What’s this bracket for?

[colonel mustard]

Hi all
Can anyone tell me what this is meant for?
Thanks

[Peter Laidler]

For holding the round oblong shaped trap thinggy on the metal part of the vacuum pipe from the distributor to the inlet manifold. I cut mine off as my S doesn't have said pipe and my old Cooper had a plasic full length plastic pipe anyway

[850man]

As Peter has said, it was used to hold the vacuum advance pipe bulb in place on Coopers. Not used on the Cooper S, usually folded down out of the way.

This 997 Cooper I rebuilt awhile ago shows you the pipe in place.

[Peter Laidler]

And while we're here, what did that little bulb do? and how. I was under the impression that being a large internal volume, it acted as a buffer in case of a large vacuum 'implosion' (can't think of a better word....) in the inlet manifold or to hold a vacuum or wot? Nope......, never did understand it

[iain1967s]

It is a vapor trap, to prevent fuel vapor in the manifold from flowing down the tube and into the distributor vacuum advance unit, which had a rubber diaphragm inside that would be rotted by petrol.

The change in pressure between the narrower pipe from the manifold and the larger volume of the bulb, causes any vapor to condense and the liquid petrol is then sucked back through the manifold and burnt on the next intake stroke.

If I remember correctly, on Mk3 and later cars they changed to ported vacuum for the distributor advance. In that type the vacuum takeoff is from just behind the SU air butterfly, before the fuel jet so is ‘clean’ and doesn’t require a trap, so a straight-through plastic pipe is used.

[colonel mustard]

Many thanks all for your reply’s

[Spider]

If I remember correctly, on Mk3 and later cars they changed to ported vacuum for the distributor advance.

I'm pretty sure all models that had Vacuum Advance - up to the introduction of the HIF Carbs - all had Ported Vacuum.

They were able to do away with the Vapor Trap when they went to better suited materials for the Vacuum Advance Diaphragm, though, they can still let go.

[goff]

As Peter has said, it was used to hold the vacuum advance pipe bulb in place on Coopers. Not used on the Cooper S, usually folded down out of the way.

This 997 Cooper I rebuilt awhile ago shows you the pipe in place.

Hey 850man , did you really build that engine up ??????

[850man]

As Peter has said, it was used to hold the vacuum advance pipe bulb in place on Coopers. Not used on the Cooper S, usually folded down out of the way.

This 997 Cooper I rebuilt awhile ago shows you the pipe in place.

Hey 850man , did you really build that engine up ??????

Yes. It is a well known UK built 997 Cooper owned by a very well know panel shop owner here in Aus.
The car was restored a number of years ago and rarely gets used. It was sent to a Mini specialist business for a service before going on display at Australia's premier Concourse, Motorclassica, and they overtightened and stripped the oil filter bolt.
This caused the oil filter cannister to fall off while the car was being driven which in turn made the engine run a big end bearing.
The filter head was replaced and the engine re filled with oil, the car was then sent back to the customer.
The car then ended up in my workshop, unkown to me the engine issues it had, I got in to drive it around the block and was horrified on how course the motor was. Afterwards after some discussions and tests I was told to "fix it" so the engine was removed and rebuilt, mainly the crank was reground, rods sized etc. While I was doing that any non original items from the previous restoration, ie incorrect radiator, thermostat housing, master cylinders, fuze box, washer bottle, generator, etc were replaced with genuine, original parts, the engine was put back together and painted the correct colour and put back in to be a perfect as possible representation of the day it left Longbridge.
I believe the total cost of the rebuild was then presented to the former "specialist workshop" via VCAT for re embursment.
I have plenty of photos, I can start a new thread if you like.