My Very Cheap Mini One D Dooer Upper...
Discussion
Evening 
Sorry for the delay. It's been a busy week so had no time to work on the Mini. However this afternoon once I'd watched the MotoGP I decided to head back out there for a bit.
Today was the day that I was going to try and get the car started. As far as I could see I had reconnected everything to get the engine to start, however I wanted to fit the replacement steering wheel and airbag resistors before reconnecting the battery. It would be one less light to have to turn off if I had the resistors fitted. So I got my steering wheel boss out of the box and straight away found a problem (surprise surprise!). This boss wasn't meant for a car with an airbag which meant it was missing a hole in the back for the steering angle sensor to clip into! Determined not to be defeated by silly little problems today I got the tip ex out and coated the steering angle sensor locating plug. I then offered up the boss so the tip ex made a mark. With my fingers crossed that the mark was in the right place I got the drill out and drilled a hole through the shiny new boss! Nervously I pushed it back onto the column spline.... My plan had worked! The hole was in the right place Next I fitted the airbag resistors and secured them down with cable ties and black tape and then tucked the two plugs back inside the boss. I sorted out the horn wiring and then was just about ready to fit the wheel.
Now originally I had bought a nice Nardi wheel for the Mini. I got it out of the box and offered it up to the boss. It didn't look right at all! Thankfully I had a backup wheel to try. About six months ago I had a knackered set of Weber 40's for sale and ended up swapping them for a brand new Momo Team wheel. I got it out of the box and offered that up and really liked it. Problem solved Just need to get a horn button for it (not a priority right now!)
Now the next step was to see if the car would start. I wanted to get that bit out of the way before refitting the drive shafts, brakes etc and doing everything up tight. The way my luck goes I'd get all that done and then the engine would need to come out again hehe. Anyway, I fitted the battery and for the first time in almost a year the interior lights flickered on I clicked the key a couple of times and the doors locked and unlocked! That's a good sign. I got in, put the key in the ignition and turned it. The dash lit up and I heard the fuel pump prime. Another good sign! I turned the key again and..........
Nothing! No clicks, no sparks, no nothing! My heart sank and my mind started running through everything I had done to try and remember if I hadn't plugged something in. Suddenly I remembered an extra wire that I had unplugged when removing the engine.
The long red wire in that picture was plugged into the starter motor and routed back into the car and then vanished. When I replaced the engine loom I removed that wire as I was replacing the original wire that it had replaced (I think that sentence makes sense!). I needed to find the other end of it and that would probably be where my problem was. I removed the steering cowl and lower dash panel and low and behold there was the red wire.
That was after I had cut through it. Basically when a mouse/rat had chewed through the starter wire, rather than rewiring the plug someone cut through the ignition trigger wire behind the ignition switch and ran this new wire (seemed like rewiring the plug would of been much easier!). I cut and removed the red wire and reconnected the original.
Ok, so with that done it was time to try and start the car again. Key, back in the ignition and turned. Everything came on again and once again the fuel pump primed. Here goes nothing.
https://vimeo.com/182311103
Sorry for the delay. It's been a busy week so had no time to work on the Mini. However this afternoon once I'd watched the MotoGP I decided to head back out there for a bit.
Today was the day that I was going to try and get the car started. As far as I could see I had reconnected everything to get the engine to start, however I wanted to fit the replacement steering wheel and airbag resistors before reconnecting the battery. It would be one less light to have to turn off if I had the resistors fitted. So I got my steering wheel boss out of the box and straight away found a problem (surprise surprise!). This boss wasn't meant for a car with an airbag which meant it was missing a hole in the back for the steering angle sensor to clip into! Determined not to be defeated by silly little problems today I got the tip ex out and coated the steering angle sensor locating plug. I then offered up the boss so the tip ex made a mark. With my fingers crossed that the mark was in the right place I got the drill out and drilled a hole through the shiny new boss! Nervously I pushed it back onto the column spline.... My plan had worked! The hole was in the right place
Next I fitted the airbag resistors and secured them down with cable ties and black tape and then tucked the two plugs back inside the boss. I sorted out the horn wiring and then was just about ready to fit the wheel.
Now originally I had bought a nice Nardi wheel for the Mini. I got it out of the box and offered it up to the boss. It didn't look right at all! Thankfully I had a backup wheel to try. About six months ago I had a knackered set of Weber 40's for sale and ended up swapping them for a brand new Momo Team wheel. I got it out of the box and offered that up and really liked it. Problem solved
Just need to get a horn button for it (not a priority right now!)
