Best bit of advice I can give you is don’t use halfords for mot’s or any car work. Their reputation is bad I am not saying every single one but level of competence is low and they like to create work for themselves. I realise in this case it’s a definite fail but I would find a good friendly non franchise garage in future.
I agreed. Especially for service work. A friend of mine recently sent his 4 year old vw t6 into a local halfrauds for a full service and to have some lowering springs fitted. The van came out driving like a bag of bolts. He was advised by a mutual friend to take it to vw to have it inspected. They discovered that the fuel filter hadn’t been changed, neither had the air filter. The oil looked new but with it being a diesel it’s hard to tell but the oil filter was definitely old. But the main/worst thing was they had completely mangled one of the front hubs while fitting the new springs. For some reason they forced one shock absorber down through the hub by about an inch breaking the small locating lug at the bottom of the hub. They only did it on the one side so the whole suspension geometry was off and it was causing the arb to hit the frame 🤦♂️ they had also removed the rubber sleeves off the rear springs that stop them from clanging about when you go over bumps. So every time he hit a bump it sounded like a tool box had fallen over in the back. He’s taking them to court because they’re denying responsibility. Avoid like the plague
Oddly enough, I disagree. Halfords may have some targets to meet, but they are a big name operator, and whilst staff quality might vary, I am not clear they have any great incentive to take advantage of their customers. Whereas, take your vehicle to the "local bloke under the arches", and he answers to no one, and might embark of ripping off a vulnerable customer customer. I had this recently with a garage I have used for years. A change of hands, and suddently the car I took in required £1600 of work, including a HG and clutch, when I believed it was a much cheaper repair, and had in fact been fixed one before a year earlier for £80. There are rogues all over, and when garages are so busy, they can aford to lose the odd customer, when the charges are being ramped up on the 9/10 who know no better.
Agreed, took my car for an mot, failed but no advisories They quoted for the work, I got it done a lot cheaper elsewhere and on the retest it passed but now with a list of advisories.
Oh, by the way, ... Fixing that lacquer (top coat) is a real easy fix .... Just flattern it down with wet & dry (1200) then 1500, then 2000 ... Then spray new lacquer over it and just blend it in (go lighter on edges) then once dry, buff it up with G3, then G10 then normal polish / wax ... Will look as good as new .... I am also a Sprayer / Panel beater ;-)
Don't be too hard on yourself Nino. I was once refused an MOT in the distant past for a suspension problem. Like you say, it's all experience and you take it all in your stride.Whoever gets your Mini will certainly getting one that is truly sorted = and there are some real sheds around. Agree about cleaning cars... especially the interior. Minis are particularly a pain to clean inside 😉
I recently changed the brake hose on my Chevy Blazer and it has a banjo with a copper washer like you do and I had trouble with it leaking. Check the torque setting for that bolt as it is a lot more than I thought it was going to be. ALSO and this is important you should anneal the copper washer before fitting it. Just heat it to cherry red and then drop it into a bucket of cold water. This makes the copper much softer and it will seal properly and not leak. If you don't anneal the washer you don't know the work hardened state of the copper and it may not seal well. Annealing copper washers was something we did back in the dark ages on the head gaskets of Triumph motorbikes
Ahh that's really interesting. I know copper work hardens really easily, but I didn't know that annealing it softens it up. Makes complete sense that softening the washer is going to make it seal properly. Cheers for that, Mark 👍🏻
Back in the day (c.1978 for me) if your car didn't start- it stayed there until you fixed it yourself. I learned as you are learning- although things were simpler then- but the satisfaction was the same!
Love the level of honesty in your videos, people learn from mistakes and too few youtubers share this reality, I personally enjoyed the anecdotes of your learning from this experience
One washer fluid res is for the headlight washers. They come out and spray the headlights when you wash the windscreen with the headlights on. Had my mini 2 months before i figured it out lol
I had a front calliper replaced on one of my cars by a local garage and when I took it for the MOT a couple of weeks later at the same garage, they failed it on a twisted brake hose. To add insult to injury, they charged me to fix it. Same garage, I took a car that I had just bought to get the tyres balanced then the same day took it to a Jaguar specialist a few miles away for a few other bits only to be informed that a rear tyre had a huge split in the inner sidewall. I have never used that garage again despite them being only a few hundred yards from my house.
I once carried a cycle on a rack to get the car RWC test, took off the bike and rode home. They phoned me to say that the car failed because of the bike rack (only OK if it has a bike attached). I had to pay them $ to take it off, then when I rode back, had to pay them to put it back on.
Damn. If we had MOT inspections in California, half of the cars on the road would end up in the crusher where they belong. Keep pushing, you'll make it!
