Quite
Okkher yep
So yesterday i drove it in to mechanic, today he calls me on the phone,
Hello, Mr. Mini owner your mini is buggered mate.
Here i find the sad old thing alone, and waited to become learned of the situation and possible grappling required to 'fix' the beast, in the best ways
Well
There was the blown head gasket as visible,
even though there were no apparent symptoms of to suggest so, apart from the crazy water loss.
some other silly pictures, the Valve tops were 'spongy' as im sure you all know how they go?, but i didnt even know what a valve was before then, so i learned a lot.
There was a fair amount of carbon build up around the place too, in the cylinders and such as well.
BUT the options presented were.
1. Plonk the entire thing back on as is.
The bloke suggested a possible life span on it if this was done, but its so unpredictable as you can understand, but 5,000-10,000 kays was the best guess that i could be given if it just left as is. BUT it could be as low as 1,000 or could also blow out to 20,000 kays, or anything, its just too unknown.
2. Get the head done up.
This would include new valve umm, something? 'tops'? i think? Well theyd be able to run straight unleaded, whatever the repairing here did. Also the other valves, exhaust valves? i think? theyd be resurfaced or whatever needed doing. The head gasket would be more ontop of that., But the head would be 'perfect' if this happened.
BUT as you would all know, and i was educated on, If i was to do this (2), ovbiously it would put crazy strain on the oil rings and so on, and it was already in not flash condition, so the mechanic said it was a bit of a hard decision to know if it was worth doing 2, cause it would only lead to more problems. Yet this head work was told to be about 380 bucks, plus the gasket price plus labour.
Therefore,
option
3. Completely rebuild/overhaul? the engine.
i got told the complete details on this, New pistons, whatever rings, camshaft, oil pump, re-bore, have a cranksaft grind or something, i dont even really know well what the bits are, but it was a complete do over, so undoubtably ive missed items,
But this guy was in Launceston, a pretty well known mini guy, averages a rebuild a month.
But he said once it has the rebuild, they are a very good 'problem' free car, Number 3 also included all the head work, and i could fit a possible clutch that ive enquired to Karcraft about for free.
But the Engine rebuild cost would be around the $2,000 mark, yet it could rise or decrease, but mostly rise i think.
Its a very hard choice to make actually, what am i supposed to do??
Is it worth spending at least 2 grand on the car that isnt even worth that much when it is done up, yet it means so much more to me than that!
So its not really about monetary value of the car. I made a recent pictorial post about the bad body area of the mini, i just wouldnt want all that to flare up if i went ahead with this engine rebuild, then have a rust bucket with a perfect engine, wouldnt make sense really.
Yet, it seems rather funny though, and maybe its a sign that i should get it rebuilded, on the weekend i ordered a new camera, Fuji S9500, worth a grand in the shops, online
for under 800 delivered, it was risky, but i was going to do it, just for some randomness.
It seems that the email i got last night from the camera shop people, was a blessing in disguise.
They dont have any in stock, and they can cancel my order, or wait 1-2-3 weeks until they can deliver one to me.
Maybe this was meant to be? Cause i wanted that camera, but so convenient that on this particular day, they were out of stock, and ive saved myself $800 there, cause ive got a perfectly 'good' camera.
Its a pretty good sign there alone i think.
money saved = money = engine rebuild
Want another sign!!
here go ?
Well all the weather has been a real bastard lately, raining, and there isnt much outside work to do on the farm, So the casual workers have been told not to come for now.
I got such a surprise when i didnt get told not to come to work, cause for the last 11 months, im sure i was casual.
Turns out last friday, i was indirectly informed that i was infact a 'full-time' worker, not casual. Therefore, i have been going to work, and just stuffing around cleaning years of accumulated mess in a shed.
But im at work and im getting paid for it.
If i was casual, which i was sure i was, then id be having a sleeping in everday for the last 3 work days, and the next 2-3 aswell.
How random?
Work = money = engine rebuild
All the sings seem to point that i 'can' or should get it done?
actually, i 'love' my mini, its done so much for me
, and it has been such a little monster for me, i cant just go abandoning it when it needs help the most.
I wasnt really going to sell it back 4-5 months ago, i could never have typed out the 'for sale' page, its way too tuff for that
so
i am maybe almost possible quite sure that i will go ahead with the rebuild, then have a brand new mechanical fit mini, cause the brakes were recently done, the joints are fine, ill get a clutch done too, and then there may be no more problems, apart from some little visual unappealing items.
I was not given any time frame on the possible completion date of anything if i said YES now, but how long should a rebuld take? Amd id get a complete list of things that they would definately do if i was to have a rebuild, as im sure each mechanic may vary a bit.
Anyways
YIPPEE!
Tell me wheather the 2 grand for this rebuild and head work is reasonable.
Or should i just plonk a decent 1275 in?
But how would i know it were decent? Would a new 1100 (+ whatever its bored to) Be better value than it?
Or i could try to flog it off for 500 bucks
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
That'll teach 'em
as i finish this now, i recall what i meant to say, Valve seats, i meant but cant be bothered finding where i shold have said it, But Seats was the word i wanted
i must admit that was quite a silly story even by my standards
but thats what happens
