my k mini- 200+bhp vvc on-going project

[gazwad]

hi, i'm starting my k series mini project. i've just finished a complete rebuild on my 1971 mini complete with a 1380. after driving it for 2 weeks i have decided to take it off the road again to bung in a 1.6 k. the car needs no other work so i'm hoping it shouldn't take too long. i'm going for a modded mini frame to keep standard track and length round nose. i have researched the conversion extensively and being an engineer feel confident i can complete it to a high standard. i have limited space so don't have room for a doner car and have located a complete 416 in the scrappy which i can have everything i need for £120. i know i need the engine/box, driveshafts etc as well as the ecu, 5as, loom and key fobs but is there anything else i need - how much of the loom will i need (do i need to take the dash out)? i know very little about the electrics/ecu/5as so would appreciate any advice in removing it! oh its a 97 (r reg) 416.
thanks

[gazwad]

well after trawling through the scrappy all the engines had done 110k+ with bits missing! and i decided i would probably end up with a lemon so i've just bought the 10k 1.8 engine off codd! i'll be picking it up tomorrow. to make fitting easier (read possible!) i'm gonna fit a r65u box from a r100, i believe these have the highest FD (correct me if im wrong) so will be best with my 10" wheels?
Can i use the 1.8 flywheel and clutch with the r65u??
Also i have an mpi mini rad, has anyone used one in a standard roundnose conversion?
Finally i have an mpi mini tank, can anyone tell me which tube is the outlet from the pump and which is the return?
thanks

[evolotion]

Can i use the 1.8 flywheel and clutch with the r65u??
No you ideally want hte flywheel and clutch form a 1.6 k-series (bubble rover 416) known as the R65U setup. you will also need to make sure the new flywheel tooth pattern matches your 1.8. best info for 1.8's on R65 gearboxes is prob somewhere like metropower forums as they will have aFAQ or similar on this :) or jsut keep the PG1 and swap it later for a PG1 with an LSD from a rover coupe turbo :)


Also i have an mpi mini rad, has anyone used one in a standard roundnose conversion?
yes, a few people have a flick through the k-series galleries
http://www.16vminiclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8869&highlight=

Finally i have an mpi mini tank, can anyone tell me which tube is the outlet from the pump and which is the return?

theres either a pic showing the pipes in our gallery or over on turbominis shoudl come u pin a search :)

[gazwad]

thanks! i'd like to keep the pg1 but has anyone done this with a modded mini frame? i thought it was just too big?

[evolotion]

yes, but its rare. if you have the gearbox offer it up and see how it goes, it would be the better choice of gearbox anyways!

[gazwad]

ok, i'm gonna make it fit, now wheres my big hammer....

[noisymini]

The PG1 would probably be the best box to choose as it will cope with the power and abuse better BUT and it's a but that would make my personal choice be the R65.

The R65 has a great feel to it, it's positive and tight whereas the PG1 which i have on my daily drive 218 VVC coupe is floppy and not at all positive which would really bug me if it were in my Mini. Having said that it could just be a tired example of a PG1 though at the same time i've driven four different rovers with R65's all fairly high mileage and they've all been spot on.

I suppose it depends on how important you think the feel of a box is and if you might want lots of power and an LSD in the future.

[gazwad]

hmmm, well the pg1 has only done 10k miles so should be pretty good, as i've never driven a r65 box i'll have nowt to compare it to anyways. i'll see how i get on with it
cheers!

[noisymini]

Cool! Now put the mouse and keyboard down and get building. :wink:

[bodgeit]

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=3047

[FatKev]

The PG1 'box on my dad's old Rover 75 2.5 V6 was slick and smooth compared to many cars I've driven... and that was from new, until he sold it 140k miles later. I liked it! But would the gearing suit 10" rims and rubber?

[bhphunter]

Nice one 8)

I will be watching this with a very close eye as I am in exactly the same boat as you in terms of wanting a 1.6 k in a standard roundnose, in a modded frame and running 10s!

Please get plenty pics up :D

Good luck

Bhphunter

[gazwad]

i did wonder about the gearing but i think the pg1s have higher ratios to suit the torque of the bigger engines, well if i make th pg1 fit i know they'll be room for a r65!
i'm picking the engine up tonight, will get some piccys on as soon as possible!!

[picKup]

you do have to be carefull which flywheel you use as evo said.

I believe the pg1 box has a bigger flywheel that will not fit into the r65.
If you want to keep the standard ecu you will have to check the patterns.

Unless you have a eu3 engine. thay use larger flywheels for the pg1 but the same pattern as the r65 which is usefull for me! :)

[gazwad]

right, got the engine and suddenly realised how much work i've got to do :shock:
has anyone got any info and pics of a pg1 in a standard lenght round nose??
the box looks massive and initial measurements don't look promising, it's mainly the diff housing which sticks out alot. does anyone have a pg1 and r65 to compare???
thanks[/img]

[gazwad]

so after absolutely no sleep last night from trying to work everything out in my head i've made a major decision - i'm going down the metty subframe route!
this means extended front and 13" wheels but it also means MUCH less work and i can stop sh##ing myself everytime i look at the engine! i'm gonna try and get the complete running gear (subby, gearbox, driveshafts etc) from a r100 (not metro, cos i want the r65U box).
i like the idea of using 'factory' components so if/when something breaks it is easier and cheaper to replace!
i've got an mgtf subby already but its got bits missing and has been cut about a bit, i'm gonna see if i can use the coilover set up from it though, has anyone done this?

[bhphunter]

Nooooooooooooooo! :cry:

Stick with the mini subby and 10s - I know its gonna be hard but I want to see it done 8)

Im not being selfish - honest :lol:


Bhphunter

[peskett]

Keep with the original plan it will be better in the long run. I bought a mini with a metro frame already mounted the realised i should have kept witi my original plan so stripped the one i bought. Still got one of the side mounts if you want it as a template. Its bolts on where the shocker mounts are and where the hydro unit sits on a metro frame.

[gazwad]

sorry folks but i've decided! i want the car back on the road asap and want to keep the original pg1 gearbox etc which i think is nearly impossible otherwise. i'm picking up a complete r100 subframe (with brakes etc) from the scrappy tomorrow for £50 and i'll combine that with my mgtf frame (with pg1 driveshafts) so ive got coilovers for free!
i just don't have the time or space to build my own subby along with all the other bits needed, this way everything is standard rover, cheap and easy. i'd love to buy the frame from 16vminishop.co.uk but when you start adding all the other bits up you need it starts getting very expensive.

[gazwad]

went back down the scrap yard today to get the metty frame. had to get the gearbox out fist, this is VERY diffict with limited tools (no balljoint splitter) whilst balancing on top of a pile of cars. it took 2 hours and i made a bit of a schoolboy error - dropped the frame out with just a few hoses and pipes attached, started cutting them (brake hoses etc), wasn't paying attention and cut into one of the pressurised hydrolastic pipes, got soaked with smelly, illuminus green ectoplasm!! stupid arse. the scrap yard owner found it highly amusing...
anyway it looks like i'll try and use the tf frame with metty hubs, wishbones, rack etc, using tf top arms and coilovers. i think the towers will be too high though so my plan is to mount the top of the coilover onto a ajustable backet where the original dampers mount, cut the towers to fit the bulhead and weld a thick plate on top to take the original tower bolts. could someone with a metty frame mini please measure from the underside of the bulkhead cross member to the top of the metty tower for me to help me get the height right?
thanks

[gazwad]

sold my old subframe & brakes as well as my 10" alloys :cry:
bought some brand new rover 100 gta alloys from ebay for £75 :D , i'm going to strip off the paint and polish them, they should look ok for metro wheels...
stripped down the metty frame and offered it up into position against the bulkhead, jebus it looks like its sposed to fit there!!! thanks to cheekym0nkey for the side plate - drilled some holes for the top mountings and bolted it in position, nice. oh and made a hole for the steering rack to poke through.
it's been way to easy so far......
next up is to finish the side plates & tidy them up, weld some box section to the rear of the frame with flat plates welded on the end to bolt to the floor. then i'll trial fit the engine and see how much i can remove from the front of the frame.
i've took pics but i'm not sure how to post them up

[Miniwidow]

Register with photobucket.com and you can post pics from there :D

[gazwad]

ah thanks for that, i'll get the pics up soon.
got the rear lower mounts made and tacked in - basically just some 2" box section cut at the angle of the bulkhead with a 6mm thick plate welded to it then 4 m8 bolts on each one held captive (welded) to another 6mm plate on the inside of the car. i'm opening the holes on the side plate mounts to 8mm and using high tensile bolts, thats 16 m8 high tensile bolts so should be strong!
anyone know much about exhausts?? i could fit a 2" playmini type system but i have a pair of stainless straight through bike silencers i'd like to use in parallel (using a y piece) but they're only 1.5" bore each. that equals 3" overall but i'm not sure it works like that? i don't want it to be restrictive??
can anyone help?
thanks

[gazwad]

pics added:
these are the car two weeks ago after 2 years of work and my 1380 engine!
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/J3.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/J5.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/J4.jpg
here's my 10k ariel atom engine (note vvc manifold with lettering removed!) and the hole its going in to:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0081.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0080.jpg
subframe fitted, side plates and then engine trial fitted (i'll put pics up of the rear mounts when i remove the frame for welding and painting)
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0091.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0098.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0094.jpg
hope these worked![/img]