I've watched so much US car content over the years and I always look at the cars and wonder how on earth they're allowed on the road in that condition haha
i do all the brake maintenance on all my cars myself but then at 15 i did an apprenticeship for 4 years. One thing i was taught was when doing any brake jobs be methodical and meticulous as a mistake could kill someone. If you have no formal training then don't dabble with brakes its too dangerous. If that car had run out off fluid you would have had no brakes CRAZY
Hi Nino, just a quick tip for you regarding the copper washers on the brake line banjos, when refitting after removal, anneal the washers first by heating then dropping in cold water. This re-softens the washer and improves the seal when tightening. Your videos are very addictive!!!
Copper washers can be softened by heating to red heat. You can quench them if you want to get rid of the black oxide quickly, it doesn't affect the softening process.
Good work so far! My money is on a washer missing. Done it myself and it's easy to miss as sometimes they stick to the old caliper or fall out and don't make a *tink sound when they hit the ground because they're light and covered in fluid.
Hay Mate, the one washer fluid compartment is for the windscreen (also back) and the other one is für the headlights. Cooper S always had Xenon Lights and need a washer for road legality. Cheers!
I have an s with Xenons. Spent ages replacing the pump to get the washer's working for MOT. Only too be told !!!! no not tested on this model year....2008 😲😡
Thanks for that mate. I'll have a play around with the washer and see if I can get it working, but I probably won't spend too long on it because the car will still pass the test if it's broken...
really love this UA-cam content & your attitude towards resolve these & resolving other ongoing issues - you will be rewarded with a solid R53 Driving machine
The lacquer peel needs sorting properly, the previous owners story may be true but I'd say the car has been painted (or some has and adjoining panels have been lacquered out) as the factory lacquer won't usually pull off with a wrap, a lot of pdr guys pull dents out using glue pads on the lacquer. I'd do whole panels, while it may be possible to use a fade out thinner and 'blow in' sections it won't be as good as doing it properly. That's how you lose the edge when blowing in, the fade out will dissolve the over sprayed 'edge' and make it almost invisible, at least for a while. I'd remove as much trim as possible and do whole panels though, better job.
I've had quite a bit of feedback about the lacquer peel and I'm definitely not going to do the job myself - seems way more like an art form than a science I could quickly learn haha. Think I'm going to get a few quotes from the pros and see how much it's going to cost.
Crush washers need changing every time you take the connection apart; as they get "crushed" out of shape when the connection is tightened down. Lessons learned. If it helps, my DiL had FOUR PAGES of MOT failures on a car given to her by her grandparents; reading between the lines, the car had been left waist deep in sea water for a week or more; as basically everything below waist level was rusted out. We ended up giving the car to the fire brigade for rescue practice (cutting the front open)
Crush washers aren't the same as copper or alloy sealing washers (crush washers look like a thin ring and as you say absolutely should be replaced every time) You can reuse them if they're in good order and not pitted. The usual issue is when reassembling they should be reinstalled as they came off. If available though I would prefer to replace them but it's not an absolute. The washers on the callipers for these aren't crush apart from the very, very slight deformation you may see where a portion of washer sits inside a 'dead' area of a fitting.
That's a shame about the MOT, ... To be honest they sound very strict (to put it nicely), it sounds like they were picking on everything they could find because they knew the fail on the brakes, ... They could of been more lenient on you! .... It will pass once the brakes and bulbs are sorted, have faith, you've done a brilliant job on that car, .... I've been a car mechanic for over 30 years but I knew nothing about these Mini's at all ... Only knew about the older Mini's so am an old school mechanic and seeing what you did to this car is amazing, well done, I take my hat off to you!
we have alot of dandruff on lackerd cars in portugal with the heat my paint guy so gently rubs it down with worn out wet and dry then re lackers but after a couple of years in needs head and shoulders
Great advances in your own knowledge, life and especially cars are a constant learning curve.. Any modern Haynes manual has an MoT prep list.. handy to look up. Simple fixes to go, big jobs done.. well done so far.!
Been there, luckily I took it to a local mot place that I still use and tightened the brake pipe union up while the mot was being done, things happen all the time, yes it's disheartening but it's an easy fix
Sometimes you get good garages like that. I picked up a car from an MOT once and they replaced a load of bulbs for me as they went so that it passed. I think it's the small local places that do things like that...
Yes you should always use new copper washers were they are fitted. You can get packs of various sizes easily enough. Glad to see you are up and about again.🙂
Cheers, Simon - it's good to be back. Yep, lesson learned on the washers. Bought a pack of various sizes, so should help me out with future projects 👍🏻
@@philtowle4683 I've never bothered heating them up but could be a good fix when you're in a spot! I've wet and dryed (where required) and reused existing washers though. While flat alloy and copper washers do 'crush' to a tiny degree it's not the same level as you'll see with the type that look like thin rings before fitting. They absolutely do need replacement every time!
