So using the mini as an everyday car for the first time for a few years & after a few teething problems all seems to be working fine ...... Problems were all electric e.g. Being plunged into complete darkness while driving down a very small almost single track type of country road & the other was the heater & wipers not working ..... All of which were traced back to the connections & fuses so redone them today & fingers crossed for next week ....... Wish me luck as it's getting colder & we all know minis don't like the winter .....

Good luck, back in the late eighties I remember getting stuck in the snow in my Mini in country lane - the build up of snow in the middle of the road actually lifted the weight off the driving wheels and we lost traction, managed to rip my leather jacket pushing the car!

Week two
All seems to be going ok apart from as soon as the temp drops below about 4 degree in getting a very slow cranking speed & I think it's only the fact that I put electronic ignition in her that it starts at all... Everything is working fine bolts going back into the battery & all connections checked & cleaned......it's got me stumped.. As soon as the temp goes up all is fine...

kappster wrote:Week two
All seems to be going ok apart from as soon as the temp drops below about 4 degree in getting a very slow cranking speed & I think it's only the fact that I put electronic ignition in her that it starts at all... Everything is working fine bolts going back into the battery & all connections checked & cleaned......it's got me stumped.. As soon as the temp goes up all is fine...

test the charging voltage at the alternator and at the battery

my money is on an earth, clean up connections on the battery earth and also add another earth strap from the engine / transfer case to the shell

See this is why I need you lot out there ..... Ok so that's this weekend's jobs sorted out then ..... I will let you know how it goes..

Good luck sorting it.

We both used our Minis as daily drivers (including a lot of long trips) for the best part of 15 years and only ever had two breakdowns - One because Mrs mm was trying to start the car with the cut off switched off and the other was a problem with a new coil. Apart from that we never broke down despite driving in rain, hail and sometimes quite deep snow. It's amazing where a Mini can go with a set of snow tyres and the look on a 4x4 drivers face when you pass them in the snow is priceless


OMG I miss my Mini

Have fun

Dave

Hey Dave, hows you keeping? No plans for a mini again then?

Zippyrude wrote:Hey Dave, hows you keeping? No plans for a mini again then?

TBH I really hate being Miniless but unfortunately the old aching bones prevent a resto job and anything that doesn't need a lot of work (i.e welding) is way out of my price range

I buy the occasional lottery ticket and live in hope though

Ps I'm dying of a severe case of the dreaded MAN FLU so I'm feeling a bit sorry for mi'self

minimaniac wrote:TBH I really hate being Miniless but unfortunately the old aching bones prevent a resto job and anything that doesn't need a lot of work (i.e welding) is way out of my price range

I thought Phil was a dab hand with the welder

The prices of minis has gone nuts in the last 20 years, something youd buy for a couple of hundred quid that was MOTd etc, but now a rotten rolling shed that needs thousands spending on it is 1500 quid!

Oh how we wish we'd stored a bunch of those fifty quid cars in a barn somewhere years ago!

="Zippyrude"]

minimaniac wrote:T

I thought Phil was a dab hand with the welder

Oh he is but as progress on his 2 litre Vauxhall project shows getting him motivated is a different matter

Oh how we wish we'd stored a bunch of those fifty quid cars in a barn somewhere years ago! :lol

Don't we all!

Now come on minimalist you know the rules ...... Everyone needs a mini in their life ...... There must be something out there for you ..... Anyways Zippy I put a new earth lead on & touch wood so far I've had first time starting every time ...... However (isn't there always) I noticed two things when I park up & turn the everything electrical off the revs go up ??? Also if I pull up in traffic I hear things like the blower motor slow down .....

The alternator puts a load on the engine which is greater when you have electrical load on (lights, demister, heater, etc)

What you describe is normal, but you need to check that you have good connections throughout the charging system. Clean up the battery earth leaf connectiin too, add a bit of copper grease to slow corrosion.

One other test is to see how well the alternator is charging... To test... Put the demister, heater and lights on, rev at 2k and measure voltage at the battery and voltage at the alternator.

If you have a healthy system both should read 14.4v. If you don't have 14.4v at the alternator, it's not running as well as it could (or incorrect pulley), and if you have less volts at the battery then you have a resistance (make sure connections and earths are all good)

You might find the alternator can sustain 14.4volts when the engine is revved, but not at idle. I had this recently when the MoT guy left in on the pad with all the main beams on and after a while it stalled and would not restart. Partly down the the immobiliser spitting its dummy out the pram, but once jumped and a new battery put in it (the key fob and later in main lead acid) it would not charge with all these loads at idle speed. (As above, try an extra earth strap, which is what I intend to do soon)

Nozzle

not pushing 14.4 at idle is quite normal, hence the full load at 2k revs test...

Well I'm not going to moan at this .... Been out & tested the old girl & can get 14.38 at the battery...... The main thing is starting first time every time ......

id check the engine and earth straps (and add another strap), its the high amp draw on cranking that will be likely the issue...

Another earth strap on the engine & a fresh one on the battery & we are there ..... Can't thank you lot enough for your help ..... Still more problems but let's start a new thread for those hahaha

The straps are a common cause, not just for failing to charge the battery properly but as we see its important for that big draw when youre ranking

That totally crappy braided engine strap is rubbish!

Good to hear you got it sorted!