[pengy666]

anyone know much about exhausts?? i don't want it to be restrictive??
can anyone help?
thanks

yeah dont make it loud or you'll fail the mot and it will annoy the shit out f you and your neighbours

:lol:

[mincento]

pics added:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/J3.jpg

my god thats perfection, its exactly how i want mine to look when finnished, a pure sleeper with retro looks but modern grunt, and you had detailed the engine so well :cry:

still will be sweet with the k in and running :twisted:

wayne

[chrisg]

anyone know much about exhausts??
nope :lol: but im running a bog standard RC40 twin box system with no power loss on the rolling road, power gain actualy if the rollers were right!

think RC40 is 1 3/4 inch so doubt youd have restriction problems with either setup

[bodgeit]

yeah dont make it loud or you'll fail the mot and it will annoy the bananas out f you and your neighbours

tell me about it!!!! :oops:

the neighbours were ok but the mot man wasn't

ive now switched to an rc40 with a centre box, nice quiet idle but absolutley roars when opened up 8)

still seems to go well :D

my plan is to use the 2" system that was on there but with 2 more extra silencers

Lovin' the car by the way. mine might be tidy like that one day, well probably not :oops:

Matt

[gazwad]

might as well try the bike exhausts then :D if i use a 2" standard link pipe and make everything else fit that then if its too loud i can swap it for a link pipe with intermediate silencer...
yeah, shame about the engine, i spent a lot of time making it look (and go) good, but the urge for modern power was too much. i'm gonna spend some time making the k look good though. i wan't it to look like it's suppost to be there, not like it fell in :wink:

has anyone got a spare 2" link pipe and a y piece (from an lcb) preferably in stainless?

[gazwad]

slow progress as i've been on holiday (in sunny devon) and been a bit ill, but i managed to whip the frame back out and fully weld the bottom mounts and the lower engine steady mount (cut off the mgtf frame). i'll clean up and paint the frame tommorow and get it back in the car (for the last time) along with the return fuel line. pictures to follow.
p.s. can someone move this to the rover builds section?

[XEValver]

(in sunny devon)

WOOP! go Devon :D

:lol:

i absolutely LOVE ur car! did you have engine troubles? or just fancy more power/something different?

[DarrenW]

I have amended your status and moved this to the build diary section.

Loved the engine before the K series think I would have left it with an A :shock: :oops: :lol: :lol:

Hope the build goes well for you :D

[gazwad]

no engine troubles- i sold it as a complete, fully set up unit. there are several reasons i decided on a k series, mainly reliability as i will be doing a lot of miles and would feel guilty doing them with an expensive, high power a series (this will be my only car), i wanted fuel injection and five gears which is silly money for the a series and i also wanted efortless power - with my 1380 there was plenty of power but it was a tuned engine and i'd rather have a standard engine with the same or more power to suit my driving style

[gazwad]

a bit of progress today, cleaned & painted the subframe and fitted it to the car then cleaned and detailed (lightly) the engine (didn't need much work as it's nearly new) and dropped it back in the mini hopefully for the last time. i've got my cable gear change on the way as well as rear spacers and front coilovers (gaz adjustables), oh and a new r200 downpipe. when it gets here i'll fit it and take some measurements to build my exhaust system.

also finally worked out what ecu i've got - its an efi technologies euro 1! which is fully mappable :D and doesn't need the 3/5as etc and it seems to be on a rover loom

[drew_mini]

hope all goes well with ur build :) u'll love drivinf it when finished :kseries:

[gazwad]

bit of an update. brakes and suspension all built up bar the brake pipes, rad brackets made and got the cable gear shift fitted. i couldn't fit it inside the car as originally planned as it would be too far forward to miss the handbrake, so it is underneath using the original gear lever hole. this may cause a bit of a problem with the exhaust as it takes up most of the tunnel!
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0101.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0104.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0106.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0118.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0001.jpg

[BigAndy]

blimey! Haven't looked on the forum for a while and completely missed this build - you don't mess about do you!

Two suggestions though, have you considered using the rod change gear selector from the rover 200 Vi? Surely the the cable change setup is not suited to a front engined car?

Other thing - your top suspension arms wont be able to cope with the loads on them from the coilovers (unless your using strenghtening brackets) - can't make it out in the photos? The alternative is to use MGTF top arms

[gazwad]

i thought about the rod change but the cable seems to work well and makes positioning easier, the cables are in an S shape and the only mod i had to do was drill 4 8mm holes to bolt the assembly to the floor! also i've tried the exhaust in position and it does clear it - it goes down the side in the normal position and lines up perfectly with the downpipe.
i have got brackets on those coilovers which go either side of the damper bolt and are also bolted through the top balljoint.

yes, progress seems to be good considering i can only spend evenings on it!

[gazwad]

aarg! the exhaust fitted nicely but the gear changer was right in the way. i couldn't see any way of making it fit easily so i had to remove it and re-think. i'm now using the original mini rod change selector which fits nicely and only needs the rod extending slightly and a bracket making for the steady rod, even the collar is the right bore!
cooling system is done (just need to mount the expansion bottle) and i'm waiting for the van rear cylinders and front brake hoses to finish the braking system

[BigAndy]

even the collar is the right bore!

Good old Rover - just like Ford - every car is made from the same parts bin :lol:

[gazwad]

litte update. fitted the rear van brake cylinders and the spacers, as well as the feed and return copper fuel pipes. got my wheels back from being painted to match the car and the edge diamond cut, got the tyres fitted and put them on the car - it's a massive enthusiasm booster to see the mini with wheels again! will take it off the stands tomorrow. i've got some turned billet ally centre caps being made by a mate to finish the wheels off nicely.
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0127.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0128.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0132.jpg

[BassAddict]

Lookin really good mate :)

[Geehawk]

Those wheels look great 8)

[gazwad]

thanks :D
i loved my old wheels but there was no way of keeping them with the metty brakes so i had to find something a bit special - looked at image split rims but couldn't afford £800 for a set of wheels :shock: these cost about £300 in total including tyres etc which i think is pretty good for some completely unique mini wheels! they started life as standard rover 100 GTA wheels from ebay

[Geehawk]

They are the best style alloy Rover made for the Metro/R100 IMO 8)

[WRB560]

Wheels are nice but I think you should have got some steel wheels off a metro GTA (5.5 x 13 i think like the alloys you have already) which have circular holes similar to mk1 cooper s's and powder coated them old english white and these would really suit your car with the retro look you have. I was thinking of doing this if i'd have gone with a watons/k series frame option. These would be another quite cheap option so you could have both and have the best of both worlds.
Car looks real nice too by the way.

Will

[WRB560]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3-Metro-Rover-155-65-13-wheels-with-tyres-No-reserve_W0QQitemZ290152954067QQihZ019QQcategoryZ98 88QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

These are just the 4.5 x 13 version but it'll give you an idea of the look as the centre are the same as the GTA steel wheels.

[gazwad]

strangely enough i did consider this but was put off as ive seen a few minis with 12" steelies painted white with chrome caps to look like 's' wheels and thought they looked a bit naff (made them look very skinny, like giant digestive buscuits).

well the car is on its wheels and back on the ground with one small problem - the coilover springs are far too weak and are fully coiled up just under the weight of the car so i've ordered some 400lb ones. hopefully gonna get the steering column welded at work today (bottom metro UJ & female spline part to mini column) then it looks like its just a matter of bending the brake pedal to clear it and moving the coulmn bracket along the dash slightly.

[gazwad]

got the steering colum done - opened out the spline hole on the mini column and pressed the end of the metro column into it then welded it up. have to move the column bracket in the car but the wheel position is very good now. also wasn't happy with the gear linkage as i was worried it might break as the engine rocked so i used a universal joint on the rod changer in place of my welded collars. made a bracket to hold the end of the flexi cluch hose and connected it all up - just needs bleeding (my pedal pushing assistant wasn't available!)
i offered the front end in position and it didn't fit! i bought a 90mm extended front as its the shortest extended one i could find, it would have been easier with a 4 or 5 inch one but it becomes more obvious i think. i've had to cut off the front subframe cross member, remove the alternator and rad fan but it now fits. i've started welding in a new cross member bar and will have to re-position the rad and/or mount a fan on the other side. not sure what to do about the alternator yet, i don't know if i can get a small enough one to fit or i might have to put it somewhere else. i had to cut a small bit out of the front panel bit to clear the exhaust manifold and i'm a bit worried about it getting hot and damaging the panel...

[gazwad]

pics!
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0133.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0135.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0140.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0141.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0144.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0148.jpg[/i]

[MarcE30]

Build is looking very good, I definately like those wheels

It looks like you are using the same type of suspension set up as me, and with regards to springs, I am running 450lb at the moment and they are still coil binding on big pot holes and bumps in the road. I've got two sets of 550lb on order 8" and 9" length which I think should sort the issue. I think you will need a stiffer than 400lb spring

Marc

[gazwad]

wish you had told me that before i bought them! it was a guestimate anyway, i'm sure i'll have to do some tweaking of the suspension once its on the road. I'm looking at moving the bottom mounting point out towards the wheel as i've still got a fair bit of room with these wheels. that will help and i having it further out will help to controll the arms better and increase the spring strength ratio.
Finished the front subframe cross member - fully welded and braced. radiator is re-positioned and plumbed back in although it is a bit higher than i would like i think it should get enough cool air. expasion tank it fitted and plumbed, fuel lines connected up as well as the pump wiring.
i chopped about the alternator bracket an managed to get about 20mm more clearance but it still fouls the front so i've got a toyota corolla one on the way (same as starlet, charade, alto ect) which should give me just enough clearance.