Glad to see you back and well Nino! UA-cam is handy to have but sometimes small details like the crush washer are over looked. Worth investing in a Haynes or Bentley Publishing manual just to give you that little bit of extra detail, back-up and confidence in the work you’re doing. Keep up the good work sir!
Cheers, David. I've come so close a number of times to buying the Bentley manual, but as I kept getting closer and closer to the end of the project the £100 they want for it just started seeming more expensive...
Nice to see you back 👍, takes a while to get over it, tiredness is the worst 🤦🏻♂️, Mot testers can test you’re patience ! Child seat fitted, items removed from rear view mirror, etc etc ! Made me chuckle about the brake fluid leak 😂 ! We live and learn 👍
It's good to be back! Was painful not being able to do anything. I hear you about the tiredness - that's the only thing that's left over from it. Not just a brake fluid leak, Anthony... a 'major' break fluid leak 😅😂
You made me laugh . I like your humility and honesty at only being human. Subscribed ! If I ever made videos , everything would go perfectly … in the edit 😂🤣
Any warning light in the dash means the car fails. It’s not hard to put fuel in or make sure all lights work. Left front washer will probably fail as one jet out of two was working. Replacing a flexible brake hose isn’t difficult. Crush washers cannot be reused because they are crushed. On the original mini the sump drain needed a new copper washer every time the oil was changed.
We refuse to do an MOT if when we get in them and the fuel light is on because it just wastes our time because vehicle has to be at full operating temperature to do the emissions test and if we have the vehicle running to get it up to temperature and it runs out of fuel before emissions test is done then it will fail anyway as "Unable to complete emissions test" and then vehicle has to be pushed out of MOT bay and some other tests need the engine running to do them like brake test as you need vacuum in the brake servo to assist in braking effort, it's not rocket science to put fuel in before taking car for test.
Tell me who you work for ? So I know NEVER to bring a car to you for an MOT , your tester is obviously a picky pr!ck to refuse to test because the fuel lights on , if it runs out during the test , abort the test , otherwise , test as normal , NOT a valid reason to refuse to test and a test refusal that if appealed, could easily result in points for the tester as the dvsa will side with the punter on this
To be fair low fuel light is a reasonable fail as running out of fuel on the highway is an offence. Also there needs to be enough fuel to carry out the emissions part of the test and if the light is on, who knows if there is enough to complete it.
Just for information .. the advisories although trivial, is proof to the Ministry that the vehicle has actually been tested. If such things are not noted, the Ministry can't be sure that an iffy test hasn't been conducted. Should they require for QC purposes to inspect your vehicle (which they can do if they wish), at least the faults listed will confirm testing.
Third brake light its 34 quid, you got a bunch of bulbs out, and that caliper needs sorting and you won't have any other issues, and you need someone to check the front washer for the headlight, if it don't check the fuse, or buy a secondhand jet for the headlight, I got a set of intercooler boots and bigger intercooler for sale if you want to hit me up
i used to get moaned at on forums/fb groups as when someone asked what tools they needed for a certain job(brakes were asked a lot) i responded with the following- if you need to ask what tools are needed/advice on doing a job on brakes for example...you shouldn't be touching them as if you need to ask you aren't qualified.
Yes and no. You might be competent but certain niche or at least less used tools you may not know about. Very elitist and unhelpful type of advice, there.
Hey Nino, Look on the bright side, it got you there & back & it's only 2 new crush washers & a bleed. Steer clear of rattle can for the body work mate, won't look good where the repair is if you rattle can it. Colour will be off, orange peel & stand up will be visible from 30 feet away & without the correct fade out thinners, correct polish equipment & skill level you will soon burn through the fade line & end up chasing the edge. Normally with peel, edge to edge panel repair is called for but a smart repair will be good enough to flip it. Oh that peel is not due to a wrap being removed, minis suffer with it from UV degradation, especially red ones. I really like cleaning my mini, it's therapeutic, especially the interior... Nice & Shiney 😁
I'm definitely going to steer clear of doing the lacquer job myself. Had a few comments like yours that make it seem way more like an art form rather than a science. I suppose that's why we have garages and bodyshops as separate entities!
I had a local garage hate me because i did all the work he said i couldnt outside on my drive using my own non special tools he reckoned i needed to do the jobs. I fitted a new gearbox, clutch and catalytic converter to my old fusion II. Took the whole front off the car and got to it all that way. Made the car like new, He failed it on clear indicator lenses (orange bulbs) that were standard ford parts!!! And a grease stain on the drivers seatbelt!!!!
I know the exact type of person you're talking about. They hold certificates, qualifications, and 'the proper process' above all else (they're probably on the parish council - you know the type 😂). They slaved away for years at it without realising that it's really not all that difficult if you just try hard enough with determination and enthusiasm.
