If only ! Can’t remember if I made it clear but I agree you should let the brake adjuster right off. On my mini the drums are then easy to take off, on the MGB they still need levering off, never understood why exactly

No, it’s almost a help. You can gently bend the grilled plate to get more access - but only a little or you won’t get it straight again afterwards

@mikesmotormechanics8602 I did both the other day the radiator side is so much easier.

Hi, thanks. Sorry to not give a clear answer but it depends. The fixing arrangement evolved so there are different sizes and types. As far as I am aware they are all within a normal, good socket set range though.

If struggling then drill a small pilot hole and put a screw in it, this will allow you to pull it out with pliers. You won’t lose much oil if you do it whilst full because you are not moving the selector, but plan it in with an oil change and none at all. 😄

I started with one but the added the second when I was still getting some windup. With two it is lovely and smooth both on acceleration and braking. I would strongly recommend fitting both.

@@mikesmotormechanics8602 Thank you very much for your reply :).

Both ! You will find that it takes about 2.5 litres normally because you don’t get it all out, especially the oil cooler. If you do regular changes not a problem. If you have a dry engine then you are on the higher number. Hope that is clearer

Enjoy the clatter free motoring. You'll know its time to redo them as the noise comes back ;-)

Castrol website is.more than wrong. Do never use any other viscosity different to 20w50 and Mineral in a manual Mini or you will ruin your gearbox.

Hi, search for a Fumoto valve in your home country and you should find a choice of suppliers

Not a problem I have had. Are you on the single large bolt or the two smaller bolts. In either case I can only guess it is an alignment issue. You have moved the subframe very slightly in relation to the chassis so as you pass the bolt through the chassis it is not quite matching the thread. Two people, one jiggling the subframe and one threading the bolt, will eventually overcome this but it is hit and miss. You can check the alignment with a smaller rod into the hole and see if it is off centre. Best of luck.

If it is the cone thread that has gone you are in luck, but you need a new compressor. Are you certain the cone has a metric captive nut ? The imperial size is similar and feels tight if you try to start it off with a metric tool. I would get the double tool with imperial as it sounds like an old cone on that side.

@@mikesmotormechanics8602 It is an M14 thread (M10 was a mistype). I bought a piece of threaded rod today, used an angle grinder to create 4 grooves at the end - similar (well at least the idea) to a thread cutter. Then by slowly winding forth and back I cut a new thread into the cone. Using a piece of m14 threaded rod with a solid piece of metal tube as compressor as compressor works quite well. Next time I will add two nuts about 15mm from the end. The way the rod does not extrude to far and interferes with the HiLo

@@timbosinius3653 excellent solution, well done

Hi, you should have taken off the big nut and be driving that end through. You can get a drift or something else on to tap that end to knock it through enough to twist the arm around to then pull it off. If it is that stiff have a good look once you get it out as it sounds like you have not had enough grease in there and things may need replacing. Best of luck.

Do add Hilo cones. Keeping the ride height optimal transforms your mini driving experience. Like chalk and cheese

You shouldn’t be touching that in an oil change, but they should be all threaded connections with flats for a spanned unless a PO has done a hodge job

Not me ! They are sensor pickups for the rally trip meters. You could not balance a wheel like that, and anyway the are not on the wheel but on the brake drum !

@@mikesmotormechanics8602 the balance wts are ON the wheel.Never said anything about the trip sensors.

Well spotted. They are the pick ups for the sensors that drive my rally trips

Yes I obviously forgot to say to warm the engine first. You are totally correct it will flow better and this will help to remove any non-magnetic debris that has somehow found its way in. Magnetic debris should be on the plug.

Sorry missed this. No, they are held in place by the compression alone. This means you need to be careful when re-assembling to make sure things are properly seated

Thanks

Thank you 😄

I wish I could but it was mixed by a local paint shop to approximate the original. There is a lot of paint info for Innocentis on the Facebook groups.