[gazwad]

trimmed, cut, drilled, prepped and painted the front end and bonnet today. also did some wiring, identified all the wires and connected most up, just a couple more to do. not long till i start it up! :D

[gazwad]

aaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrgggggggg!!! :x alternator arrived today but its the same size as the rover one doh. so i chopped the rover alternator about a bit more, cut some more bits off the bracket and got a shorter belt and now it fits :D
filled the gearbox with oil to find it leaking at the output shaft so i've got to get hold of another seal, whip out the driveshaft and replace it. bugga.

[gazwad]

did the gearbox oil seal, topped up the fluids and finished the wiring (i think). connected the battery up and everything seems ok. turned the engine over a few times with no problems. i'll put some fuel in it tonight and try to start it up :D

[gazwad]

good news and bad news.
bad - engine wouldn't start. relay was doing strange things and the ecu seemed to be mad :?
good news - rang up ariel (ariel atom manufacturer) to try and get more info on the ecu. they couldn't really help me much with that but they gave me some information about my engine. it is actually the 165 version, yes thats 165bhp :shock: 8) :shock:
after working out all the wiring diagrams i think i've found the problem (one sodding wire!) and will give it another try tonight, fingers crossed.

[chrisg]

sure its a 165? thought you only got that with vvc. only thing putting me off vvc is that its the only K that can actualy be told apart from a 1.4 without measuring the bores :wink: asuming the engine number had corroded away :P
good luck with getting it running, makes you feel soo much better!

[gazwad]

yep, i checked it out, the 120 and 140 had plastic inlet manifolds and standard rover ecu. the 165 had ally vvc type inlet (with the lettering removed), modded head, different cams and the euro 1 ecu. then there was the 190 with vhpd head and throttle bodies! the atom never had the vvc engine fitted as standard.
anyway i corrected my wiring and it still didn't start so connected a bulb to the diagnostic warning lamp wire and it lit up so i think there is a problem with the ecu. found the UK dealer for them and will be sending to be checked out tomorrow so it definately wont be at stanford hall on sunday :(

[gazwad]

ok so the ecu dealer couldn't get the ecu communicating so has now sent it off to italy to be fixed (hopefully). not a lot to do till i get it back (unless someone has a spare 1.8 ecu, wiring loom and 5as?? :wink: )

[picKup]

possibly! but not the loom bit.
I will ask my dad!!! GTMKoupe

Mike

[gazwad]

possibly! but not the loom bit.
I will ask my dad!!! GTMKoupe

Mike

oooh, that would be great, i can sort the loom out. would be good to get it running then possibly swap back when i get the ecu back (depending on how well it runs, might just leave the rover one on....) let me know!
cheers

[gazwad]

well the ecu saga continues...
my euro 1 ecu went back to italy to be investigated and was found to be beyond repair, the ecu dealer didn't charge me though and offered a replacement at cost price. i decided to use the rover mems set up as i would have to get the new euro 1 mapped and it's all a bit expensive. anyway pickup kindly sent me a 1.8 ecu, 5as etc but i hadn't checked it was for an EU2 engine and it turned out to be for an EU3, doh :oops:
after much hunting around (1.8 non-vvc ecus are hard to get hold of) i got one from an mgf. wired in the 5as, plugged in the ecu and after a bit of fiddling with the fob i got it running!!! :D but it would only run for a couple of seconds :( it kept doing this every time i switched the immobiliser off then on so i worked out the 5as and the ecu must have come from two different cars and aren't aligned. gonna try and get them re-aligned today then give it another try

[picKup]

I hope you get it sorted soon.

Whe it is running you can froget all about this messing about!

Mike

[gazwad]

IT'S ALIVE!!!! MWAHAHAHA :twisted: :twisted:

took the ecu etc over to talon sportscars who recoded them for me, brought them back, plugged it in and VROOOOOM :D
had to tweak the idle a bit and the ecu needs a few miles of running to adapt to the engine but it drove up and down the drive and the clutch is spot on (smooth and light mmmmmmmm).
phoned up to sort my insurance and it made no difference to my premium! (just a £25 admin charge) and that includes increasing the agreed value :shock:
just got to finish fitting the grill, no plate and connect up the lights then can take it for a test drive!!!!!! :D 8) :D 8)
pics:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00007.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00009.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00012.jpg

[evolotion]

looking lovely :)

[gazwad]

took it for a test drive yesterday, couple of small problems:
1. it got too hot (but i switched it off before overheating) and i couldn't hear the fan cut in so i think my wiring for the fan relay may be wrong - is the feed from the ecu a ground or live?? i've got it wired as a ground??
2. clunking noise from the bulhead area, may just be a loose mount/ exhaust nocking etc... will investigate.
3. running like a bag of nails and the idle is rubbish. I think the ecu needs a few miles to 'set itself up' (is that right?). also i think my stepper may be shot, it got red hot with the old ecu and i think it might be jammed open, has anyone got a spare vvc type?

[noisymini]

You can take the IACV apart to give it a clean. If that don't work, all the IACV are the same so just get one of any car down the scrappy.

I'd have thought the ECU would sort itself out pretty quickly so shouldn't run badly. Perhaps the TPS aint working? I had an intermittent fault with one, the engine ran shit when it wasn't working and it would idle high. Easy to check it's working with a mutimeter.

[evolotion]

ecu pulls the fan output to ground when it wants it on (sou you need +12v at the other side of teh relay) then the relay turns on the fan :)

http://www.16vminiclub.com/gallery/albums/userpics/memscooling.jpg

[gazwad]

hmm that's the way i've got it wired... i'll try earthing it manually, maybe its a dodgy relay.
does sound like it could be the tps as it ran better at certain throttle positions, i've got a spare from a placcy tb so i'll give that a try. if that doesn't work i'll have to start checking the plugs etc.
:idea: just had a thought! (doesn't happen very often :wink: ) if the collant temp sensor was faulty it would cause bad running ? and would also mean the fan controll wouldn't be working properly as the ecu wouldn't know the temp to switch the fan on.... hence the fan not coming on... dear watson i think he's got it !!!
what do you recon??

[noisymini]

If the temp sensor wasn't working the ECU would default to switching the fan on. A good way to check if the fan is working is to just unplug the ECU temp sensor while the engine is running and the fan should come on instantly.

[gazwad]

ok cheers, i'll give that a go

[gazwad]

tried a different tps - made no difference, also checked my wiring for the fan which was ok. pulled the plug off the temp sensor whilst it was running and the fan went on so i know that the fan and relay work - strangely when i unplugged it, it made no difference to the running of the engine... i know my temp gauge may not be accurately calibrated but it was definately hot enough for the fan to cut in, yet it still didn't :?
what does that mean???

i think possibly either the sensor is a dud or the ecu is kerput, any ideas??

[gazwad]

well i tried a new temp sensor and it made absolutely no difference. fan still doesn't cut in and it's still running rough. don't know what to try next. i don't think it's anything to do with the dizzy cap/arm/leads/plugs etc or injectors or fueling coz that shouldn't effect the fan coming on...
this was a stupid idea, i wish i had kept the 1380. i'm loosing patience and am ready to rip it all out and stick a 1275 back in. :cry:

[evolotion]

do you have a compression tester? you may have a dead head gasket on your hands.

[gazwad]

i don't think its a head gasket problem as at certain throttle positions and revs it pulls stongly and cleanly and that wouldn't explain the why the ecu isn't switching the fan on? i think maybe the ecu is nackered?

[evolotion]

how far up the temp gauge does the engien get? im sure from memory the fan kicks in at over 100 degrees, so something as simple as a weeping rad cap can stop it as the water boils before the fan kicks in!

hows all the HT stuff? dizzy cap rotor arm etc?

[gazwad]

would an air lock stop the fan cutting in? the temp gauge got about 7/8 of the way up before i turned it off for fear of damaging the engine, but i'm using the mini (smiths) temp gauge and k series sender so not sure on accuracy, i'm sure it got hot enough for the fan to cut in... i'll pick up a new dizzy cap, arm etc tomorrow to try, i just thought the fan not comming on meant a problem with the ecu/sensors which would be linked to the poor running. I knew nothing of ecus etc before i started this project so i'm just approaching it as logically as i can :?

[evolotion]

try and get a proper rover set of clocks on there, bodge if you have too jsut to get the temp working. shouldnt go above half way. iv never used the smiths style gauges on my k so cant comment, sorry :(

[gazwad]

yeah i'll probably try that, also gonna try pressure bleeding the cooling system and a new dizzy cap, arm etc
thanks for your help

[gazwad]

just a thought - the pipe which goes to the ecu (map sensor) is connected to a t-piece which goes to the plenum and fuel pressure valve, could this be causing the map sensor to give a false reading? there is a pipe sticking out on the throttle body, on the plenum side of the butterfly - should it be connected here? (this is currently blocked off)

[gazwad]

right, i'm convinced the ecu is playing up as it's too weird to be anything else - the only thing which connects both the fan not working and the strange running is the ecu and even if the running problem isn't the ecu i still have the problem of the ecu not switching on the fan.
gonna drive over to peterborough to exchange the ecu tomorrow (luckily it came with a 30 day warranty) then hopefully get the 5as re-aligned again on monday. it will have to wait then as i'm on holiday for a week! :D
at least this will rule out the ecu...