So bummed that Bob didn’t pass his MOT. At least you have a good idea what needs to be done and how to do it. As far as the clear coat - find a shop to do the work. Possibly ask the shop if there are things you can do to reduce the cost - for example you personally remove and reinstall the fender flares, the belt line trim under the window and the rear bumper cover. Might save an hour worth of shop labor time. Then again you might not want to work on the fiddly bits and fresh paint. I repaired rust spots on the tailgate and under the tail light of my last R53. I have a fairly clean and organized heated 3.5 car garage and while in the end the work turned out okay for a first timer, I wouldn’t tackle that project again. I spent too much time and money spent on supplies for a simple spot repair. You have to carefully sand down each rear quarter panel and spray in a clean, warm and dry environment. Your car park does not lend itself to a decent finish. Can you do it? I have no doubt. Should you do it? No. Leave it to a professional. My opinion. You are almost there Nino! Almost there! Any thoughts on the sale and next project car?
You're right - I'll be leaving it to the professionals for sure. I can just see so much going wrong with doing a job like that outdoors in the conditions that I have. Wind, rain, dust, etc. I already have the next project car - hoping to make a video on it real soon 😉 😎
Don't use halfrauds or ATS for MOT'S if they offer a fix it's a second mortgage lol,an indy would ring an quote you a fix for easy stuff like that. Keep the content coming 👌
Don't use Halfords for MOTs (or anything relating to cars!). Find a good independent garage. They would likely have called you and offer to fix the leak there and then for half an hours labour saving you lots of time and hassle.
That's definitely something I've noticed over the years with chain garages vs independents. I once took a car for an MOT to an independent and when I turned up to collect they had replaced three bulbs already and charged me a fiver. They got great word of mouth from me for years after that
Never use multinational garages Hailfrauds, quak fit, etc. They have target's to meet, and that target is your Bank account usualy. Most independent's are honest trustworthy and like to get returning customers, Keep up the good work. every job you do yourself is a bonus.
The tester was right-he had to fail/abort test..when you fit a caliper, most good replacements come with the new copper washers. You should then test it under pressure-if no assistant, just wedge brake pedal done with a piece of wood or whatever. reg.plate could be just a bulb. disconnect hi level brake light and its a pass ;) re: your air leak' make a smoke machine...it's on ytube :)
On a positive, with a school boy error on the Caliper, you have now passed the test to get a job at Halfrauds.... surprised they didn’t offer you a job there and then 😵🤣 Nah.... onwards and upwards, you done a lot of work in one go, very easy to miss something. 👍
Gutted for you mate.. Especially after all the hard work.. Ive been there with the leaking pipe on the caliper.. replaced mine on a mondeo st once, but didn't nip it up enough.. didn't notice till my tester pulled me up on it.. As for the other items? Some testers can be a bit too picky.. but, an mot tester can refuse to even test a vehicle, if he feels there is insufficient fuel, because enough is needed for the emissions part of the test and the fact that the vehicle is left running for a long period.. Anyway, even though the failures sound bad, you'll have them done in no time..
Easy mistake to make I guess. Hard to see if the brake is leaking without an extra pair of eyes. Hear what you're saying about the fuel, but the light had only just come on lol. Oh well at least I can fix all these bits easily enough before the next test and get as few advisories as possible!
@@NotEconomicallyViable After all the work you've done, it is easy to miss the odd few bits, but as you've said.. they are easy fixes, so hopefully, you'll come away with a clean sheet and a fresh ticket..
I live in Indonesia - the cheapest of the new minis would cost you around 12K gbp - I wonder if anyone has half a clue as to the grief they may be buying.....
Pull the entire interior out seats and all carpet and wool underlay,. The mini Bob will never truly belong to you until you fully strip the interior out and clean fully.
I’ve just found your channel 🚗, your car does look good, little bit here and there on the body work overall It’s not that bad, brakes do work under high pressure and if you have a leak it often looks much worse than it is, take your time and do it right you should be ok. I’m no mechanic but do most of my jobs myself on my Mini. I look forward to catching up on your other blogs and seeing your progress. Keep the faith brother👍
You live and learn🤣 always a good thing to laugh about afterwards eh? Congrats on getting this far though - the end is in sight! Also, just checked the MOT history online and it’s not recorded on the system (because the test was abandoned), so that’s a good thing as it won’t show your mistake to future buyers🤣
If I didn't laugh I'd just cry haha. Yeah the test doesn't show, which is good. They also gave me a refund on the test, which I wasn't expecting. Let's just hope the future buyer doesn't watch these videos 😅
Apparently it's common place on older car's like getting any parts it could to do with getting "ice" cars off the road and the persistent push to extremely expensive EV's noone can ever afford, it's beyond a joke the government hitting the car owner from all sides.
