My mini wont idle for long, it likes to have the choke out a little.
I have the idle set quite high but then after a while it just wants to die.
I was just reading a post where I think JAM said he had experienced little power
down low while taking off when mixture was too lean.

Would this be causing my problem or something else?

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im just gonna take a guess.

but u could have a couple problems.

the idle but isnt set right. needs more revs at idle.
and ur mixture sounds like its too week

maybe try this:

turn the idle slightly clockwise. so the engine runs with out choke

then

looking down into the engine bay, turn the jet adjusting nut (hope u know where that is) clock wise, till it starts to run a lil nicer. lift the pin (under the dashpot thing..should have a spring type button) about 5mm. if the engine dies, keep turning the nut clock wise...if the revs just keep going up, then u need to turn the nut anti clock wise.

...just have a play. then get back to us.

OR wait for someone who can give you a better technique..lol

goodluck

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1978 Leyland clubman S.
998cc

is it fouling the plugs at idle?? mine is doing that atm... will idle, then when it
starts to get grumpy it just slowly dies out cos the plugs get fouled...

im just sticking on a diff carby lol

maybe you just need to drive harder..

my mechanic told me to do so.
he also put "hotter" plugs in..doesnt foul anymore.

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1978 Leyland clubman S.
998cc

K-Bar,
Thanks, I understand what you're saying, will give it a go later and get back to you.

czerial,
I too recently fitted a carby cause mine was leaking air through the throttle linkage. I set up the mixture back then (by the manual), but it's been sitting around and I've been messing around with other things lately which may have fowled the plugs so I'll check them.
Thanks for the guidance.

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yeah i drive him hard atm and have hot plugs in there also.. there
is just TOOOO much fuel going through.. so a needle change and reco is in order
i say......

I wish I could just drive it (hard or not), but this mini is unregistered.
I'm trying to get it on the road and this is just one problem on the to-do list.
I'm trying to do as much of the work myself.

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If you think the idle screw is set right, and it wont idle unless the choke is out, tells me that the jets are lean. Try turning the mixture screw down, but only do it in very small increments, something like 1/2 or 1 flat on the nut at a time.

If you take the dashpot off and pull the piston out, how high or low is the jet sitting?

damnit. poeee again

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Introducing 'LITE'. The new way to spell 'light' with 20% less letters!

I don't know my name anymore.

tell me to shut up if this is stupid,
but could the engine not be gettin enough fuel??

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Nigel Morton/ Team Brickworx
never late in a 998

Sorry guys,
I got busy today and it's too late to try out the advice received, I will have a go in the morning.

Adeee/Poeee,
Please explain - how high the jet is sitting in relation to what?
Oh, I think I understand, I'll measure that too.

This is what I did originally as guided by an Ausmini Thread:

I turned the mixture screw fully lean (up against the spring)

Then I dropped the jet 2 full turns.

Then pushing the lifting pin no more than 1/16 of an inch (is this critical?)

If the exhaust note rises and stays high till you drop the piston, this carburetor is adjusted too rich. Turn the mixture nut one flat (one-sixth of a turn) up, moving the jet toward the bridge

If the exhaust note falls and the car sounds as though it is going to stall, this carburetor is adjusted too lean. Turn the mixture nut one flat (one-sixth of a turn) down, moving the jet away from the bridge

If the exhaust note rises briefly and then settles back down to something like the original RPM level, this carburetor is set correctly.

Does this info sound correct to you guys?

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yeh that sounds right.

to move the jet down, u turn anti clockwise. this weakens the mixture.

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1978 Leyland clubman S.
998cc

Ok I got it to idle without the choke, but it required turning up the idle screw with some major RPM's. I then turned the jet clockwise which caused more RPM's so I backed off the idle screw. I did this until it stopped trying to die when I backed off the idle screw to a normal idling speed.

Now, when I press the piston lift pin about half way up (about 5mm) the engine doesn't change. If I push it right up the motor starts to die, so does this mean it still needs a richer mix?

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Does it have a vacumn leak If I remember from a while ago I had similar problems with my clubby because th PO had hooked manifold vacumn up to the engine breather without a PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve and so under idle it was getting far more air than it should have causing it to lean out hence you need the choke when it wasn't idling the problem went away (from memory) because the suction in the manifold wasn't so great.

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Roads need more corners
A Deluxe(CG13DE), 2 Clubbies(998 and 1275) and 2 Morris 1100Ss

I don't know if it has a vacuum leak, how do I check for one?
Are mini's meant to idle smoothly, the exhaust seems to pop and fart a bit.
It seems to be running a lot better though.

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I think you can run water over the manifold and look for bubbles etc. or some people say spray WD40 or CRC at it and listen for the revs rising.

They should idle smoothly.

I always say this but have you checked the timing is correct is the dizzy behaving accurately (ie it sits on about the same timing mark and doesn't fluctuate)

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Roads need more corners
A Deluxe(CG13DE), 2 Clubbies(998 and 1275) and 2 Morris 1100Ss