Automatic gearbox
emilio e acqua
I own a 1992 rover mini mayfair automatic catalyst 998cc carb.
1) on "hard" accleration, the second gear is engaged a few seconds or
not enaged at all (and skips from 1st to 3rd).
2) At high rpms transmission slips from 3rd to D, does not slip at low rpm,
in
other gear changes or during kikdowning from D to 3rd.
3) when engine and trasmission are really hot (highway driving),
forward ranges are not engaged at idle speed and i have to accelerate
a few to engage (in this case it makes noise)
Can you help me? I obviously want to keep my mini alive, it's so cool!
I live in rome, italy, and rover no longer provides service for old
minis. Other mechanics are really afraid of automatic gearboxes, as in
italy most people prefere manuals.
Excuse me for my funny english, and thanks in advance for replies!
Ciao
emilio (Rome, IT)
Jono Barspeed
Jono
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"emilio e acqua" <casella...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:bqhcqp$215mb1$1...@ID-214207.news.uni-berlin.de...
Graham
> Hi all!
Hi Emilio, from Australia.
> I own a 1992 rover mini mayfair automatic catalyst 998cc carb.
Change the oil and put a new filter in it! 8-)
The vast majority of problems with the Mini Auto are caused by low oil
level or dirty oil or filter. Do not get lazy about oil changes. The
motor won't be harmed - the oil pump capacity is HUGE and if the
oilpressure drops, the gearbox stops working, so people turn the motor
off, but the gearbox WILL give trouble on low or dirty oil.
> 1) on "hard" accleration, the second gear is engaged a few seconds or
> not enaged at all (and skips from 1st to 3rd).
Shift pattern is uneven. Tends to suggest oil pressure problems.
> 2) At high rpms transmission slips from 3rd to D, does not slip at low rpm,
> in other gear changes or during kikdowning from D to 3rd.
Do you mean it slips as it engages 4th from 3rd? That suggest low oil
pressure.
> 3) when engine and trasmission are really hot (highway driving),
> forward ranges are not engaged at idle speed and i have to accelerate
> a few to engage (in this case it makes noise)
A sort of long horrible chirp noise as the forward clutch grabs...
Almost always caused by low oil pressure, otherwise forward clutch may
be worn.
> Can you help me? I obviously want to keep my mini alive, it's so cool!
It sounds like the gearbox oil pressure may be down. The primary causes
for this would be low oil or clogged oil filter.
Do you have a workshop manual? The diagnostic procedure for the auto is
in there.
For your problems, you need to check, in order of increasing difficulty
and decreasing probability:
7) Check engine/transmission oil level.
Note, sometimes the torque converter oil seal leaks and the torque
converter slips badly for the first minute or so of driving. Overfilling
the motor oil about 1/2" (13mm) on the dipstick will stop the symptoms
without having to pull the car apart to fix the cause. You may as well
run the oil level between "full" and 1/2" above full, rather than risk
problems running it near the low oil mark.
8) Carry out an oil pressure check.
There is a small bolt (7/16"AF head?) in the front of the oil filter
housing which plugs up the hole where you can connect an oil pressure
gauge. With the engine warm, the oil pressure should be between 75psi
and 85psi (5.3 - 6.0kg/cm^3, 530kPa - 600kPa) in all gear positions
except reverse, when it should be 115 to 125psi (8.0 to 8.8kg/cm^3,
800kPa - 880kPa). You'll need a gauge for this. Most auto transmission
specialists should have suitable gauges and adapters, or you can buy a
suitable gauge and flexible hose from an industrial supplier. Very few
in-car gauges that you buy at car parts shops will go high enough.
9) Check the oil filter head O-ring seals or fitting of the joint
washer.
eg: make sure the oil filter is not interfering with the oil flow or
pressure in any way. In fact, replace the filter while you're there.
13) Remove and clean the valve block.
This is not as difficult as you might expect! There is enough room
with the motor in the car to get the front cover off the transmission
and remove the valve block. If you need to do this, let me know and I'll
scan and send the appropriate section of the manual to you.
20) Check main oil pump and flow valve, the supply and feed pipe seals,
and main oil strainer seals.
Now we're getting into serious stuff. I had an auto once which
periodically lost all drive and oil pressure. It turned out the pressure
relief valve which is in the pump on the auto was sticking wide open. A
different oil pump fixed that.
> I live in rome, italy, and rover no longer provides service for old
> minis. Other mechanics are really afraid of automatic gearboxes, as in
> italy most people prefere manuals.
Get a workshop manual. Find a mechanic who is interested in more than
just doing oil changes on Fiat Unos all day. The auto is actually fairly
easy to work on and the manual is pretty clear. I've done extensive work
on Mini autos including a rebuild, but I've never had a manual geabox
apart. There are one or two awkward bits and some tricks, but they're
really not very difficult.
> Excuse me for my funny english, and thanks in advance for replies!
Your english isn't half as funny as my italian. 8-)
Steve
"Graham" <zeb...@alphalink.com.au> wrote in message
news:3FCC8E01...@alphalink.com.au...
> emilio e acqua wrote:
> > Hi all!
>
> Hi Emilio, from Australia.
>
> > I own a 1992 rover mini mayfair automatic catalyst 998cc carb.
