Mini with K series engine. (Phoenix)

Not done the L 2 B run before.

Gonna be a long drive just to the start!

i saw the post of FB weather kept nice but a good round trip that one

The London to Brighton is a long trip and doing it over 3 days makes it a long weekend.

The run was ok but it's either A roads or motorway. Not like the our runs! The show is good with plenty of show stands. Phoenix had plenty of people come looking and asking questions so I was impressed with the good comments I received.

We did have an unplanned stop though. That pesky alternator again! I was driving down the M1 and the dash just went off. It was a mile to the services so stopped to investigate. The main wire connector had snapped meaning the car wasn't charging. I managed to bare back the wire and connect it back on with a washer over it. Had to ask someone for a jump start it to get going again as the battery was completely flat, but had no more trouble with the car all weekend.

15/06/13

Been to busy recently doing other things and really wanted to get the gearbox fitted that has sat in my garage now for over 6 months. So I visited a local gearbox specialist to ask if they would do the work for me. So It's booked in for Tuesday. Hopefully I should have it back for the weekend.

What I have asked them to do is :-

I have a gearbox from a Rover diesel turbo code S6BSU. Remove all the internals of this box, including the steel caged bearings.

Remove the open differential and fit the Torsen limited slip differential I have.

They say that the bellhousing can be left bolted to the engine of the K series box and remove the gearbox from my Mini without the need to remove the engine or subframe.

Remove the clutch and flywheel to replace the crankshaft oil seal which at the moment leaves a 10p sized spot every time I stop the engine.

Check clutch for wear, replace if necessary.

Refit the clutch, flywheel and gearbox back onto the car. Refill with oil.

This should give me chance to have a drive before MITP.

I realise that I have been advised that the gearing may be too high for the VVC, but am wanting to try it like this to make it cruise better along the motorway. Driving to Brighton at over 4000rpm was a little tedious! It should be around 3000rpm at 70 (instead of 4200rpm) with this box fitted. :rolleyes:

10/07/13

Finally!

I've got Phoenix back from the gearbox garage.

They said they had a lot of head scratching to fit the internals from the diesel box into the K series one, but they have done it. The bearing sizes were different apparently. The speedo drive is also different. This is nearer now so thats better for me. Anyway they have done it and now it's awesome to drive.

The lower gears are now usable and I can keep in them much longer than before. If you give it some beans in first or second the wheels will still spin, but it is much more controllable and the grip is amazing.

I did the roundabout test last night and I had my son Luke in with me and he couldn't believe the amount of grip there is in it!

I must admit that I am used to the lower gearing of the Mini and keep forgetting to put it into 5th. But I did a 0 - 100mph test and then put it in 5th and it was about 4300rpm at 100mph! It's now at 3000rpm at 70 for motorways. So quiet too. Might have to fit a stereo now....

It wasn't cheap. Bearing in mind I supplied the box, Torsen diff and new seals it came to £366. This included a new clutch as it was worn out, some parts which I hadn't supplied, oil and antifreeze as they removed the radiator.

MITP here we come..... :p

12/06/13

A good weekend at MITP.

I ran 15.1 on my first run, but hit the rev limiter on every gear change. I new I was better then that. Second and third runs were 14.999 and 14.994.

Kyle, sharing my car did a DNF! Revving the nuts out of it and bouncing it down the strip like a car on a PlayStation game, he knocked the inertia switch for the fuel pump and grinding to a halt half way down the strip! :newbie:

Anyway, after that he ran 15.1, 15.0 then had a 14.514! A bit embarrassing for me, as he's only been passed his test 3 weeks. :p

I can honestly say though the new gearbox ratios are spot on. I went down and came home in relative quietness and Kyle even fell asleep for an hour! It also saved about £20 in fuel too!

Overall a brilliant weekend. I did what I set out to do (not breakdown and beat last years times), so very happy.

After the racing finished we also had a go on the monster truck! What an awesome piece of kit that is! Riding over the row of cars, you feel like it's gonna tip over at any point, but it just doesn't. Great fun.

25/08/13

More alternator related drama.

After going to MITP my Mini has been making a funny noise. It took ages to find, but this was it. Funny enough it was only doing it occasionally, not all the time, as you would expect.



Anyway, I cut away the broken end of the bracket and redrilled another mounting hole. It's a little shorter now but still has enough length should the belt need tightening.



All this is making me wonder if the alternator is running too fast. Every time I go racing in it, it's the component which lets me down. I'm wondering about fitting a bigger pulley to it. Standard is 44mm.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181145869053?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

If you look at the crankshaft pulley and compare it with the alternator pulley, I'd say it's about a 4:1 ratio. If I got a bigger pulley I could make it 3:1. I'm sure when the engine is at full revs the alternator running at 28,000 rpm isn't good. :rolleyes:

18/09/13

Just done the Dales run again. This Mini is awesome on the back roads. It breezes up the hills that the other mini's were struggling on. I took my wife (Sammy) and at no point did I get my foot down. There just is no need! It's more about the handling and having enough height to clear the bumps and holes along the way. Many of the other Mini's scrape all over. I never scraped all weekend. So having a slightly higher car is good! ;-)





Me and Benji.



Sammy, Benji and beer. :-P









Brett, who owns the red pick up won star of the show.



This is Dougy and his daughter Eva driving. Dougy owns Moorview Motors in Bingley. He's a star. He's got a Mini owners dream. A big garage, loads of Mini's and spares too. Top guy and very helpful. :-P



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I have bought a bigger alternator pulley. It's 80mm diameter. I haven't fitted it yet though due to it's very tight location.

Also I have bought a remote brake servo. I've got plenty of winter jobs to do on Phoenix now! Again it's tight. I'll have to rearrange components in my engine bay to get it in, but I will... :rolleyes: