Track Day use ???

[type-r-dunk]

Hi all
I will be collecting my era in a couple off weeks as it is coming over from Japan. I really want to use it for a track day on Abingdon air field.
My question is... How fragile are these cars? do they get brake fade? do they get oil surge or have they got a "center oil feed pickup" as standard? Does the oil overheat with the turbo, engine and G-box using it.

Many thanks Duncan

[G96LUE]

Hi Duncan

Good to hear you are getting an ERA.
With regard to your question, ERA's have metro turbo vented front brakes with 4 pot callipers which should drematically reduce the chance of brake fade at the front, however the rear drums are standard mini drums with just an additional spacer. these could start to fade with a lot of braking.

I don't think the ERA's have central oil pick-ups. i believe they are just standard MG metro turbo box's. i have looked through my rover manual and can't see any mention of central oil pick-ups.
if they are not central you could get an oil pressure drop off in tight bends.

If the car you buy has been kept relativley standard, it should have adjustable shocks, so you could stiffen these up for the track.

My main mechanical advice would be to give it a full service before you take it out on the track. use some good quality oil, nothing too thin.
i have just filled mine with Millers semi synthetic CSS 20:50. cost about £32 per gallon, but i have heard it is the best for mini engines. I used magnatec fully synth before, but was too thin and the oil pressure ran too low.

I would also suggest fully changing the brake fluid as if this has not been changed for a while it will likely overheat and could cause brake fade. again use something decent. It would also be a good idea to change the brake pads & shoes to something that runs at higher temperatures. I used green stuff pads on the front and mintex on the rear. these are better than standard but i have not run mine on a track yet so can't talk from experience.

the turbo will get very hot however, and as there is not a lot of air space between it and the bulkhead keep an eye on it. make sure any heat proof fabric is in good condition, and that all pipes and cables close to the turbo have it on them.
i would suggest lagging the turbo & manifold with heatproof fabric. This would reduce under bonnet heat and increase power, however as i said, there is not a lot of space round the turbo, and it would be impossible to do this with the engine in the car.

apart from these, the engines are fairly robust if they are unmodified.
if you start boring over 1293, fitting deep dish pistons, high boost heads and hybrid turbo's etc, then the gearbox will be the weak link.
with this said, the mini as a whole is a great track car and i know you will have fun.

i am organising a stand at MITP - Santapod later this year. it would be good to see you there.

i hope this info is useful.

all the best

Darren

[paul]

Hi

I have three ERA's from Japan and when you receive it I would highly recomend that you overhaul the fuel system on it. In Japan thier summer temperatures are much hotter than ours and so the fuel Carb has needed an overhaul on all of mine.

If yours is the blue one in the forsale section, it looks highly modified so you will need to make a decision on how to deal with the braking, it looks to have smaller wheels on so I would assume the Turbo brakes have been removed and possibly S brakes fitted which would struggle to brake a turbo mini used in anger on a track day.

Regards

Paul

[type-r-dunk]

Thanks for the advise Guys, mine is the blue one in the for sale section but i really don't want to sell it quickly. I have longed for a ERA since the early 90s.
I will be doing a full serv with brake fluid change. Wouldn't 20w50 oil overheat with it being a turbo. Would it be better off with a 15w40 or even a 10w40 oil?
What exactly usually needs replacing on the carb then? and don't these have special carbs as they work with a positive pressure. Who is best to use to get the correct carb service kit from.
I thought it looked very standard apart from the wheels, what makes you think it is highly modded?
If someone has fitted S discs they will be straight off and on ebay with some original metro turbo brakes back on there.

I am a bit unsure now as to weather it would be wise to take it on the track with the hole Turbo heat thing.
I could just get my old modded clubman out of the garage, only done 500 miles since about 1991. Started it when i was 17 i am now 33
Spec:-1275cc, lcb, John Cooper 1:5 roller tip rockers, Kent 276 cam, Avonbar polished/ported head, Cooper S discs

Pics here
http://www.fastjapcars.com/Album-Mini.htm

[G96LUE]

Hi Duncan

10:40 or 15:40 will probably be fine. I suggested millers 20:50 as that is what i was recommended and the info on the millers website seemed to taly with what i was told.
this is what i was told for A & A+ engines.
15:40 or 10:40 will be fine if the engine is still fairly tight, ie upto about 30K unthrashed miles. if it has done much more than that i would recommend 15:40 upto about 50K and 20:50 over 50K

http://www.millersoils.net/1_Millers_fr ... RSPORT.htm

CTV 20w50 was designed for high performance MINI engines.

With regard to the mods, from the photo, as you say it looks fairly standard. The main things that stand out to me is the colour, the wheels, the steering wheel & grill. As Paul said, the wheels look smaller than 13" but that might be an optical illusion, however 10" wheel mods was a very common mod to Jap cars so i believe.

