Home Forum Help Calendar Search Register Login
 Welcome, Guest. Please login or register

  Mini Marcos Forum  >  General Boards  >  Mini Marcos  >  7012 is slowly comming allive again
0 Members Browsing (44 Guests)
Currently No Active Members

Pages: « 1, 2, 3, 4 : All Reply Recommend Print
  Author    7012 is slowly comming allive again  (currently 10,523 views)
Henrik and Joergen
Posted on: May 1st, 2016, 19:33:49 Quote Report to Moderator
Minimum Member





Henrik and Joergen


Location: Denmark
Posts: 82
We have been a bit quiet lately but the work continues and leaves little room for chatting!

Today was a milestone, the engine went alive after more than 30 years. We acquired the engine from a late Le Mans friend who had kept the engine since the seventies waiting for a Mini to use it in!  He didn't find one and it is now running in Mini Marcos 7012.

And we got a video as proof !

https://youtu.be/TN1hkK8LlTw

7012 owners Henrik and Joergen

Last modified May 1st, 2016, 19:34:26 by Henrik and Joergen
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 45 - 55
Henrik and Joergen
Posted on: May 16th, 2016, 11:51:36 Quote Report to Moderator
Minimum Member





Henrik and Joergen


Location: Denmark
Posts: 82
I had a test drive yesterday evening!! What a reward after 2½ years restoration work.

First experience is the Mini Marcos is hard to start softly in first gear, I think I made 10m wheel spin. Didn't expect that but it is quite quick in first and second gear. Car is driving straight ahead when I want and suspension is also so rubber and absorbers work together.

First race is in a fortnight so next work is mainly sorting a few minor issues.

Joergen

7012 owners Henrik and Joergen
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 46 - 55
Roger Garland
Posted on: May 16th, 2016, 20:48:26 Quote Report to Moderator
Big Member


Location: Worcester, UK
Posts: 257

Reputation: 1 (tot: 1)
Hi Henrik / Joergen
Exciting times
Did you forget to mention the headlamp cover "incident" - or is it a secret
Roger
Club Secretary  
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 47 - 55
Henrik and Joergen
Posted on: May 16th, 2016, 21:37:08 Quote Report to Moderator
Minimum Member





Henrik and Joergen


Location: Denmark
Posts: 82
Yes Roger I have to admit I did something stupid!
We needed a few photos for the Danish HTP and the HTP says "in its present state". I think the headlamp covers are important to the looks of the car so I mounted both covers with tape for the photo session. Nice photos but I didn't notice one cover falling off and when I drove into my garage... They might be strong but not strong enough to carry a Marcos.

Work is progressing but there's lot small details. On the positive side, engine pulling nicely, car handling  feels good, brakes feels good, no strange sounds from gearbox so it is fundamentally ok now.

Joergen

7012 owners Henrik and Joergen
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 48 - 55
Henrik and Joergen
Posted on: May 22nd, 2016, 08:05:59 Quote Report to Moderator
Minimum Member





Henrik and Joergen


Location: Denmark
Posts: 82
Cooling problems!
We did a small test-drive yesterday in the Marcos. The engine gets hot, very hot. Pump is new and radiator is a new FIAT seicento radiator. I think it is done before in a Mini Marcos. My suspicion is lack of fresh air trough the radiator element. Right now I try to eliminate air "escaping" radiator element. On the original Le Mans racer extra holes in the vertical indicates a similar issue. Any experiences out here? I this the way out?

I did a small video with Henrik driving the car. Youtube https://youtu.be/xUZQzlI-tvc

7012 owners Henrik and Joergen
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 49 - 55
Olly Lewis
Posted on: May 22nd, 2016, 18:38:24 Quote Report to Moderator
Medium Member


Posts: 194
Hello Henrik,

I have run a tuned "a plus" with a front mounted rad' for some time without any problems. I've always felt the cooling capacity was above and beyond what is required. You mention a modern fiat radiator and from that I can only assume that it's relatively efficient?! This leads me to a couple of questions, what sort of speeds were you doing during the test? Do you have an electric fan mounted close the radiator? Looking at the video your speed was low so airflow through the rad would have been too, an electric fan would have helped at low speeds! Was the bottom hose hot or cold when the engine was hot? If anything such as the thermostat was not opening properly then this may have contributed.

