Update by Tim Suddard to the
Austin Mini Cooper S project car
Jan 15, 2014
Our engine started, and we only had one minor leak on a side plate that needed a better gasket.
A bit of fuel and a jump box were all it took to start our Mini. We jumped the solenoid with a screwdriver, since we have don’t have an ignition switch yet.
We made sure everything was running cool. We didn’t have gauges hooked up, so we used a digital pyrometer.
Our engine had been rebuilt, our ancillaries completed, and our subframes restored, so we decided to combine all the pieces together to try to run our Mini without attaching the body. We just needed a jump box to simulate the battery and a bit of fuel to pull off.
This would also let us know if we’d made any mistakes or had any leaks before we installed the drivetrain into the car. After that point, it would be difficult to diagnose and repair any problems.
Our engine started right up, we were able to shift smoothly through the gears, and we had only one minor leak on a side plate that needed a better gasket.
It was an itsy bitsy, teeny-weeny rally-winning project Mini. Subscribe to Classic Motorsports and get them in your mailbox.
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