You can get a full genuine SU turbo rebuild kit from mini spares center.
i think the main thing to change is the needle valve to the float chamber. Paul might be able to give you better advice on this.

I didn't mean to scare you off using yours on the track with regard to the heat. you can pick up heat proof/reflective fabric fairly cheap if you need it. when you get yor car, have a look under the bonnet and just check that the fabric in in place on the bulkhead behind the turbo and on the hoses in the vacinity. if it looks ok, you should be fine.
As soon as my engine has been built and run in i will be giving mine a good thrash

Regards

Darren

[type-r-dunk]

Now you mentioned it the wheels/tyres do look very swamped by the arches. I think you are correct they do look like 10" wheels . Should get good money for working S brakes on ebay .
As for engine oil, 20w50 is designed for old cars and the A A+ definitely fits into that category. BUT the fact it has a turbo wouldn't the viscosity/heat range of a 20w50 be to limited to cope with the exceptionally high temp produced by the turbo.
Does anyone have the original owners hand book, what does it say in there?
Many thanks Duncan

[G96LUE]

Hi Duncan

I'm not sure what the viscosity the era's should have. My water shield says "ERA recommends Syntron X" synthetic oil. My metro turbo book recommends 10w:40 for Aug 83 on.
i would be interested to see what the ERA handbook recommends too.

Regards

Darren

[kayball]

Hi all.
The oil recommended by ERA was Castrol Syntron -X. This oil is a fully synthetic 10W60 grade oil, which is now unavailable.
My own theory , shared by others, as that any car engine fitted with a turbo should only ever be lubricated with a fully synthetic (PAO) lubricating oil. Typified by Mobil 1 etc. The thinking behind this is that the weak point on all turbos are the bearings, and any contamination in the oil feeding these will cause excessive wear. When a mineral oil burns at the temperatures experience in a turbo, ash is formed and this will contaminate the oil. In contrast, fully synthetic does not leave any deposit when burned, thus prolonging the life of the turbo. We have used Halfords 5W40 fully synthetic for the last 5 years, with one short period on Mobile 1 10W60, which we got cheap at a Classic car meeting. Touch wood, the turbo seems to be still in good condition. The reason for using Halfords (made by Comma I beleive) is that it is often on special ofer at £17 for 5 litres. Having stated the above, TurboTechnics, who recondition the Garret T3 say they recommend Shell Helix, which is a semi synthetic! The gearbox seems to perform well on this oil, despite it looking thin at normal ambient temperature, and the only leak we have is a very slight drip from the rod change shaft.

Burlen fuel systems in Salisbury (www.burlen.co.uk) are now the sole SU agent, and can supply any spares for the HIF44 carb. After a recon, the carb should be pressure tested as shown in the official Mini Service manual and also in the Metro turbo equivalen.
Will follow up with some other points you have raised between you and Daren when I get the time
Pete K

[paul]

Hi Dunc

As you import Japanese gear for a living as I do you will be familiar with the high ambient temperatures over there causing unique issues to cars not normally effecting UK cars.

Discolouration of paint, and fading
Cracking of plastics in exposed areas.
Clear coat laquer peeling

The problems associated with the ERA's I have brought in are as follows.

Fuel tanks being left empty for long periods of time probably while in indoor storage leading to rusty carp in there.

Fuel pumps being removed and as nothing similar being available locally micky mouse ones put on which work ok at low revs but cant cope with boost as they cant provide enough pressure.

Carp local fuel filters fitted pre or post pump and being clogged with the carp from the rusty tank

Carburetors being affected by the high temperatures. Seals being rock hard and brittle, gummy buildups internally in the carb especially in the choke chamber where one looked like it was full of varnish. Rebuild kits for the turbo carb are available, two versions are available the service and rebuilt, the rebuilt is the better one it contains a new spindle and butterfly. Not too hard a job to do. Space is a pain in ass on a Air Con ERA.

Be nice to get it together with my Jap ERA's

Yours looks like it has 12" wheels on, which are unlikely to clear the ERA Calipers, so might have 12" standard mini hubs and brakes or Cooper S swapping back to Metro Turbo doesnt quite put it back to ERA spec some other mods are required, I'm sure Pete (KBALL) will point you in right direction if you need to make mods.

Paul

[type-r-dunk]

Picked it up yesterday evening, needs a bit of tlc but seems good so far.
It has 12" wheels but what diameter are standard era discs? I want some original spec 13" wheels as the speedo is miles out, what tyres do they use?.

And i really dont know what spec wheels/tyres to get. Is the standard et (off set) 15 and is the stud pattern the same for a 94 metro as i found these wheels.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... &rd=1&rd=1

Thanks Guys, Duncan