Not so much a technical query, but if it helps someone....
So at the dyno day I had an issue with a non sealing needle & seat. Opened and cleaned it and tried again but results showed an overly rich setup.
The car ran like a pig. We tried to fiddle a little but no joy.
From the start I knew I had an inappropriate, badly modified needle. One of the advantages of attending stuff like this is that Dez of Dez’s Minis told me he had a BDL in stock, which is what I wanted to buy from England, but the whole small item/postoffice disfuntionality/exchange rate issues just meant it never happened. So I limped home and left it, meaning to get the needle, clean the carb properly, and start again.
After disassembling and cleaning thoroughly, new needle, new fuel filter, my high hopes were dashed. Terrible battle to start, rough and missing, just like before. I read Dez Hamill’s SU book again – multiple times, read the SU manual again – multiple times. Re-set the jet height, fiddled with the mixture settings – multiple times.
It would idle nicely, but nothing else.
Fiddled with the timing, re-set the jet height fiddled with the mixture settings – multiple times. Checked the compression. No joy.
My timing light wouldn’t work properly all the time, but since it’s as old as the car, and when I would press the button again it would work, this didn’t raise a flag at the time. I took out the plugs and connected them one by one to my classic bike. Clear sparks.
Tried the whole process again, and again. You have to understand it was 6-7 hours after starting the exercise. One of the plugs would always show sootyness, but not always the same one.
Eventually went to sleep and woke up on Sunday morning with the bright idea it must be the HT leads. Got a set (R120 school fees) & put them on – no joy, same problems. Checked the rotor and cap.
The blue Echlin rotor had cut a groove in two of the posts and was touching another in the Echlin cap. Filed down the rotor corners which I could see had been touching, but replaced the rotor and cap with the originals. Researched the gap issue - doesn't seem to be that important.
Still no joy after resetting timing, jet etc. etc. again - multiple times.
Most of Sunday gone and running out of petrol, so I decided to pop up the road and get some.
Ran out about 200m from the gate.
Pushed it back, got a can, bought some petrol, and limped it back up the hilly driveway , into the garage and left it. I was to say the least GATVOL.
During the week I started doubting the Accuspark unit, but its electronic, so it either works or not? Thought about a sticky valve after thrashing it on the dyno, and that was the next weekend’s start point.
Saturday, a week later, on my wife’s insistence, I went and bought four new plugs (R95).
Hallelujah! – easy start, adjustment of the jet actually affects things, changing the timing affects things – everything works as it should.
FFS!!!
It now starts first turn, the needle is much better in mid range, noticeably more torque, and much more driveable. Top end still 147 true speed so the power is still similar, but at least it’s working.
Dealing with the wife, and the bruised ego, is now the only issue!
So at the dyno day I had an issue with a non sealing needle & seat. Opened and cleaned it and tried again but results showed an overly rich setup.
The car ran like a pig. We tried to fiddle a little but no joy.
From the start I knew I had an inappropriate, badly modified needle. One of the advantages of attending stuff like this is that Dez of Dez’s Minis told me he had a BDL in stock, which is what I wanted to buy from England, but the whole small item/postoffice disfuntionality/exchange rate issues just meant it never happened. So I limped home and left it, meaning to get the needle, clean the carb properly, and start again.
After disassembling and cleaning thoroughly, new needle, new fuel filter, my high hopes were dashed. Terrible battle to start, rough and missing, just like before. I read Dez Hamill’s SU book again – multiple times, read the SU manual again – multiple times. Re-set the jet height, fiddled with the mixture settings – multiple times.
It would idle nicely, but nothing else.
Fiddled with the timing, re-set the jet height fiddled with the mixture settings – multiple times. Checked the compression. No joy.
My timing light wouldn’t work properly all the time, but since it’s as old as the car, and when I would press the button again it would work, this didn’t raise a flag at the time. I took out the plugs and connected them one by one to my classic bike. Clear sparks.
Tried the whole process again, and again. You have to understand it was 6-7 hours after starting the exercise. One of the plugs would always show sootyness, but not always the same one.
Eventually went to sleep and woke up on Sunday morning with the bright idea it must be the HT leads. Got a set (R120 school fees) & put them on – no joy, same problems. Checked the rotor and cap.
The blue Echlin rotor had cut a groove in two of the posts and was touching another in the Echlin cap. Filed down the rotor corners which I could see had been touching, but replaced the rotor and cap with the originals. Researched the gap issue - doesn't seem to be that important.
Still no joy after resetting timing, jet etc. etc. again - multiple times.
Most of Sunday gone and running out of petrol, so I decided to pop up the road and get some.
Ran out about 200m from the gate.
Pushed it back, got a can, bought some petrol, and limped it back up the hilly driveway , into the garage and left it. I was to say the least GATVOL.
During the week I started doubting the Accuspark unit, but its electronic, so it either works or not? Thought about a sticky valve after thrashing it on the dyno, and that was the next weekend’s start point.
Saturday, a week later, on my wife’s insistence, I went and bought four new plugs (R95).
Hallelujah! – easy start, adjustment of the jet actually affects things, changing the timing affects things – everything works as it should.
FFS!!!
It now starts first turn, the needle is much better in mid range, noticeably more torque, and much more driveable. Top end still 147 true speed so the power is still similar, but at least it’s working.
Dealing with the wife, and the bruised ego, is now the only issue!
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