Now the next step was to see if the car would start. I wanted to get that bit out of the way before refitting the drive shafts, brakes etc and doing everything up tight. The way my luck goes I'd get all that done and then the engine would need to come out again hehe. Anyway, I fitted the battery and for the first time in almost a year the interior lights flickered on
I clicked the key a couple of times and the doors locked and unlocked! That's a good sign. I got in, put the key in the ignition and turned it. The dash lit up and I heard the fuel pump prime. Another good sign! I turned the key again and..........Nothing! No clicks, no sparks, no nothing! My heart sank and my mind started running through everything I had done to try and remember if I hadn't plugged something in. Suddenly I remembered an extra wire that I had unplugged when removing the engine.
The long red wire in that picture was plugged into the starter motor and routed back into the car and then vanished. When I replaced the engine loom I removed that wire as I was replacing the original wire that it had replaced (I think that sentence makes sense!). I needed to find the other end of it and that would probably be where my problem was. I removed the steering cowl and lower dash panel and low and behold there was the red wire.
That was after I had cut through it. Basically when a mouse/rat had chewed through the starter wire, rather than rewiring the plug someone cut through the ignition trigger wire behind the ignition switch and ran this new wire (seemed like rewiring the plug would of been much easier!). I cut and removed the red wire and reconnected the original.
Ok, so with that done it was time to try and start the car again. Key, back in the ignition and turned. Everything came on again and once again the fuel pump primed. Here goes nothing.
https://vimeo.com/182311103
Edited by Sammo123 on Sunday 11th September 21:38
Sorry for the link but I have no idea how to embed the video!
So, it started! I'm as amazed as all of you that it actually started! I was expecting a bit of half hearted turning over and that was it! It seemed to rev quite nicely but annoyingly it still had a lumpy idle. That's been there since the car was on about 80,000 miles and not a single garage has been able to figure out why it's like that. Once the car is driving I'll look into it and see if I can figure it out.
Anyway now that that was out of the way I decided to fit my new gear gaiter and knob (something nice and simple of finish the day off).
While I still had the lower dash panel off I thought I may as well remove the aged handsfree kit that was nestled behind there and remove the standard radio while I was at it. I've got a nice Alpine unit to go in eventually so it was coming out eventually anyway.
Just as I was packing up I suddenly remembered that the tailgate release wiring had been chewed through and seeing as I was leaving the battery connected I would need to close the tailgate. I rewired the plugs for the tailgate release and there was something else I could tick off the list As I had cleared the boot I figured I may as well fit the new (unchewed) boot trims and carpet. I forgot to take a picture but it's another step close to looking complete
That's it for today. The next update should be the fitting of driveshafts and brakes etc. It's almost there!
So, it started! I'm as amazed as all of you that it actually started! I was expecting a bit of half hearted turning over and that was it! It seemed to rev quite nicely but annoyingly it still had a lumpy idle. That's been there since the car was on about 80,000 miles and not a single garage has been able to figure out why it's like that. Once the car is driving I'll look into it and see if I can figure it out.
Anyway now that that was out of the way I decided to fit my new gear gaiter and knob (something nice and simple of finish the day off).
While I still had the lower dash panel off I thought I may as well remove the aged handsfree kit that was nestled behind there and remove the standard radio while I was at it. I've got a nice Alpine unit to go in eventually so it was coming out eventually anyway.
Just as I was packing up I suddenly remembered that the tailgate release wiring had been chewed through and seeing as I was leaving the battery connected I would need to close the tailgate. I rewired the plugs for the tailgate release and there was something else I could tick off the list
As I had cleared the boot I figured I may as well fit the new (unchewed) boot trims and carpet. I forgot to take a picture but it's another step close to looking complete That's it for today. The next update should be the fitting of driveshafts and brakes etc. It's almost there!
I managed to get another hour on the car this afternoon. I decided today was driveshaft day. I've been putting this day off because I absolutely hate CV grease, but seeing as I couldn't really go much further without the driveshafts being in then today was that day 
Annoyingly I forgot to take a before pic of the driveshafts but needless to say they were disgusting. Covered in oil and grease and all sorts. Anyway, I stripped the old joint and gaiters from the N/S shaft and gave it a good going over with the degreaser, which left me with this.