[noisymini]

By the sounds of it your map sensor and fuel pressure regulator are plumbed in the same as mine so should be fine.

The fan should come on at 104 degrees. I have smiths dials, though they may be differnet to yours, they do read a little lower than the actual temp though i'd say no more than 10 degrees different.

As you can swap the ECU then it's worth a try. Hope it sorts the problems. I'm sure you'll let us know if it doesn't :wink:

[gazwad]

Sorted! :D
bought a new dizzy cap, arm, plugs and leads and fitted them to iliminate them, and bingo! it runs sweet as a nut 8)
i feel a right dingo, i know to check the basics first but i just assumed it had to be something more complicated :oops:
anyway, i'm over the moon, took it out for a spin and its a complete animal, it was spinning the wheels at 45mph in 4th with a light dab on the throttle :shock: this thing is mental!!!! :twisted:
i'm still not sure about the fan so i'm gonna pressure bleed the cooling system tomorrow to get rid of any air locks and i'll fit an overide switch to be on the safe side
:D :D :D :D 8) 8) 8) 8) :D :D :D :D
p.s. thanks for all your help guys

[noisymini]

:lol: :lol: :lol: Classic!!!


Glad its all running sweet now. Now it's time you went suprised a few scoobs etc :wink:

[gazwad]

took it out for a couple of short runs round the block and the temp still gets hot and the fan wont cut in, i fitted an override switch but the temp still got near the top of the gauge. either the cooling system isn't up to the job/has a problem or my gauge is well off. i think it is probably the gauge as that woould explain the fan not cutting in (i.e. i'm not letting it get hot enough), so i've got a set of rover 214 instruments on the way.
I also took my mate out for a quick spin and he couldn't believe how fast it was! 8) he now wants to do a 1.6 k series conversion on his project mini :D

[gazwad]

few pics:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00027.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00023.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00022.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00021.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00019.jpg
the front looks longer than it is in these pics :? need to let the front suspension settle before i lower it to match the rear. got a few future plans, such as fitting the front bumper and some overriders etc, boot mounted reversing light, smoothed & polished cam cover, polished plenum. i'll also be fitting leccy windows and central locking running off the 5as, and possibly have a go at transferring the rover air con system as well.... they're never really finished :wink:

[gazwad]

picked up the rover 214 clocks today, and stripped them down to get at the temp gauge. it was easy to wire it up as the connections are labelled on the circuit board on the back of the clocks! (positive +, earth -, and to sensor TU). in fact i'm gonna try and use the tachometer mechanism inside my broken smiths one...
bodged the temp gauge into the car and took it for a run and the temp never went past half way!! :D :D :D so looks like my cooling system will do the job and my smiths gauge was just reading way to high. i'll try and fit the rover gauge mech into the smiths temp gauge housing etc, looks like it sould fit with a bit of tweaking.
gonna take it for a proper test drive later :D

[noisymini]

8) Glad to hear things are working as they should. Love the build :)

[gazwad]

well i've been out for some longer runs and have a couple of small issues i want to sort out. first was that it was far too noisy so ive fitted the rover 400 airbox and some sound deadening to the bonnet and it's much better :D
second problem is the gearing. it's far too low! it's reving at about 4500 rpm ot 70mph! this is because of the close ratio atom box designed for 17" wheels. so i'm picking up a taller ratio, low mileage box tomorrow and will swap it over when i can be bothered to keep the car on the road. eventually i'm gonna get hold of a coupe turbo box and a diesel box and do some gear swapping into my original box so i can keep my LSD.

[picKup]

I believe my old 1.4 did 18.6mph per 1000 revs so 83Mph at 4500.

We will be putting a metro gearbox on the VVC get it even better.

Mike

[gazwad]

yeah, i did consider a R65u box but it means change of flywheel (and getting the right one for the ecu), clutch, cluch mechanism, gearshift, engine/gearbox mounts, driveshafts, subby arms and god knows what else! plus i know the pg1 is bullet proof with the sort of power i've got. the non vvc box will be ok, and you can build a very nice set of ratios using the right cogs so i'll stick with the pg1. if i was starting from scratch i would probably use the r65 for simplicity

[picKup]

did not realise you had the pg1!
You should be able to find a good ratio somewhere for that box!

[gazwad]

got my higher ratio PG1, and it looks nearly new! i'm told it's done less than 10k miles and only cost me £75 :D
hauled the box out tonight (took less than an hour!) and found out it has got an LSD, no wonder it was a bit of a handful :shock:
will put my new box back on tommorow, but i've got to do a cv gaitor as well because one is leaking a bit.
i'm gonna sell the LSD box as i belive it should be worth £300 - £400 in this condition!!! this conversion keeps getting cheaper :wink:

[BigAndy]

lovely looking sleeper of a car, well done.

How does the car cope with those wheels? I thought about getting them with a black centre and polished rim but thought they might be abit narrow to put the power down?

[gazwad]

cheers! wheels seem ok, i've only got 165 tyres on there but i think you can get 185s on. flooring it in 1st , 2nd and 3rd tends to spin the wheels up but you get a feel for it and can get decent enough traction with a bit of practice! if you're using a pg1 box you'll need the non vvc type (C6) as the c4 is too low geared for the road.
i like your idea of black with polished edge :D

[MarcE30]

Excellent looking conversion, I bet you are very happy with the appearance.

Also interesting what you have said about the rover temp guage. I have just got a set of MGF clocks and am thinking of fitting them, as my smiths guage seems to sit just above normal, so from what you have said it might be that the mini smiths guage is not correct with the K series sender


:wink:

[gazwad]

well mine was well of - it was reading just unter the red on the smiths gauge but now reads just under half way on the rover one, and the fan kicks in just above half way. i'm really pleased with the car, the only problem is that it's so nice i'm reluctant to use it every day like i originally planned. i've spotted a nice mk2 retro metro which might make a nice workhorse...

[gazwad]

ok, i wasn't sure about my k conversion at first as it seemed noisy, harsh and i was worried about bits falling off, now ive put some miles on it, changed the gearbox, fitted the standard airbox along with more soundproofing i started liking it better. but i still had a creeking noise coming from the front somewhere which was ruining it for me. i was paranoid it was something major like my welds breaking or the floor ripping apart! i tried greasing my nipples (hehe) but it made no difference so i started getting very worried. i checked everything - all bolts, bearings, mounts etc etc. then as a last thought i sprayed teflon lubricant on the bottom arm rubber bushes and the coilover spring platforms and bingo the noise has gone :D
Now the car is very civilised with nice light steering but still plenty of feel, the suspension is firm but not harsh, the gear ratios are spot on, fuel economy is great (when i drive 'sensibly') and its fairly quiet, plus it goes like stink!! I love this car :D :D :D :D

[blackminiman]

congrats mate. I hope I am as happy with my conversion as you are with yours when I am finished.

[gazwad]

fitted my polished cam cover today. it's had the fins machined off then a mate got it polished for me:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00073.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00074.jpg
8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
if i can get hold of a spare vvc plenum then i'll get that polished too!

[evolotion]

glad you fitted the standard airbox :) gotta be an improvement over that sock filter. very tidy!

[Geehawk]

Much prefered the black/red combination cam cover. :oops:

Also surely the cooling fins are there for a reason on the K. It really needs to shed as much heat as possible.

[evolotion]

fins are jsut a styling thing mate :) but agree, black/red was nicer :P looked more tidy and "oem"

[gazwad]

polished surface radiates more heat so if anything it will help with cooling. it did look good before but the photos don't do it justice, i think it goes with the car better now and once i get the bay a bit tidier and a few more bits polished it should look good! i'm a bit of a tart and like anything shiney :wink:

standard air box is MUCH quieted and better for everyday driving but i do seem to have lost a bit of power. i'm gonna try a pipercross/k&n replacement element and smooth out the inside of the airbox.

[The Mighty Mallott]

polished surface radiates more heat so if anything it will help with cooling. it did look good before but the photos don't do it justice, i think it goes with the car better now and once i get the bay a bit tidier and a few more bits polished it should look good! i'm a bit of a tart and like anything shiney :wink:

standard air box is MUCH quieted and better for everyday driving but i do seem to have lost a bit of power. i'm gonna try a pipercross/k&n replacement element and smooth out the inside of the airbox.

Polished surfaces are actually the worst at radiating heat, qoute from tiscali encyclopedia
"How much a surface radiates heat depends on its temperature and the type of surface. Dull black surfaces absorb more heat and therefore radiate more heat than polished shiny surfaces, which reflect heat and are therefore poor radiators of heat. For example, engine-cooling mantles in cars are black so that they radiate heat from the engine. A vacuum flask has a polished, silvery surface so as to keep hot liquids hot and cold liquids cold as no heat is radiated or absorbed"

It does look cool though :wink:

[gazwad]

quick update, made some brackets and fitted the front bumper and some overriders and coner bars, think it looks much better:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/kmin9.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/kmin13.jpg

[gazwad]

had a bit of a problem with my engine... cracked a liner - http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00131.jpg
i've fixed it now but would like to try and find out why it went so i can make sure it doesn't happen again. the engine was at full throttle under load and at high rpm when it went (basically i was giving it some beans) but even so i've not heard of the liners breaking being a major problem in these engines?
i suspect it may be running a bit lean at high rpm under load which would have caused the liner to get very hot as i'm running standard mems. although the head and pistons looked spot on:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00127.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00128.jpg

[evolotion]

if its any help, i datalogged a std mems setup and it runs pretty rich at full rev's throttle, my gut feeling would be that its been just a bad liner.. from what i can make otu in teh pics all the sparkplugs and exhaust valves are a pretty healthy color.

has the fire ring dug into the head on the exhaus side!? it all looks a bit odd around tehre with weird colors and odd carbon buildup. you could have been on your way to a headgasket failure..