Oh dear Halfords, I sued then many years ago for failing my car (the wife took it) which I had worked on, full engine rebuild everything done full Monty, I picked the wife up made an new appointment at another garage took it the next morning and it passed on everything not a thing wrong with it, engine smoke test so low the mechanic asked if the engine had been rebuilt where Halfords failed it, Anyway Halfords returned my money with a letter of apology.
Don’t quite have the time to do that mate, but here’s the Mini playlist and they should all be in order: Mini Cooper S R53 Restoration ua-cam.com/play/PLcLLcJeGMH_IoPBJq3NI2jXoQaQHsS1Ix.html
Probably nothing wrong with it, you took it to Halfords, they've never passed an MOT first time as they want to rip you off replacing parts that aren't broken first 😂
Nino, Bodywork, Have a look for a SMART repairer not saying they will be able to do it but you might find one that will be able to do something for you on your drive - That really needs a bodyshop but a really good SMART person might be able to help, keep it cheep and make some content? Don't try to do it yourself, without the interest to do it, it will go wrong and you will pay twice
Cheers, Gary, I'll get in contact with some SMART repairers and see what they say. You're definitely right about it going wrong if I have no interest. Plus, doing it outside in the wind with all the dirt would only end in tears even if I gave it my all!
Hi, I work on a mobile basis, doing servicing and MOT repair's, if your stuck mate gimme a shout, as long as your not too far away, you'd probably be quite pleasantly suprised at my pricing, and as long as it gets you back on the road " happy day's"
Thought you wouldve checked or noticed a leek????? anyway......TIP: NEVER EVER take your mot at Halfrauds or queerfit.......absolute idiots work there.
Another modern German manufactured Mini that quite frankly has so many issues you wonder why people actually put up with these overpriced junk cars? 🤷♂️
german shite. my wifes mums 1987 toyota corolla she bought new is still running perfect and never had a single issue. still on original dampers and clutch. never ever buy german crap is the lesson here
Best bit of advice I can give you is don’t use halfords for mot’s or any car work. Their reputation is bad I am not saying every single one but level of competence is low and they like to create work for themselves. I realise in this case it’s a definite fail but I would find a good friendly non franchise garage in future.
I agreed. Especially for service work. A friend of mine recently sent his 4 year old vw t6 into a local halfrauds for a full service and to have some lowering springs fitted. The van came out driving like a bag of bolts. He was advised by a mutual friend to take it to vw to have it inspected. They discovered that the fuel filter hadn’t been changed, neither had the air filter. The oil looked new but with it being a diesel it’s hard to tell but the oil filter was definitely old. But the main/worst thing was they had completely mangled one of the front hubs while fitting the new springs. For some reason they forced one shock absorber down through the hub by about an inch breaking the small locating lug at the bottom of the hub. They only did it on the one side so the whole suspension geometry was off and it was causing the arb to hit the frame 🤦♂️ they had also removed the rubber sleeves off the rear springs that stop them from clanging about when you go over bumps. So every time he hit a bump it sounded like a tool box had fallen over in the back. He’s taking them to court because they’re denying responsibility. Avoid like the plague
Oddly enough, I disagree. Halfords may have some targets to meet, but they are a big name operator, and whilst staff quality might vary, I am not clear they have any great incentive to take advantage of their customers. Whereas, take your vehicle to the "local bloke under the arches", and he answers to no one, and might embark of ripping off a vulnerable customer customer. I had this recently with a garage I have used for years. A change of hands, and suddently the car I took in required £1600 of work, including a HG and clutch, when I believed it was a much cheaper repair, and had in fact been fixed one before a year earlier for £80.
There are rogues all over, and when garages are so busy, they can aford to lose the odd customer, when the charges are being ramped up on the 9/10 who know no better.
@jujuUK68 If you check out my recent video on the Jag S-Type you’ll see exactly this - an independent garage scamming its customer to high noon!
That Jag looked mint though
Agreed, took my car for an mot, failed but no advisories They quoted for the work, I got it done a lot cheaper elsewhere and on the retest it passed but now with a list of advisories.
Oh, by the way, ... Fixing that lacquer (top coat) is a real easy fix .... Just flattern it down with wet & dry (1200) then 1500, then 2000 ... Then spray new lacquer over it and just blend it in (go lighter on edges) then once dry, buff it up with G3, then G10 then normal polish / wax ... Will look as good as new .... I am also a Sprayer / Panel beater ;-)
Worth leaving sanding/buffing for a week so its really hard. Harder it the better the shine. At least that's my experience.