Best of luck, most probably your biggest issue will be separating the old cone and trumpet. People have been known to grind through the old trumpet. For me a cold chisel at the joint seems to be a winner, but it can take a while

@@mikesmotormechanics8602 cheers👍🏻

Hi, you only need the compressor for the front cones, but absolutely you will need one. Your cones are the equivalent of a spring in a more conventional set up. It is what dictates the ride height and takes the impact of the bumps etc on the road, as well as the cornering loads. The shock absorbers dampen the impact. If you have poor shocks this will result in a long decay in the spring response. If you jump on a corner of the car with good shocks it will bounce up and down 1-2 times, with worn shocks many times more. With poor cones you will hit the bump stops and just have an uncomfortable ride. Hope that makes it clearer

@@mikesmotormechanics8602 thanks man so much for the valuable information and your help and support! I just started a small business online importing parts for classic minis , i need an expert to consult regarding parts that my client might need . I know probably your time is busy , but i would be honored and lucky to work with you , if you interested. If not, you helped me by providing those information earlier, and I really appreciate it. Thanks sir once more and have a wonderful day

@@Y.R.U.gahhhh where are you based ? Many countries have a mini supplier, and the big two in the UK will ship everywhere, soit is a tough gig. What I have seen is a number of places having it as a sideline to their garage business but not someone setting up uniquely. However there may be an opening in your country

@@mikesmotormechanics8602 Saudi Arabia, There is mini dealerships, but they don’t supply classic mini parts

@@mikesmotormechanics8602 i order the parts from mini spares located in UK, they have website i get my parts from. I needed someone like yourself who is expert to help me identify the parts needed for my client

Thanks

Mine is a 1975 Innocenti Cooper that I use in the French championship (thrf) which means that on a competition weekend I do about 600km of constant driving. For me the big difference between the younger and the older classic mini is the simplicity of maintenance. The younger the car the more complicated things become

@@mikesmotormechanics8602 More complicated due to more electric components?

And more computers too, basic electrics are not a problem

If what you have as a drift is small, then absolutely. I would always recommend that approach if space allows. What you will find is that the space is limited when you do this.

On the rear I go on the axle, I have some dished rubber heads there. At the front a standard jack with a wooden block under the spring

Hi, I don’t plan to drain mine soon, and as I use Evans stuff in it it would be expensive as a demo. It is either very simple or simple depending on your MG. Some have a drain tap or plug at the bottom of the radiator. If so, just open it and drain into a container. If not, then ease off the bottom hose and direct it into a container to collect the water etc. Best of luck

For me the alignment was okay in 3/4th, no need for reverse. The problem with reverse is it puts the rod the furthest forward so, for me, the exhaust bracket on the gearbox gets in the way

Okay thank you for that, would you say it's quite an easy job, I'm a bit scared of having a go at it!

How old is your mini and do you know if it has been done before ? In theory it is simple. If you have an aluminium ring to get out if you drill a little hole in it and use a self tapper you can then pull on that. You should end up with a hole about 150 to 160 mm deep. Then you just drop in the new ones. One of the easier jobs unless someone has bodged it before you

@@mikesmotormechanics8602 No idea if it's been done before, it's a 1992 cooper, it's been leaking for a few years quite badly so definitely needs replacing.

@@mikesmotormechanics8602 thought I better get it done before I change the oil or I'll lose most of the oil within 6 months its that bad.

Hi David, thanks. Do you have an oil cooler ? And how much oil did you put in ?

@@mikesmotormechanics8602 Mike - thanks so much for getting back to me. There’s no oil cooler on the car and I put in about 4 liters, the dipstick shows it at max (just below actually).

@@dtrimm1 I suspect it is the filter - if it is too short it will cause a problem. If you can spin on the old one and the pressure comes back this will prove the issue.

@@mikesmotormechanics8602 thanks Mike - I’ll give it a go! Really appreciate the advice.

Also just make sure you didn’t know the lead of the sender, possible but to my mind not likely