[gazwad]

ah cheers, there were no marks etc on the head from the fire rings and the HG looked perfect, the weird colours is just some oil/white spirit from where i wiped it with a rag.

[pat_imp_man]

which liner was it that cracked? You hadn't by any chance over revved it in anyway recently had you? I know they dont like doing over 10k :oops: :lol:

I dont know if it is the picture but No 4 exhaust valves look to be whiter than the rest, but not bad in itself.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to check your fuel pressure and injectors if you think it has been running lean oh and your lambda.

[gazwad]

it wasn't over-reved exactly, but lets just say i was 'testing' the limiter when it went...
there aren't any signs of a lean mixture during normal running, maybe i should just keep it below 6k to be safe :oops:

actually it does have one small (and annoying) running problem i've not been able to get to the bottom of - when its warm it starts 'hunting' at idle and when i slow down or stop (roundabouts, lights etc) a lot of the time the revs drop so much it cuts out unless i heel & toe it. i've heard this might be because of the overlap of the cams confusing mems. ive tried new ivacs, tps, coolant temp sensor, plugs, leads, cap, arm etc etc...

[evolotion]

try opening the throttle a wee bit using the throttle stop ;) and dont be afraid of the limiter, the k loves to rev :lol:

[gazwad]

and dont be afraid of the limiter, the k loves to rev :lol:

mine didn't !

[evolotion]

true :oops: i have taken my small bore bottom end to 8200rpm and the 1600 bottom end to 8000rpm.

on a note of high overlap cams confizung mems, if this is true then waht you need to do is get an inline fuel filter(you know the clear carb type ones) and a mig weldong tip drilled otu to say 2mm. insert them in the MAP sensor line in the order manifold - mig tip - fuel filter - map sensor. this should smooth the map signal and gain you a stable idle, assumign you have the early mems setup with the remote map ;)

My experienced of cammed 1.8k's is minimal to say the least but i did have one that exhibited similar probelms to what you mention on idle, the tinyest teenyest we extra opening on the throttle stop calmed the idle down a treat, it was particularly bad from a cold start.

[gazwad]

cheers, ive got one of those filters and a mig tip, i'll give it a try

[Miniwidow]

Nice feature in Miniworld :D

[duck]

Nice feature in Miniworld :D

A couple of good plugs for the 16v mini club as well which is nice to see :D

[gazwad]

cheers :D
i haven't seen it yet though as i don't subscribe. well if it wasn't for the 16vminiclub i probably wouldnt have dared do the conversion in the first place!
can't wait to see it...
the car should also be on the miniworld stand at london to brighton so if you see me there pop over and say hello

[dazlee]

your car is in the may issue of mini world and looks grate, might even try and do the same sort of thing to my mini

[gazwad]

thanks! well if inspires other people to get in their garages and have a go then thats great!

[peskett]

thanks! well if inspires other people to get in their garages and have a go then thats great!

Think i may have to buy a copy and have a look! As I seem to have lost all motivation for mines lately.

[gazwad]

have you made any more progress on the new frame?

[peskett]

have you made any more progress on the new frame?

Gave up on the round tube idea. Just gone back to box section. Which i have a near finished one sat under the bench. Gonna see if i can get my arse in gear this weekend and complete it.

[gazwad]

couple of updates, i've swapped the gearbox over for the diesel one i had built into a k series pg1 box and it has made a huge difference- 1st and 2nd are about the same but then 3rd, 4th & 5th are taller but evenly spaced. it's geared for about 115mph in 4th and 170 in 5th! so basically 1st to 4th are the accellerating gears then fifth is the motorway cruising gear (3k rpm @70mph, 4k @ 90mph etc). it makes for an excellent road set-up and i think i've lost very little acceleration (in fact it may even be better due to less gear changes!).
i've also been working on a new exhaust system. I was given two 1.5" bore stainless straight through boxes and have been building this:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00151.jpg
i'm quite pleased with my fabrication/welding, especially on this bit:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00159.jpg :D
hope it isn't restrictive....

[Jimboy]

Wow, diesel the way forward ? ! :D Sounds like its a good idea mate.

I love the look of the new exhaust system aswell 8) tis proper bo lol . I'd want to do something similar (spacing of exit pipes wise) but hopefully utilise an mgf back box and sink it up in to the body. I'm hoping that a rear beam conversion and cutting the battery box out should allow me the room.

cheers, Jim

p.s well done on the Miniworld appearance :D looks really nice

[gazwad]

cheers! yeah i had to cut a 2" section out of the battery box so i can fit the exhausts high enough. i'd try and use a better box than the standard mgf one as its pretty rubbish and very restrictive, there are usually a few sports ones (janspeed, piper etc) for sale on the elise forums etc at reasonable prices (and they are stainless!).

[Jimboy]

Ok mate I'll try and get hold of one of them instead :) It's just that my grandad has one because he upgraded his TF160 to a stainless system lol so I can have it for free 8) . But I'm sure it would b far better to go the stainless route aswell. :D

Cheers, Jim

[gazwad]

fitted the zorst today... sounds different, more raspy... not sure if i like it yet, it's also louder but not too loud. it also got very hot after a short run, is this normal for stainless boxes?? gonna give it a proper run tommrow to see if i can tell any difference in power.
i've got a stainless 4-2-1 janspeed manifold on the way so will be looking to fit it soon but i'm worried this exhaust might restrict the manifold and i wont be using it's full potential?

[gazwad]

ok, i don't like the exhaust, it's too raucus for me! (old man etc etc) although it looks awsome and sounds fantastic at full throttle, is just a bit too much for a daily driver...
i'm gonna carry on using my 2" mild steel jobbie and eventually upgrade to a stainless version of the same set-up. are there any stainless boxes available for mini fitment bigger than 2" bore??

[bodgeit]

do you need bigger than 2"?

i don't know of any systems offhand that are bigger.

[pat_imp_man]

Have a look on Dave Andrews website, lots of useful info about everything k-series including optimum exhaust sizes, I am sure he recommends a 2.25" system for 1.8's that may have been the vvc though. Check it out anyways

HTH

[gazwad]

got my stainless manifold last night, i've got to weld a bend and a flexi on fo it'll fit. the outlet is 2" bore so i think a 2" system should be fine, i can't see how a 2.25" system would be much better?

[bodgeit]

the outlet is 2" bore so i think a 2" system should be fine, i can't see how a 2.25" system would be much better?
it may be better in theory but probably not very noticable, especially in a mini. most things need a comprimise of some sort

Matt

[bodgeit]

how much is your front extended by?

have you any pics of the front bar of your frame after modding?

cheers
Matt

[gazwad]

90mm extended front from 16vminishop. there are a couple of photos in this build diary somewhere...

[bodgeit]

cheers for that!

couldn't find any pics of the front of the frame i'll have another look :oops:

[ludsonline]

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCI0133.jpg :wink:

[gazwad]

thats before modification. you're right, there aren't any pics of it after and i can't seem to find any! basically all i did was cut out the cross member and weld in a 1" box section as low and far back as possible whilst leaving some clearance for the exhaust. i then added a bit of gusseting for strength:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/CROSSMEMBER.jpg

[bodgeit]

thanks thats brill.

how much clearance (if any) have you got between the front corners of the frame (the bits below the two removable sides) and the front valance?

hope that makes sense, just planning my next swap :D

sorry for all the Q's just trying to weigh up my options :oops:

[gazwad]

there is no clearance! actually the valance has been slightly trimmed and sits just on top, flush with the front face.

[bodgeit]

i can see that lookong at your pics now :D

thanks for the help
Matt :beer: :beer: :beer: :kseries:

[gazwad]

took the car for it's MOT yesterday, first one since the conversion. it only failed on one CV boot! well chuffed as i hadn't even checked the car over before hand!

[matt]

well done mate i bet the MOT man had a suprise when he opened the bonnet :shock: :)

[gazwad]

did a couple of mods recently. first is a 56mm throttle body from a rover 820 turbo. had to cut the stepper motor off and make a throttle stop as well as a breather take off. gave a bit of a polish before fitting it:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00213.jpg
has made a noticable difference, seems more responsive and a bit more power too.... total cost £30
second mod was a new gear selector, i was using the mini one modded to fit the pg1 box, but there was too much front to back movement and not enough sideways movement and it was just a bit squishy. so i made this:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00216.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00219.jpg(sorry for the crappy phone pics) it's all stainless steel, has moved the lever further back and up so your hand just falls onto it - nice, plus the movement is very precise and just the right travel... total cost £6!

getting my stainless exhaust manifold polished this week so i can have my full stainless system (total cost £150!!!) on for british mini showdown when i hope to prove the budget k series as a serious contender to the vauxhalls and honda's!

[MarcE30]

Thats Chrometastic! top work!

With regards to the CV joint boot cover, how old was it and had it perished or split? Mine seem to rub slightly on the metro hub under certain wheel movements which is a bit of a pain because I can see me replaing boots for fun!

marc

[gazwad]

the boot only had a small hole in it, it hadn't perished or rubbed on anything, i think i probably caught it on something when swapping boxes etc.

