not had this problem before Seems to idle fine inc getting up to temp but try driving and its dies at the most inconvient moments! If anybody has any ideas I would be more than greatful Ian
Posted: May 17, 2005 01:07 PM
C. Barron
332 posts
Joined: 04/05/2006 21:28:31
Location: Mid Calder United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Yes it does sound good for £70 ! The wide gate will be from worn selector levers and forks, a sign of lots of heavy traffic use I think. so you've gone for the better option I reckon !
If the 1098 had last been run on leaded fuel, or unleaded+additive you will find it performs better than the 998 head, and sudden deterioration isn't at all likely, more a gradual loss of compressin and poor running,only after thousands of musuallsaid, I would run with unleaded additive. Maybe this is your in-between engine though, but you'll find the difference in performance from a sick 998 engine very noticeable.
Good luck with the rest of the build.
Chris
Posted: Aug 05, 2006 02:12 PM
Rob
34 posts
Joined: 17/09/2004 20:29:45
Location: Wellingborough United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
compression ratio on a 998cc A+
hi
if its got a manual gearbox it should be 10.3:1 for 1987, so make sure you run it with good quality fuel (shell Optimax or similar) and a good lead replacment additive. This is assuming it has not been converted to use unleaded.
Hope this helps
Posted: Sep 22, 2008 06:56 PM