Finally, is there a grille in the lower aperture? If so remove this and re-test. Just some thoughts.

Looks and sounds great!

Cheers
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 50 - 55
Henrik and Joergen
Posted on: May 22nd, 2016, 20:39:50 Quote Report to Moderator
Minimum Member





Henrik and Joergen


Location: Denmark
Posts: 82
Thanks all!

Some new information. Its using a Fiat alu radiator. I might be a little to small. We also have an oil cooler attached as you can see on the video. Hot water from top of thermostat housing to top of radiator and into engine from bottom of radiator. Radiator is lower than engine so we are using a external tank. Pretty much like the standard Mini set-up.

The problem is hot engine and boiling at only light punishment. We had some disillusions yesterday and concluded head gasket might be the problem. One indicator is water in the header tank was hot like the engine. Opening header tank with engine running shows a similarity to Niagra Falls so a lot of exhaust? gas into cooling water explains hot header tank pressing water out of the system. Result is bad cooling and going worse fast!

Today I exchanged head gasket. I couldn't really see what was wrong with it. There are a few very small scratches head surface but I don't think they can explain but I gave a little hi temp sealant to be secure. The new gasket is slightly thicker than the old one so if the head is a little warped new gasket may be better accommodating this?

Anyway the good news is cooling seem to be OK with the new gasket! At a steady 75 km/h temperature is 70´ish and about 90 when punished the same place as in the video.

Further work will be screening so no air can escape radiator and drilling "Le Mans" holes in the front.

Joergen

7012 owners Henrik and Joergen
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 51 - 55
jimnaylor
Posted on: May 24th, 2016, 11:51:15 Quote Report to Moderator
Big Member







Location: Bedfordshire
Posts: 222
The cinqecento rad is more than big enough. Lots of us are using it and it cured all my heating problems when I fitted it, and my engine is not short on power!
I suspect the main problem is an air lock. Because its a front mounted rad there is no direct air bleed as there is from the top hose of a side mounted rad. You need a bleed at the top of the thermostat housing (actually looking at the way your top hose is routed it should be at the top of the bend in the top hose, not sure how you would do that) There are lots of thermostat housings with bleeds some permanently open some with screw in plugs but this is the one I use http://www.minispares.com/product/Classic/Engine/Cylinder_heads/Head_components/PEQ10019.aspx
the bleed needs can go to the top of your expansion tank (above the water level)
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 52 - 55
jimnaylor
Posted on: May 24th, 2016, 12:27:54 Quote Report to Moderator
Big Member







Location: Bedfordshire
Posts: 222
To find out you could just drill & tap and insert a suitable plug in the top of your existing housing. Open it up a frew times with the engine running to make sure all the air gets out. The problem with just using a plug long term is that it needs regular bleeding. I used to use one with a big brass plug from an allegro I think, but changed it to the one I use now because of the need to regularly bleed.

Just noticed the link I sent was to the version that had the bleed blanked off (although it can be drilled out, but the unblanked version is http://www.minispares.com/product/Classic/Engine/Cylinder_heads/Head_components/CAM6117.aspx
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 53 - 55
Henrik and Joergen
Posted on: May 24th, 2016, 22:00:42 Quote Report to Moderator
Minimum Member





Henrik and Joergen


Location: Denmark
Posts: 82
Thank you!
Good news, the FIAT radiator can handle the power and we have a bleed connection between thermostat housing and header tank. So this should be up to the job.

After changing head gasket header tank stays cool compared to very hot before gasket change.

First race is in the weekend so we cross our fingers. And keep you all informed of course!

Joergen

7012 owners Henrik and Joergen
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 54 - 55
jimnaylor
Posted on: May 25th, 2016, 19:55:06 Quote Report to Moderator
Big Member







Location: Bedfordshire
Posts: 222
Good luck !
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 55 - 55
Pages: « 1, 2, 3, 4 : All Reply Recommend Print

New Thread Mini Marcos Forum  >  Mini Marcos  [ previous | next ] Switch to:

Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post polls
You may not post attachments
HTML is on
Blah Code is on
Smilies are on

Powered by e-blah Platinum 7 Final © 2001-2004   -   March 29th, 2024, 05:36:52

Files opened: 82 | Files closed: 82