[gazwad]

got my stainless steel exhaust system built and fitted, it's a 4-2-1 manifold then joins to a stainless flexi 2.5" system and a fletcher back box. it's not much louder than my old setup which is good but should add a bit of power and looks awesome!
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/ssmanifold1.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/ssmanifold2.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/ssmanifold3.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/ssmanifold4.jpg

[matt]

That manifold looks the dogs nuts, hope your going to avon park to show what these rover engines can do :twisted:

[gazwad]

yes i will be there, any other k series cars going?

[evolotion]

me! .. manifold looks the buisness! (as does the rest of the car incidently!)

[XEValver]

that all looks lovely!

and that gearlinkage makes me think of the exposed linkage in the Spyker 8)

engine bay looks very nice too! although that exhaust manifold wont stay shiney like that for long :( I fitted a stainless 4 branch onto my polo and after 1000miles it now looks very "jap style" and burnt. still cool, but just not shiney silver :(

[gazwad]

cheers guys! glad you're going evo - looking forward to seeing the turbo in action.
yeah i got the idea for the linkage from the spyker! i know the manifold won't stay like that - it's already going goldy-blue which looks good! (well cant look worse than the flakey steel one...)

[garyshoose]

Cra looks lovely & the Fletcher box looks nice. Is it 2.5"inlet & outlet? I'm on the lookout for something for my Vaux, but it needs to be 2.5" straight through, and needs to be quieter than what i have. Who does them? G

[gazwad]

it's a 2" box but i cut off the inlet pipe, opened up the hole to 2.5" and welded on a 2.5" bend. the perforated tube inside the box was about 2.25" diameter but that's ok as 2.5" is a bit overkill for my engine anyway. you could easily take this pipe out and put a 2.5" one in if you wanted, or use a universal box - http://www.jetex.co.uk/website/jetexcustomexhaustparts.php
http://www.milneroffroad.com/PIPE.HTM

[gazwad]

got hold of a spare head so thought i'd have a go at porting it, never done it before so learning as i go... done one inlet and one exhaust so far, want to make sure it's ok before doing the rest:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/PICT0012.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/PICT0023.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/PICT0016.jpg

[gazwad]

got a new interior, needed something a bit more comfortable and easier to use daily, its a bit posh! just need a matching rear seat to finish:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00344.jpg

[chrisg]

jolly spiffing, you trying to rival darrenW eh? :lol:
all adds to the sleeper look not having a carbon fibre, digidash filled interior 8)

[gazwad]

ha ha no i'm not trying to rival darrenw's (i don't think thats possible!). just wanted a bit more luxury and comfort, although looking at his car did make me think mine could do with a bit of upgrading :D

[gazwad]

managed to get my hands on a set of these for a VERY good price:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/PICT0018.jpg
they're omega forgies, virtually brand new and good for over 300bhp!
you can see the difference in the ring land to the standard pistons here:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/PICT0019.jpg
this is where they normally break over 160bhp.
I can't decide whether to go turbo or nitrous...
and to make things more complicated shaun (DV361 OVR) has got hold of a couple of turbos for us (gt17 & gt18):
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/PICT0022.jpg
what do you recon???

[matt]

Those pistons are a good buy. Have you thought about supercharging it for lots of low down torque? Nitrous is cheating its power that you dont have i would go turbo over nitrous :|

[duck]

Nitrous is cheating its power that you dont have i would go turbo over nitrous :|

:lol: :lol: thats funny, whats so different using nitrous than say fitting a different engine to your mini or fitting a different exhaust to an otherwise standard car ? it all increases the power thats available to you but in different ways.

I can't decide whether to go turbo or nitrous..

If you have the resources why not do both, nitrous can counter act turbo lag when launching off the line :D

[peskett]

turbo!!!!!!!!!! Just for the chatter. But also consider the setup costs if you plan on doing it proper, It would mean an ecu change as don't think the standard one will cope.

Are the pistons a standard spec replacement or lowerer/higher compresion?

[gazwad]

yeah the ecu would definately need changing and mapping. they're normal compression pistons so i'd have to open out the head and maybe a decompression plate.

[peskett]

You thought what you would do about a manifold? I am still thinking bout doing this using the weld together pipe fittings. but gotta find some flanges yet.

[gazwad]

i'd probably do a cut'n'shut with the standard tubular manifold, with the turbo tucked in close to the block. I'm leaning towards nitrous as all i need to do is chuck in my pistons and bolt on the kit - only take one weekend and up to 150bhp extra at the flick of a switch (that would make it 300bhp!!!!!) although i'd probably run 50bhp untill i get a progressive controller...
the car is plenty fast enough on the road, with lots of bottom end shove and pulls strongly to the limiter - the nitrous would make it completely insane so would only be used occasionally to scare my mates and down the strip :twisted:

[gazwad]

well after much consideration, i've decided to go down the vvc route. i was so impressed with matt's times at avon i decided vvc would be the best all round. mainly due to lack of time and funds, turbos and nitorus have been ruled out for the time being (although still a possible future project). i've got hold of a low mileage vvc head which i'll do a bit of porting work on and then chuck it on my low mileage bottom end, hoping for about the same sort of power as matt. just need to get hold of a vvc ecu set, loom and a couple of other bits (let me know if anyone has bits!).
this also means i'll have a few bits for sale if anyone is interested (piper cams, forged pistons...)

[matt]

VVC :D

Have you looked at the Emarald ecus they do one for a vvc engine now. If your porting the head and with the manifold you have and other bits you could see 180hp from a Emarald ecu. Also the paul ivery values look good value for money might be worth it if your striping your engine.

[gazwad]

yeah i looked at the emerald but its about £600 plus mapping, and the valves will soon add up too, just a bit of porting should be good on it's own. besides the standard pistons won't take much more anyway...

[gazwad]

little update on a few bits i've been working on.

Fitted the mgf steering rack i got from matt, what an improvement! it makes the steering feel nearly the same as a mini based set-up, going to try some mini steering arms and it should be about right.

Had my bargain forged pistons machined with circlip grooves and the cutouts for the valves enlarged incase i go for bigger valves in the future, also had my single tang rods (better than the later double tang rods) machined and bushed for fully floating gudgion pins as i didn't want to risk the pins walking at higher power/rpm levels which they are known to do (as happened to evo). I've decided to use these pistons as i'm still considering nitrous etc at a later date and the stock pistons arent much cop after about 160bhp.
Have mostly been working on the vvc head, fully striped it and given it a good porting:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/SP_A0031.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/SP_A0032.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/SP_A0035.jpg
using this selection of cutters:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/SP_A0045.jpg
and this flexi drive attachment on my pillar drill:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/SP_A0046.jpg
which worked a treat, the drill is pretty quiet so its nice to use. a dremel is no good for proper porting as it doesn't have enough torque (bit like a vtec :wink: )
then i peened the head around the fire-ring areas to consolidate and harden the surface with this special tool (a bolt with a dome nut on the end and a hammer!):
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/SP_A0040.jpg
just needs a skim and re-assembly then i'll look at fitting it all in the next few weeks. hoping for around 170 - 180bhp with a crap load of torque!

Also remove the lsd from the rover 620ti box and i've got a 3.6 fd on the way which will all be fitted to my non-vvc mgf box.

[matt]

That looks top work on the porting. That mgf rack was a steal im glad it works good :lol: . Carnt wait for the mini showdown will have to kick some Honda arse which shouldnt be to hard :lol:

:kseries: VVC rules end of story :lol:

[gazwad]

head work is all finished now, been skimmed, cleaned, painted and assembled:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/SP_A0060.jpg
vvc mechs being assembled and timed up (actually quite easy to do):
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/SP_A0066.jpg
assembled head:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/SP_A0070.jpg
also the new gearbox is built:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/SP_A0080.jpg
it's an mgf gearset with 220turbo 3.6 final drive and uprated output shaft and 5th gear, 620ti type b torsen lsd, uprated spec bearings, mgf bellhousing and 620ti casing...phew! the whole lot cost me less than £100!!

[matt]

Looks a nice job on the head but its hard to tell in pictures but could you of ported it to much :? . If the ports are to big you will lose lots of bottom end power but as i say its hard to tell in pictures. When ive seen other heads they dont port the vvc much as they are already big ports. I thought you only ported them for race solid cams and throttle bodies. :?

I read somewhere a ported vvc head will flow for 250hp which if your only using standard inlet manifold which is good for 180hp maybe you could now lose power. Im proberbly wrong as ive read all this on internet and theres lots of bulshit on internet.

I hope im wrong because you have spent alot of time on that and it realy looks like a good job.

[ludsonline]

This is a good read on tuning the K Series . :wink:

http://kengine.dvapower.com/

[gazwad]

it was actually dave andrews (DVA power) who sorted my pistons/rods and showed me what to do on the head and he knows his stuff!
he showed me one of his heads and explained where and how to remove material as its more important where you remove material that how much you remove. he said if i do it the same as that i should see 20bhp+ and more torque throughout the rev range including bottom end torque.
the vvc is a bit different to other engines as you can go quite wild on the head and not loose torque beacause of the variable duration.
you are right though about removing too much metal on normal cammed engines though...
anyway we'll see!

[rabbit]

when should i drop my head off? :lol: :lol:

[gazwad]

funny you should say that as i'll have a ported non-vvc head complete with piper/ptp cams for sale in a couple of months.... :wink:

[rabbit]

really? how much?