Don't be too hard on yourself Nino. I was once refused an MOT in the distant past for a suspension problem. Like you say, it's all experience and you take it all in your stride.Whoever gets your Mini will certainly getting one that is truly sorted = and there are some real sheds around. Agree about cleaning cars... especially the interior. Minis are particularly a pain to clean inside 😉
I recently changed the brake hose on my Chevy Blazer and it has a banjo with a copper washer like you do and I had trouble with it leaking. Check the torque setting for that bolt as it is a lot more than I thought it was going to be. ALSO and this is important you should anneal the copper washer before fitting it. Just heat it to cherry red and then drop it into a bucket of cold water. This makes the copper much softer and it will seal properly and not leak. If you don't anneal the washer you don't know the work hardened state of the copper and it may not seal well. Annealing copper washers was something we did back in the dark ages on the head gaskets of Triumph motorbikes
Ahh that's really interesting. I know copper work hardens really easily, but I didn't know that annealing it softens it up. Makes complete sense that softening the washer is going to make it seal properly. Cheers for that, Mark 👍🏻
Back in the day (c.1978 for me) if your car didn't start- it stayed there until you fixed it yourself. I learned as you are learning- although things were simpler then- but the satisfaction was the same!
Love the level of honesty in your videos, people learn from mistakes and too few youtubers share this reality, I personally enjoyed the anecdotes of your learning from this experience
One washer fluid res is for the headlight washers. They come out and spray the headlights when you wash the windscreen with the headlights on. Had my mini 2 months before i figured it out lol
Haha yeah seems like a bit of a quirky system if you ask me
I had a front calliper replaced on one of my cars by a local garage and when I took it for the MOT a couple of weeks later at the same garage, they failed it on a twisted brake hose. To add insult to injury, they charged me to fix it.
Same garage, I took a car that I had just bought to get the tyres balanced then the same day took it to a Jaguar specialist a few miles away for a few other bits only to be informed that a rear tyre had a huge split in the inner sidewall.
I have never used that garage again despite them being only a few hundred yards from my house.
I once carried a cycle on a rack to get the car RWC test, took off the bike and rode home. They phoned me to say that the car failed because of the bike rack (only OK if it has a bike attached). I had to pay them $ to take it off, then when I rode back, had to pay them to put it back on.
Damn. If we had MOT inspections in California, half of the cars on the road would end up in the crusher where they belong. Keep pushing, you'll make it!
I've watched so much US car content over the years and I always look at the cars and wonder how on earth they're allowed on the road in that condition haha
i do all the brake maintenance on all my cars myself but then at 15 i did an apprenticeship for 4 years. One thing i was taught was when doing any brake jobs be methodical and meticulous as a mistake could kill someone. If you have no formal training then don't dabble with brakes its too dangerous. If that car had run out off fluid you would have had no brakes CRAZY
As a Hgv mechanic for 20 years I totally agree with you. And he thinks its funny, what a muppet.
if it had run out of fluid it would throw a light up on the dash long before it becomes dangerous.
The original cabin filter was “charcoal” activated and that’s why it was greyish as opposed the “cheaper” replacement
Hi Nino, just a quick tip for you regarding the copper washers on the brake line banjos, when refitting after removal, anneal the washers first by heating then dropping in cold water. This re-softens the washer and improves the seal when tightening. Your videos are very addictive!!!
Copper washers can be softened by heating to red heat. You can quench them if you want to get rid of the black oxide quickly, it doesn't affect the softening process.
Good work so far! My money is on a washer missing. Done it myself and it's easy to miss as sometimes they stick to the old caliper or fall out and don't make a *tink sound when they hit the ground because they're light and covered in fluid.
Cheers bud. Sounds like that's what has happened to me. Bought myself some new items, so hopefully it's as simple as fitting a new one!
Hay Mate,
the one washer fluid compartment is for the windscreen (also back) and the other one is für the headlights. Cooper S always had Xenon Lights and need a washer for road legality.
Cheers!
I have an s with Xenons. Spent ages replacing the pump to get the washer's working for MOT. Only too be told !!!! no not tested on this model year....2008 😲😡
Thanks for that mate. I'll have a play around with the washer and see if I can get it working, but I probably won't spend too long on it because the car will still pass the test if it's broken...
really love this UA-cam content & your attitude towards resolve these & resolving other ongoing issues - you will be rewarded with a solid R53 Driving machine
Cheers, Garrie 👍🏻
Good Filter. I use Mann Filter on Mini Cooper S R56.
Probably 2 crush washers per banjo bolt. One above and one below. 🤞
I'll give two a go and test it out 👍🏻
No probably, definitely 2
Not crush washers though.
The lacquer peel needs sorting properly, the previous owners story may be true but I'd say the car has been painted (or some has and adjoining panels have been lacquered out) as the factory lacquer won't usually pull off with a wrap, a lot of pdr guys pull dents out using glue pads on the lacquer.
I'd do whole panels, while it may be possible to use a fade out thinner and 'blow in' sections it won't be as good as doing it properly. That's how you lose the edge when blowing in, the fade out will dissolve the over sprayed 'edge' and make it almost invisible, at least for a while. I'd remove as much trim as possible and do whole panels though, better job.
