Due to current "unpleasantness" we've been stuck inside for a few months. I think the last time I drove the mini it was the beginning of July when I put in the distributor, and I haven't had a chance to try out the new Moto Lita. I had a little pre-ignition when the engine was hot at around 3000rpm under load, and there has been a bit of run-on since I replaced the head gasket, so I decided to do a bit of research into spark plugs as I thought perhaps they are a bit hot. I've now got a selection of 4 sets to evaluate:
BP5ES (and a few BPR5ES) - these are the ones recommended to me by a local guy. These are the ones that were in the engine, and I think they are a bit too hot for the engine spec
BPR6ES - I believe this is the modern equivalent of the stock plug
BPR7ES - slightly cooler than stock & recommended by minispares for 10:1 to 11:1 compression engines, which is what I have
B7ES - recommended by MED for "lightly modified road cars". It is missing the "P" from the spark plug code, which means the tip doesn't project out like the usual plugs
I've installed the BPR7ES and it starts up fine cold and idles, so I'm guessing that they aren't too cold. When I finally get to drive again I'll be able to get a better idea of how they perform & try the other ones. I also want to install an O2 sensor bung into the front half of the exhaust so I can tune the idle mixture a bit better
I had a bit of play noted in the steering rack at the annual inspection, and after removing the boot I found the cause. The lock nut looks to be a bit loose, and there seems to be a bit of play between the lock nut and the rack, and also the tie rod. I can blame my dad for this as he said he replaced the felt bush in the early 80's
I sourced an AYA6001 Australian made steering rack from a local mini friend. They are a bit more heavy duty in the construction compared to the UK MK1 rack, and parts are available to rebuild them so that was my best option. The AYA6001 rack was fitted from later in 1964, and my car was originally fitted with the first type of Aussie made rack
The rack has been stripped down and cleaned up and I've got all the service parts to put it back together again. The shimming seems to be pretty close to correct using the original shim pack, and there wasn't much wear visible. I also bought the top and bottom bushes for the column, so the steering should feel pretty direct
I sourced a refurbished Holden Gemini starter motor recently too. These were a common upgrade in Australia as they pretty much bolt right up and just work. The old Lucas one that was fitted was starting to get a bit sticky and not always engaging on the flywheel. One day when I get time it'll get a clean up and be reinstalled, but for now I just wanted something reliable.
Seeing as we haven't been going anywhere recently I thought it was also a good time to replace the windscreen seal. It seemed to be very old, quite possibly the original one and it still had some overspray on the seal from the respray +30 years ago. It has been letting rain in through the seal when it rained during drives, so it had stopped me from adding underlay to the floors and finishing the carpet
The old seal was really hard, and came out in chunks
I'd been putting off this job for a while as I was expecting some kind of horrific rust around the window frame & I didn't want to have to deal with that. When I got the seal out it was a bit grubby...
After cleaning off the old sealant it actually looked pretty nice - actually better than that - it looked good as new! There is a bit of an untidy edge where the top layer of paint meets the original paint, but other than that it looks great. Now I just need to finish removing the old sealant from the glass and body and I can get it all back together.