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And the Rabbit is clearly from a different era in automotive design and construction. Even so,,, what are those “things” sticking out of the side of the head? At first glance I thought, ah, 2 Webber 2 bbls. But no.
It is a mk1, a 1982 Rabbit Convertible to be precise. Those are Yamaha R1 carbs standing 4 wide for induction. I wanted to "simplify" things from the CIS injection when upgrading the engine. It's running a mk2 8V GTI knock sensor ignition system. The green in the engine bay is the original color.
I keep meaning watch it, but haven't, yet. I miss dear old Edd on Wheeler Dealers. I do like Ant, but he's not the tall man! One of the funniest things I've seen is Edd China standing next to Wayne Carini! 😆
So a bit overdue for an update on old Grumpy. I stopped getting my e-mail updates from here for some reason. He's approaching 190K miles, and is still a grumpy old Mini! The miles are certainly coming at a reduced rate with my wife working from home, however Grumpy seems to protest the lack of driving at the worst times. When she awoke him from a week plus slumber the other day he responded with a CEL. Of course! He's due for inspection this month! A scan showed a P2096 post catalyst fuel trims lean. Well, at least it's not a cat efficiency code! Cleared it and it popped right back on with the third key cycle. I thought I had already replaced the downstream O2, but it was the upstream one. A quick drive with the scan tool hooked up showed good O2 readings at cruise with no switching, but low reading and slow response at idle/off throttle. A new O2 sensor it is. NTK is on it's way from Rock Auto.
Grumpy has also steadily been increasing his wail from the accessory drive. While checking out the O2 situation I also removed the belt and started him up and confirmed the noise is definitely from the accessory drive, more specifically the AC compressor. Have a new Denso compressor coming in the same order as the O2 from Rock Auto to get that quieted down and to fix it before the compressor grenades internally and takes out the rest of the system.
He's due for an oil change @ 190K and I have a new gasket and new seals for the oil filter housing while I'm doing that.
He also recently got 2 new tires on BBS and they went back on for the warmer months.
So the O2 sensor was not the fix, but it does seem to be responding better, so that can't hurt @ 190K miles. Dug in further after some research on here and smoked the intake side to start. There was a massive leak from the original signal port on the BPV. The cap I put on when I did the true vacuum mod must've been crap quality and dry rotted and the end fell off. Fixed that and confirmed no more vacuum leaks. Also blew smoke up Grumpy's bum through the exhaust and found no leaks in the system. I was kinda looking for an excuse to push the header and exhaust install. Unfortunately the BMW diagnostic system does not play Mini, and my Snap On scan tool isn't able to reset the adaptations to speed the correction of the fuel trims. I still don't understand why an intake vacuum leak didn't throw a simple bank 1 lean fault instead of this silly post cat fuel trim fault.
Oil change is done, and the oil filter housing was resealed at the same time. I think the only leak left (at the moment) is the valve cover gasket. Still Grumping along, one issue at a time!
Well, now we're having an idle issue and Grumpy is being extra grumpy and doesn't want to idle. I'll have to scan him again, and see what's going on. This is pushing me to get my dedicated automotive laptop loaded up with INPA, etc. I'm long overdue to have that type of setup.
Overdue update! Grumpy is less Grumpy, again. Ditched my old SnapOn Verus Pro for a new Autel MS806TS and got his adaptations reset. Along the way his throttle body crapped out and would randomly stop working causing the idle issue, and sometimes rendering him inoperable while driving due to no throttle response. Sourced a new VDO TB from FCP Euro (on sale, too!) and most is right with the world. TB went in last weekend, adaptations got reset Monday, drove him home Monday night and back to work Tuesday morning, all monitors were set and he got his fresh inspection stickers.
Today I finally got around to replacing his fuel filter. My God was that thing nasty! I think it was still original at 190k miles. Not too bad, but should have done a bit more research and would have known not to try to pull the whole assembly out. Tank was pretty empty so it was pretty easy to fish the spring for the level sender out, and I think it all went back together and stayed together ok going back in.
Next on the list is a full belt drive refresh. Got a Continental kit from Rock Auto, just haven't had time to install it. Also starting to put together a cart at Summit Racing for an exhaust refresh. The one ball exhaust has pretty good leak from the corner of the muffler, so it's definitely time. New TB in place The nasty blackness of this fuel filter is nothing I have ever experienced before! Cleaned up under the back seat while I was in there. And the top side, too. Had to finish fixing the clutch on the Jeep or the rest of the interior would have gotten the attention it needs. And the other rear headrest is back on and the seat back release cable reconnected.
I've bought a new fuel filter myself. I have no doubt the filter in the 2003 is original as well. With 216k miles, I'm guessing our filters will be twins.
Great progress! What exhaust are you going with form Summit?
Just buying some bends, a straight piece, and probably 2 mufflers, a round one for under the front seats, and a small oval for in the back. No dual mufflers or pipes in the back, no need to complicate things. Sticking with 2.25" piping since the engine is all stock and will probably remain as such. I have a dual tip setup welded up that came off a 2016 X5 at work that got the M Sport tips and rear valence installed.
And that is a nice shot of of the headers on the L-6 in the background...
Lol! Thanks! That's the ZHP 3.0L for my e46 wearing its Active Autowerke headers. I basically paid for the headers and new parts on the engine and got the long block for free.
There is a header for Grumpy kicking around that will be going on. Summit cart is full and parts will be coming.
There is something elegant and artistic about nicely done headers on an engine. The L-6 headers have alway looked great. The best I ever saw was the “spaghetti mess” on the original Ford GT 40 and that was on a Revel model I put together as kid back in the day... Recently I saw them on a GT40 “duplicate” that I saw at a track event.
Clearly you having way too much fun with all of this...
Or in this case... “sweat equity”.
Clearly you get “value” out of what you do, as does the wife, and we appreciate the reports about it. Keep up the good work.
Well, it's not totally done, but the deal has been struck, and Grumpy is getting a parts car. I will be sure to document the process as this literal "barn find" is brought back out into the light of day after a 15 year slumber. Yes, you read that right, 15 years this car has been in storage. I took a quick look at it Thursday night. The story goes that the car (a 2003 R53) was wrecked in 2006 and stashed away at that point. It's been mostly under roof and with a cover on it, but the windows have been down, and it is still filthy inside and out. The left unibody rail is bent, the subframe is mangled, and there are mounting bosses broken off the transmission case from what I could see. Between the damage and how long it's been resting reviving it does not seem like a viable option in any way. This will be a very interesting process of discovering how this car has aged and what is and isn't able to be salvaged from it.
There is always a different twist to each of these MINI revival threads.
It is sad that the car was wrecked. It would seem that someone really liked the car and they couldn’t part with it after it was damaged. Over the years I have become a believer in the “Fates”. Clearly, they guided things to have it kept all these years for someone else with the knowledge to be able to utilize a broken MINI to come along and, at least in part, continue the appreciation of it.
It will be interesting to read about what you find with this car. Hopefully it severs a worthy purpose...
Did you see the Youtube episode from Edd China?