I've had quite a bit of feedback about the lacquer peel and I'm definitely not going to do the job myself - seems way more like an art form than a science I could quickly learn haha. Think I'm going to get a few quotes from the pros and see how much it's going to cost.
Way back in 1982 I took a Mk1 Escort for MoT and a rusty brake pipe burst and soaked the tester who was under the car!
I bet you were popular 😂
Mind you, I had a car that ran out of fuel on the MOT ramp and wouldn't restart due to being vapor locked. Doh!
Crush washers need changing every time you take the connection apart; as they get "crushed" out of shape when the connection is tightened down.
Lessons learned.
If it helps, my DiL had FOUR PAGES of MOT failures on a car given to her by her grandparents; reading between the lines, the car had been left waist deep in sea water for a week or more; as basically everything below waist level was rusted out.
We ended up giving the car to the fire brigade for rescue practice (cutting the front open)
Crush washers aren't the same as copper or alloy sealing washers (crush washers look like a thin ring and as you say absolutely should be replaced every time) You can reuse them if they're in good order and not pitted. The usual issue is when reassembling they should be reinstalled as they came off.
If available though I would prefer to replace them but it's not an absolute. The washers on the callipers for these aren't crush apart from the very, very slight deformation you may see where a portion of washer sits inside a 'dead' area of a fitting.
That's a shame about the MOT, ... To be honest they sound very strict (to put it nicely), it sounds like they were picking on everything they could find because they knew the fail on the brakes, ... They could of been more lenient on you! .... It will pass once the brakes and bulbs are sorted, have faith, you've done a brilliant job on that car, .... I've been a car mechanic for over 30 years but I knew nothing about these Mini's at all ... Only knew about the older Mini's so am an old school mechanic and seeing what you did to this car is amazing, well done, I take my hat off to you!
Very strict? He had a major brake fluid leak for gods sake. Unless the were lying about the bulbs they were also a genuine failure
I love cleaning my Mini. I do it most weekends (weather permitting).
we have alot of dandruff on lackerd cars in portugal with the heat my paint guy so gently rubs it down with worn out wet and dry then re lackers but after a couple of years in needs head and shoulders
😂 😂
Great advances in your own knowledge, life and especially cars are a constant learning curve.. Any modern Haynes manual has an MoT prep list.. handy to look up. Simple fixes to go, big jobs done.. well done so far.!
Been there, luckily I took it to a local mot place that I still use and tightened the brake pipe union up while the mot was being done, things happen all the time, yes it's disheartening but it's an easy fix
Sometimes you get good garages like that. I picked up a car from an MOT once and they replaced a load of bulbs for me as they went so that it passed. I think it's the small local places that do things like that...
Yes you should always use new copper washers were they are fitted. You can get packs of various sizes easily enough. Glad to see you are up and about again.🙂
Cheers, Simon - it's good to be back. Yep, lesson learned on the washers. Bought a pack of various sizes, so should help me out with future projects 👍🏻
You can use them again if you heat them up then quench them to soften them up again. Quick rub on some fine wet and dry will take any scags off them.
@@philtowle4683
I've never bothered heating them up but could be a good fix when you're in a spot! I've wet and dryed (where required) and reused existing washers though.
While flat alloy and copper washers do 'crush' to a tiny degree it's not the same level as you'll see with the type that look like thin rings before fitting. They absolutely do need replacement every time!
Glad to see you back and well Nino! UA-cam is handy to have but sometimes small details like the crush washer are over looked. Worth investing in a Haynes or Bentley Publishing manual just to give you that little bit of extra detail, back-up and confidence in the work you’re doing. Keep up the good work sir!
Cheers, David. I've come so close a number of times to buying the Bentley manual, but as I kept getting closer and closer to the end of the project the £100 they want for it just started seeming more expensive...
Nice to see you back 👍, takes a while to get over it, tiredness is the worst 🤦🏻♂️, Mot testers can test you’re patience ! Child seat fitted, items removed from rear view mirror, etc etc ! Made me chuckle about the brake fluid leak 😂 ! We live and learn 👍
It's good to be back! Was painful not being able to do anything. I hear you about the tiredness - that's the only thing that's left over from it. Not just a brake fluid leak, Anthony... a 'major' break fluid leak 😅😂
You made me laugh . I like your humility and honesty at only being human. Subscribed !
If I ever made videos , everything would go perfectly … in the edit 😂🤣
I'm sure you will get all them fails sorted and be out enjoying the car. Great video. 👍
Any warning light in the dash means the car fails. It’s not hard to put fuel in or make sure all lights work. Left front washer will probably fail as one jet out of two was working.
Replacing a flexible brake hose isn’t difficult.