[gazwad]

so the front end re-build has now began! what started out as a few engine mods and suspension refresh has turned into a full on re-build of everything from the bulkhead forward :oops:
the engine and subframe are out and currently being stripped, i've got nearly all the parts i need now and hope to get it all done before the H2H run on the 26th april...
here's a list of what i'm doing:
Engine - fitting forged pistons & new bearings, fitting ported vvc head, clean paint and polish.
sunframe - tidy up brackets etc, sandblast and paint in OEW to match the body
suspension - strip, clean and repaint in either OEW or metalic red to match engine bay bits, all new bushes, bearings, balljoints (MGF bottom balljoints and polybushes in the wishbones).
Fit quick release catches to front end instead of bolts.
strip, clean and re-paint bulkhead, re-route wires & hoses and general tidy up.
fit rover 200 wiring plug to mini harness so the vvc engine loom just plugs in, move ecu etc to under dash.
ditch the remote servo and fit girling master cylinder.
plus loads of other little bits and pieces...
put it all back together!
wish me luck! :shock:

[matt]

Sounds good mate but we need pics :protest: .

[gazwad]

pics will follow soon!
subframe and a few bits are being sandblasted today and will be etch primed tonight. the bulkhead has been completely stripped of all bits and soundproofing as has the dash area, heater and the front half of the car wiring loom.
Next is cleaning and painting parts, welding up unused holes in the bulkhead and re-routing pipes, tubes and wires.
once all the cleaning/painting work is done and the subframe re-fitted, work on the engine will begin :D

[gazwad]

few pics of progress:
bulkhead stripped
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0147.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0150.jpg
bulkhead holes all welded up and fillered ready for sanding and paint:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0158.jpg
subframe painted:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0156.jpg
engine waiting to be stripped:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0148.jpg

[gazwad]

bulkhead finished:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSC00410.jpg
inner wings will clean up, the paint is still good under the dirt!

[ludsonline]

Looking good... :D

[ludsonline]

Looking good... :D

[gazwad]

most of the suspension parts have now been stripped, cleaned and painted. the engine has been stripped and 3 of the 4 omega pistons fitted as i discovered a broken ring on one of them, i've picked up a new one and will get it fitted soon, then finish the engine build. pics to follow...

[gazwad]

single tang rods, bushed for fully floating gudgion pins:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0172.jpg
bottom end built up, bomb proof!
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0173.jpg
suspension etc painted up:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0174.jpg

[matt]

Looking very nice and posh.
Where did u get your gudgion pins bushed mate as i also now have forged pistons?

[gazwad]

dave andrews (dva power) www.s262612653.websitehome.co.uk/
sorted the rods and also got the circlip grooves machined in the pistons for me, he also got the valve cut-outs enlarged incase i go to larger valves or wilder cams in the future.
it's not cheap but worth it to know its done properly 8)

[charlie_t]

suspension etc painted up:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0174.jpg
you tart :lol: looking good there gaz

[gazwad]

hehe yeah i know, but you should have seen what i was going to use - chrome paint! but it turned out to be softer than cheese :oops:

engine is now built with the new piston ring, just got cambelts to do and to fit the anciliaries etc:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0178.jpg

[charlie_t]

will it be ready for the next sywell meet?

[gazwad]

erm, not sure about the sywell meet. have some more pics anyway, engine ready to go back in (just need to finish the thing it needs to go back in to!):
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0198.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0193.jpg

[ludsonline]

Looking really good. Gonna be a shame to drive it and get it dirty...

[gazwad]

subframe back on the car, the engine is going in tonight! :D
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0207.jpg

[chrisg]

make sure you wash your hands first, be a shame to get that engine all dirty :wink:

looks lovley for the time being :D

[gazwad]

make sure you wash your hands first, be a shame to get that engine all dirty :wink:

looks lovley for the time being :D

he he yeah i've washed my hands and scrubbed my fingernails! :wink:
should stay fairly clean as it's not going to be used daily anymore just for fun, i wouldn't have bothered if it was going to get covered in salt and dirt all the time.
engine in! :D (cheers for the hand shaun) just gotta connect it up now.....
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0212.jpg

[matt]

Looks like a new engine and car. Keep the good work up.

p.s.
I have also painted my inlet white and black which i done a couple of weeks ago so i didn't copy you :wink:.

[gazwad]

Looks like a new engine and car. Keep the good work up.

p.s.
I have also painted my inlet white and black which i done a couple of weeks ago so i didn't copy you :wink:.

cheers mate, it hasn't come out very clear in the photos but the inlet is painted cream and the vvc bit is polished ally so it's different to yours anyway :wink: the polished bits add about 1 million horse power :twisted:

[D361 0VR]

Not a problem mate! Honestly it looks really nice. Well done mate!

[gazwad]

made some more progress, i'm not finishing stuff to the standard i intended now (cosmetically) as i'm running out of time and can't be arsed.
anyway, suspension rebuilt with new polybushes, mgf bottom balljoints, new top balljoints, new wheelbearings, new disks and pads etc etc:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0221.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0225.jpg
the car is now back on it's wheels which boosts morale!

[gazwad]

nearly there now! got the radiator mounted - had to make new mounts as the old ones bolted where the small vvc cambelt goes, the wiring is 99% done - one hole in the bulhead for the loom and 2 holes for the heater pipes. brake master (girling 0.65") is fitted and was a pain to fit! i had to modify the pushrod substantially by eventually got it working. manifold and exhaust is back on as is the alternator. only a few bits left to do and hopefully i can get it started up in the next day or two.
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0227.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0228.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0232.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0233.jpg

[gazwad]

tanks plumbing finished, pipes cabletied etc everthing connected up and filled up the fluids:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0239.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0240.jpg
just got to check fluid levels and give everything the once over then try and fire her up tonight :D i'm a bit nervous, if it doesn't run/goes bang then i won't be going on the H2H run on sunday and will have my work cut out to get it going for L2B so wish me luck!

[DarrenW]

Hope it all goes well for you, fingers crossed, looking good.

Best of luck :blowup: :wink:

[matt]

Looking super neat. You need a flip front now to show it off 8) .

[gazwad]

well it wouldn't start :( had spark and fuel so thought it might be cam timing so checked it, thought it was wrong so re-timed it to the wrong pully mark :oops: and then realised it was right before so it's not that. gonna pick up some new leads as they are old ones and get some more fuel as its nearly empty then try again...

[gazwad]

It runs! just needed some fresh fuel and the battery charging, going to put some new leads on anyway as they're a bit iffy. took it for a short test drive and everything seems fine, brakes are good with the new master cylinder and it pulls much smoother at low revs than my last engine, can't wait till it's run in and i can give it some! the LSD make the steering a little heavier but also makes it feel much more precise and stable even at low speeds.

only one problem which is it has a noisy follower but i'm hoping that will quieten down with a bit of running to get the oil hot and pressure up...

front end back on, few little bits to sort out eventually:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0242.jpg
looks like a car again! (needs a good clean though)
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0241.jpg

[charlie_t]

well done gaz, looks really good. What are you going to do with your time now? even a baby can't steady you up :lol:

[evolotion]

love the one wee lonely gromet in teh bulkhead :lol: looking super clean!

[gazwad]

well done gaz, looks really good. What are you going to do with your time now? even a baby can't steady you up :lol:
haha, yeah luckily the missus is very understanding but there is a limit....
anyway i've got my rover 25 to fix next (head gasket) then we're hopefully buying a house so i'll be kept busy :shock:

[gazwad]

love the one wee lonely gromet in teh bulkhead :lol: looking super clean!
cheers, i didn't want that gromet there but thats the only place the speedo cable could go because of the centre clock, still lookes much better than before. i just like things to be clean and tidy - makes it feel more 'reliable' and finished(even though theres no difference!).

[matt]

Hows this going GAZ, have you opened it up yet 8) . Come down to Avon on the 17th and see what shes got.

[gazwad]

well I went to the H2H run and it was fine apart from the noisey lifter and a small oil leak from one of the vvc mech gaskets so i still havent gone above 3k rpm. gonna try and replace the lifter and gasket next week then get some more miles on it.
i must say that the poly bushes and mgf lower balljoints are a big improvement, make the steering feel much sharper and more stable at speed and the engine feels vey torquey low down and a lot smoother - can't wait to give it a proper thashing :D
can't make it down to avon on the 17th as i'm on the club stand at L2B (provided the car doesn't have any other problems). would be nice to get a bit of practice before the showdown though

have some seaside pictures:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0247.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0245.jpg

[matt]

Looking super mate but you have some dirt on your rocker cover :lol: .

[gazwad]

ok so last night i decided to tackle the top end tapping which i thought was a faulty lifter. after removing the cam cover and checking the lifters i couldn't find anything wrong with them so started looking at the vvc cams and mechs and sure enough the cams have far too much rotational play and the shaft running through the outer cam driving the inner cam also twists so i think the bearing is toast.
not too much of a problem as i have a good set of cams and mechs in my spare head so can just swap them, but i also noticed there is a little wear in the cam carrier bearing face - not sure if it's enough to be a problem so i'm gonna chuck in the new mechs/cams and hope for the best...

[chrisg]

think this is the vvc 'knock of death' banded about the rover forums quite a bit. at least you have some spares :D good stuff 8)

[*franky*]

hi mate nice car looks the dogs. like the wiper motor cover is that costom made? thanks

[charlie_t]

looks like its a standard cover sprayed body colour franky

[gazwad]

yeah it's the standard cover sanded smooth and painted body colour.
it is what they call the 'knock of death', but it's not as dramatic as it sounds - just need to swap the mechs/cams over and it's fixed. once it's running with the new mechs i'll pull the old ones to bits and see whats broken/worn and if they are repairable - i think it is the bearings at fault so will see if i can source replacements, might also be useful for other people.