I then got on with fitting the new joint (if you remember from the beginning of the thread, I destroyed this joint when the hub nut wouldn't come undone!) and gaiters. The finished product looked satisfyingly clean and tidy.
Now the O/S shaft comes in 2 bits so I started off with the main part that goes into the gearbox. I gave it a damn good clean up and then shuffled under the car and refitted it. It was annoyingly easy to fit compared to the absolute nightmare I had removing it.
Once that was done I sat back down to clean up the outer part of the shaft, only to realise I'd run out of degreaser and forgotten to buy a replacement outer CV gaiter! I'll order one tomorrow and get it fitted one evening next week. I decided that I'd had enough of the driveshafts by then so decided on a nice clean job instead. Replacing the interior lights with LEDs. Again, I forgot to take any pictures but they definitely look much better than the regular bulbs.
Annoyingly I forgot to take a before pic of the driveshafts but needless to say they were disgusting. Covered in oil and grease and all sorts. Anyway, I stripped the old joint and gaiters from the N/S shaft and gave it a good going over with the degreaser, which left me with this.
I then got on with fitting the new joint (if you remember from the beginning of the thread, I destroyed this joint when the hub nut wouldn't come undone!) and gaiters. The finished product looked satisfyingly clean and tidy.
Now the O/S shaft comes in 2 bits so I started off with the main part that goes into the gearbox. I gave it a damn good clean up and then shuffled under the car and refitted it. It was annoyingly easy to fit compared to the absolute nightmare I had removing it.
Once that was done I sat back down to clean up the outer part of the shaft, only to realise I'd run out of degreaser and forgotten to buy a replacement outer CV gaiter! I'll order one tomorrow and get it fitted one evening next week. I decided that I'd had enough of the driveshafts by then so decided on a nice clean job instead. Replacing the interior lights with LEDs. Again, I forgot to take any pictures but they definitely look much better than the regular bulbs.
Another update!
I took a half day today to try and get this finished and back on the floor. I started off cleaning up and rebuilding the O/S driveshaft and then fitted them both. I tightened up all the ball joints and track rod ends while I was there and then fitted the shiny new discs & pads and refitted the brake calipers, new brake hoses, new ABS sensors and brake pad wear sensors. I also refitted the arch liners which seemed to finish that bit off nicely
Once all that was back together I refilled the gearbox with oil, filled the cooling system and filled up the PAS reservoir. Then it was time to refit the front bumper (finally!). All of a sudden it actually looked like a car again!
Now, at this point I decided to bleed the PAS system (I probably should of done this a few steps before this!). I started the engine and started turning the steering left to right and back again. As the system sucked up the fluid I kept it topped up and kept turning the steering. My heart started to sink as the steering was doing exactly what it did when I bought the car, kicking in and out as I turned the wheel I checked the fluid was definitely topped up and that it wasn't leaking anywhere, which it was and wasn't! I now have no idea what to do! I just want to burn the thing! There is absolutely zero chance of me taking it apart again so I really have no idea what to do now...
I took a half day today to try and get this finished and back on the floor. I started off cleaning up and rebuilding the O/S driveshaft and then fitted them both. I tightened up all the ball joints and track rod ends while I was there and then fitted the shiny new discs & pads and refitted the brake calipers, new brake hoses, new ABS sensors and brake pad wear sensors. I also refitted the arch liners which seemed to finish that bit off nicely
Once all that was back together I refilled the gearbox with oil, filled the cooling system and filled up the PAS reservoir. Then it was time to refit the front bumper (finally!). All of a sudden it actually looked like a car again!
Now, at this point I decided to bleed the PAS system (I probably should of done this a few steps before this!). I started the engine and started turning the steering left to right and back again. As the system sucked up the fluid I kept it topped up and kept turning the steering. My heart started to sink as the steering was doing exactly what it did when I bought the car, kicking in and out as I turned the wheel
I checked the fluid was definitely topped up and that it wasn't leaking anywhere, which it was and wasn't! I now have no idea what to do! I just want to burn the thing! There is absolutely zero chance of me taking it apart again so I really have no idea what to do now...
http://www.bmwccgbforum.co.uk/power-steering-inter...
I had this exact problem with a customers Civic type r. Have not read the thread properly have you been for a spin yet?
I had this exact problem with a customers Civic type r. Have not read the thread properly have you been for a spin yet?
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