>
> Change the oil and put a new filter in it! 8-)
>
> The vast majority of problems with the Mini Auto are caused by low oil
> level or dirty oil or filter. Do not get lazy about oil changes. The
> motor won't be harmed - the oil pump capacity is HUGE and if the
> oilpressure drops, the gearbox stops working, so people turn the motor
> off, but the gearbox WILL give trouble on low or dirty oil.
Yes, oil/filter changes every 2-3000 miles (3-5000 Kms). And use the correct
grade of non-synthetic oil.
--
Rgds
Steve
st...@dsnclassics.co.uk
www.dsnclassics.co.uk
emilio e acqua
Thank you so much, Graham, for all the informations you gave me. I will do
ASAP an oil&filter change and, about this task, I have another question: I
imagine that a certain amount of old oil remains inside the converter. If
this is true, how can I empty the converter in order to have the
trasmission filled with only fresh oil?
This is my first mini automatic, and I have no experience: I've bought it in
2001, and its behaviour was the same as nowadays: I have used it (or
abused!) for about 50.000 km without noticeable problems, apart the broken
bowden cable and the rubber bushings on the upper engine mounting. I have no
idea where to find a workshop manual, I asked italian Rover dealers without
success. It's incredible, but they don't support at all mini owners, I think
because of the new brand "mini-bmw". Unfortnately here in Italy old minis
are not very popular, and the few clubs exisitng are devoted only to cooper
models and discuss about Hi-Lo and carb vs injection.
Another question is about the shift selector: it has the RN123D pattern, so
I think it's the old type. I think it needs a little adjusting, because is a
bit "retarded": for example, 1st gear engages when the selector is not
exactly at 1 position but almost between 1 and 2. Can this little
misadjustement cause any strange effect?
I'll chek the points 7 8 and 9 of your list, and if the problem persists, I
need your help for the 13 and 20!
Thank you again!
emilio e acqua
> Yes, oil/filter changes every 2-3000 miles (3-5000
> Kms). And use the correct
> grade of non-synthetic oil.
non-synthetic means mineral oil?
Steve
Yes.
Steve
>
> Thank you so much, Graham, for all the informations you gave me. I will do
> ASAP an oil&filter change and, about this task, I have another question: I
> imagine that a certain amount of old oil remains inside the converter. If
> this is true, how can I empty the converter in order to have the
> trasmission filled with only fresh oil?
The torque converter is separate from the main transmission. You wouldn't
normally need to change the oil in this. Certainly not every service, since
it means a major task to remove it!
The Haynes manual is an acceptable book, but it doesn't cover the automatic
transmission. However, the rest of the car is covered quite well. You should
be able to obtain one from an on-line book shop or Mini shop :-)
K
"emilio e acqua" <casella...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:bqie0b$ugdlg$1...@ID-214207.news.uni-berlin.de...
>
Hi.
In the top of the flywheel cover there is a rubber grommet. If you remove
this you can see the flywheel. Some flywheels have drain pluds fitted, so
you can turn the engine and see if there appears a bolt head in the
flywheel. If there is, there will be another one on the opposite side of the
flywheel. Place a tray under the casing, remove the bolt (don't drop it in
the casing) then turn the engine until the other one appears and remove this
one too. The oil will drain out of the bottom of the casing. Refit the
bolts, and refil the engine with oil. When you start the engine the flywheel
will fill with oil, then re-check the level.
In the front of the flywheel casing there is a hole and you will see the
flywheel teeth in there, you can use a long screwdriver to turn the engine.
I will send a later post with the instructions for setting up the gearchange
lever and cable.
Keith
Graham
> As Emilio's return address is a dud, I will post the setup info for the
> kickdown link and gear cable here
I generally found that just checking whether the correct gears selected
in the correct positions and adjusting a little from there worked ok for
me.
Graham
> Thank you so much, Graham, for all the informations you gave me. I will do
> ASAP an oil&filter change and, about this task, I have another question: I
> imagine that a certain amount of old oil remains inside the converter. If
> this is true, how can I empty the converter in order to have the
> trasmission filled with only fresh oil?
The oil in the torque converter doesn't normally drain out when you
change the oil, so there is always some old oil in the system. If your
current oil is really old, you might want to drive the car "around the
block" and then change it a second time. If 10% of the old oil remains
in the torque converter the first time, then only 10% of 10%, eg: 1%,
will remain after the second change. Normally you wouldn't worry about
it, just change it once.
> Another question is about the shift selector: it has the RN123D pattern, so
> I think it's the old type.
There are two versions.
The older version, which is the only type we got in Australia, has no
park, just RN1234D (the Mini was killed off here long before the later
version appeared)
The later version has PRN123D (no manual 4 position).
> I think it needs a little adjusting, because is a bit "retarded": for example, 1st
> gear engages when the selector is not exactly at 1 position but almost between 1
> and 2. Can this little misadjustement cause any strange effect?
Not really. You might have a little trouble getting reverse. The
adjustment is at the gearbox end of the cable. Keith has posted details
if your news server doesn't strip out binaries.
emilio e acqua
I can't get the K's post with the instructions, I think because of the news
server I'm using.
Please send the post to casella...@hotmail.com
(Remove NaCl!)
Thanks in advance!
Graham
Sent.
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