[gazwad]

got the replacement vvc mechs and cams fitted and there is now very minimal play in them so i'm happy with that. although a new problem has now come up, the vvc control shaft is now jamming up when the cam carrier is tightened down and it was fine when i removed it the other day so i can't undersand what has caused it to start jamming. i've tried re-torqing the carrier,pulled it apart again and fitted the spare control shaft wich improved it a little but it still isn't as free moving as it should be... it is fine until the carrier bolts are finally nipped up and it suddenly goes tight, the hcu rack is still ok though so i'm pretty sure it's the control shaft going tight in the bearing surfaces of the carrier/head.
the only thing different to before is the inlet cams/vvc mechs and i used a different sealant on the carrier, the carrier and head are as before... any ideas??

[gazwad]

stripped down the cam carrier to investigate the sticking cross shaft. found it was pinching up on the bearing surfaces but couldn't see why, carefully inspected everything and couldn't find any faults so i lapped in the cross shaft on the bearing surfaces using fine lapping paste a bit at a time until it moved freely then polished up the surfaces and re-built it. it all seems to move freely now so the vvc should be working, gonna take it for a test drive tonight to see how it runs.
just got to look at the cooling system now as i found the temp was creeping up in traffic on l2b which it didn't do before, maybe an airlock, or the engine may have been running hot due to the cam duration being stuck in one position....

[gazwad]

well i took the car out for a spin last night to 'test' the vvc was working and i gave it some beans! holy carp, it ain't just fast it's brown trouser time travelling fast :shock: i knew it would be quick but i didn't expect such a difference over the k16 1.8 engine (and that was tweaked!). it just wanted to keep revving, and the diff has made a huge difference - i can boot it in second and it just grips and pulls :P

cant wait to take it down the quarter at the showdown
vvc rules!

[matt]

:lol:

The flat power torque is unbeatable. You need to get in on a rolling road.
Try 3rd gear from 3000rpm its like a 400hp v8 pull 8) .

[gazwad]

You're right matt, the thing just pulls and pulls from low down then just pulls harder and harder when you expect it to start tailing off, it just keeps going to the limiter - it's so smooth! i love it, was well worth the hassle!
Just finding any excuse to drive it now...

[gazwad]

been trying to get the mot done this week, i say trying because on the first attempt they couldn't even start the mot as there was no vin plate so they need to see the v5 which i didn't have with me, the second attempt they couldn't get it on their ramps or on the rolling road (brake tester) as the car was too low 8) so i took it home and lited the front up. and finally took it back today and to my relief it passed - technically first time as the first 2 mots never even started and i didn't get a fail sheet!
he he

[gazwad]

did a little video clip the other day, testing my 'tripod mount' ready for the showdown, reduced the quality a bit to make it quicker to download but you get the idea, think it came out ok:
[URL=http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/?action=view&current=vvcminitestclip.flv[/URL]

[ludsonline]

Is that a rev counter in the middle??? :D

The acceleration makes it look like one...;)

[Muffyvaux]

just realized your a northamptoner.
stunning looking car, i'll be really embarrassed to park my car next to yours in a supermarket. great video looks quick

[gazwad]

cheers, i'm afraid it's a 10 footer now though! for some reason the paint has lifted in a few places (was only painted 2 years ago:() so will be resprayed soon - maybe this winter.
didn't realise you're in northampton too! do you know bob at the mini hospital? we all go to shows etc together as a sort of unnoficial mini group, theres 2 vtec minis and 2 k series with more k series being built so the vauxhalls need representing! our group is on yourface/facetube/whatever-
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=30832671503

[Muffyvaux]

I dont know bob personally. but i had a chat with him ages ago when his car was 2 litre 8v - haven't seen it as a vtec yet.
I was talking to the mini bitz lads and they know some people with k series.
I'll join the group, will be a nice mixture of hybrids. (got to finish it first)

[gazwad]

yeah it's a good group. the lads at mini bitz are probably talking about mine and shaun's cars - they know them and are the only running k series ones in the area that i know of (although i know of at least 4 others being built!)

[gazwad]

Had i couple of small problems with the car, firstly the brakes jammed on- the girling master cylinder needs the rod shortening a bit more to allow the plunger to fully return. my brakes have been dragging since i fitted it (and that includes running at the showdown!).
secondly the sunroof is really annoying me and has to go and the easiest/cheapest/quickest option is a carbon roof so i've ordered one up. not sure if i'll paint it or leave it, the car is being painted in the winter so will see if i like it first.
few other bits and bobs to sort out, i'll update with photo's when i've made some progress.

just thought i'd post up this clip from the showdown, it's me vs my mate's tweaked 1.8 vtec running dta and lsd box. yes i did beat him! Managed a 14.3 @ 96mph.

[URL=http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/?action=view&current=bobvtecvsgarryvvcshowdown.flv[/URL]

[MarcE30]

14.3 with the brakes on, not bad going! :)

Might have to go the VVC route

[matt]

Looking good mate. That B18 got beat by 2 VVC minis then ;)

:kseries:

You have to love that sign :lol:

[gazwad]

got the brake problem sorted, shortened the master cyliner pushrod some more (luckily i made it adjustable) and i can now push the caliper pistons back as the master plunger fully releases. didn't notice this when i first fitted it as there was no fluid in the lines...
replaced the pads and the old ones (only a few weeks old) looked like polished metal! will bleed the brakes as i think the fluid might have got a bit hot.
Also fitted/made new indicator stalks as the old ones looked a bit 'home-made'. pics will follow when i've finished the steering column brace.

[gazwad]

tracked the clunking noise down to the torsen diff, it appears the gears in the diff are worn and it's not repairable so i'm hoping to but a new one. just gonna run the car as it is at the pod on sunday and if it blows up at least its not too long walk home! getting a bit pee'd off with the mini at the minute, just seems to be one thing after another...

[Oz]

getting a bit pee'd off with the mini at the minute, just seems to be one thing after another...

I think each and everyone on here has felt like that from time to time mate :)

[garyshoose]

Agreed :-?

[gazwad]

well i feel a bit better about it now, i sold my piper cams and used the cash to buy a brand new torsen diff:D was a bargain but still lots of money:(

[Oz]

i sold my piper cams and used the cash to buy a brand new torsen diff:D

:beer:

atta-boy !! :cool:

[Quadra]

getting a bit pee'd off with the mini at the minute, just seems to be one thing after another...


Don't know if youve seen it or not but your car is in Mini World this month, unfortunately the caption says its a Honda engined car! Don't you just love the journalists at Mini world.

[gazwad]

ha ha yeah i've seen it, i'm pretty sure the guy who took the photo and did the write up was the same guy who did the original feature on my car as well!
...it's not an a series so it must be a honda.....

[baker_boy]

progess is great on this mate, but as you said with minis theres always something to do!

[ludsonline]

ha ha yeah i've seen it, i'm pretty sure the guy who took the photo and did the write up was the same guy who did the original feature on my car as well!
...it's not an a series so it must be a honda.....

Unless you've turned to the dark side???

http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/upload/2009/07/weekend_diversion_i_am_alterin/darth-vader.jpg

[gazwad]

small update, i've had the gearbox out, stripped it, put in new torsen diff, put it back in, test drove and no 5th gear! doh. gearbox back out, re-alighn 5th gear syncro, gearbox back in and all is well! I still have the same light knocking noise when going slowly over rough roads but this has ruled out the gearbox - i bought a brand new torsen diff for no reason (if anyone wants a torsen diff i might have one for sale/swaps!). doh. the noise is either the driveshafts or the gaz coilovers- i never heard of anyone having problems with the gaz ones though???
also fitted some lovely bargain walnut door cappings... mmm nice!

[PoLonY]

lovely car man!!!

the light knocking on roughish roads is usually suspension bush related...not sure if that applies here...

[gazwad]

cheers, i've replaced all bushes so dont think it's that, it could be the upper arms though - will have to check them.
Picked up the carbon roof panel on sunday - very plaesed with it, he's done a new mould and this is the first one out of it and it came out very good! Started to strip sunroof etc out and take the paint of the roof ready for fitting.

[charlie_t]

Picked up the carbon roof panel on sunday.
where from mate? you at stanford on sunday?

[gazwad]

the roof was from tdk racing, he's just made a new mould and mine was the first out! i'm pretty pleased as its about the cheapest and the quality is pretty good now. there is a join in the fabric but it is now across the car transversely so is less noiticable from the front or back. yeah i'll be at stanford hall, will be on the mini hospital stand in fancy dress!
i'll get some pics of the roof up soon.

[charlie_t]

yours looked good there today gaz, I think its has convinced me to get one too

[gazwad]

finally got round to sorting out the photos of the roof:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0035-1.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0114.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0100.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0033.jpg
tried a new airbox (carbon open ended thingy) and a 56mm throttle body but i lost a little power and didn't like the way it drove so put the standard one back on.
Also blew a radiator hose so i've got some silicone ones on the way, in the meantime i made a steering brace as the column would shake a bit on big bumps due to it being longer and mounting differently, just need to move the rev counter to sit on top:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0112.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z148/gazwad/DSCF0113.jpg