Crush washers cannot be reused because they are crushed.
On the original mini the sump drain needed a new copper washer every time the oil was changed.
I've heard that even a faulty tyre pressure sensor (if fitted) is a fail.
We refuse to do an MOT if when we get in them and the fuel light is on because it just wastes our time because vehicle has to be at full operating temperature to do the emissions test and if we have the vehicle running to get it up to temperature and it runs out of fuel before emissions test is done then it will fail anyway as "Unable to complete emissions test" and then vehicle has to be pushed out of MOT bay and some other tests need the engine running to do them like brake test as you need vacuum in the brake servo to assist in braking effort, it's not rocket science to put fuel in before taking car for test.
Same as you need water in a washer reservoir to see if the windscreen washers and wipers work. You cant help stupid mate.
Tell me who you work for ? So I know NEVER to bring a car to you for an MOT , your tester is obviously a picky pr!ck to refuse to test because the fuel lights on , if it runs out during the test , abort the test , otherwise , test as normal , NOT a valid reason to refuse to test and a test refusal that if appealed, could easily result in points for the tester as the dvsa will side with the punter on this
To be fair low fuel light is a reasonable fail as running out of fuel on the highway is an offence. Also there needs to be enough fuel to carry out the emissions part of the test and if the light is on, who knows if there is enough to complete it.
Just for information .. the advisories although trivial, is proof to the Ministry that the vehicle has actually been tested. If such things are not noted, the Ministry can't be sure that an iffy test hasn't been conducted. Should they require for QC purposes to inspect your vehicle (which they can do if they wish), at least the faults listed will confirm testing.
As an MOT tester that fuel level advisory is incorrect/ down to discretion. If the fuel level is low enough then refusal to test is correct.
I have had that before. When my Astra get fuel line burst just after electric pump spraying fuel everywhere
Third brake light its 34 quid, you got a bunch of bulbs out, and that caliper needs sorting and you won't have any other issues, and you need someone to check the front washer for the headlight, if it don't check the fuse, or buy a secondhand jet for the headlight, I got a set of intercooler boots and bigger intercooler for sale if you want to hit me up
Nice one mate. So best just to buy a whole new third brake light? Take it that you can't get in and replace individual bulbs?
Halfords, ATS and Kwik Fit are three places I'd avoid like the plague unless DESPERATE!
i used to get moaned at on forums/fb groups as when someone asked what tools they needed for a certain job(brakes were asked a lot) i responded with the following-
if you need to ask what tools are needed/advice on doing a job on brakes for example...you shouldn't be touching them as if you need to ask you aren't qualified.
Cool story
Yes and no. You might be competent but certain niche or at least less used tools you may not know about. Very elitist and unhelpful type of advice, there.
@skylined5534 no not at all. its all about safety. if u gotta ask u don't know what u are doing and shouldn't touch brakes for example.
Hey Nino, Look on the bright side, it got you there & back & it's only 2 new crush washers & a bleed.
Steer clear of rattle can for the body work mate, won't look good where the repair is if you rattle can it.
Colour will be off, orange peel & stand up will be visible from 30 feet away & without the correct fade out thinners, correct polish equipment & skill level you will soon burn through the fade line & end up chasing the edge.
Normally with peel, edge to edge panel repair is called for but a smart repair will be good enough to flip it.
Oh that peel is not due to a wrap being removed, minis suffer with it from UV degradation, especially red ones.
I really like cleaning my mini, it's therapeutic, especially the interior...
Nice & Shiney 😁
I'm definitely going to steer clear of doing the lacquer job myself. Had a few comments like yours that make it seem way more like an art form rather than a science. I suppose that's why we have garages and bodyshops as separate entities!
Great to see your making videos again Nino :D
Next times the charm :D
Cheers bud - it's good to be back!
Onwards........ almost there. Keep going.
I had a local garage hate me because i did all the work he said i couldnt outside on my drive using my own non special tools he reckoned i needed to do the jobs. I fitted a new gearbox, clutch and catalytic converter to my old fusion II. Took the whole front off the car and got to it all that way. Made the car like new, He failed it on clear indicator lenses (orange bulbs) that were standard ford parts!!! And a grease stain on the drivers seatbelt!!!!
I know the exact type of person you're talking about. They hold certificates, qualifications, and 'the proper process' above all else (they're probably on the parish council - you know the type 😂). They slaved away for years at it without realising that it's really not all that difficult if you just try hard enough with determination and enthusiasm.
So bummed that Bob didn’t pass his MOT. At least you have a good idea what needs to be done and how to do it.
As far as the clear coat - find a shop to do the work. Possibly ask the shop if there are things you can do to reduce the cost - for example you personally remove and reinstall the fender flares, the belt line trim under the window and the rear bumper cover. Might save an hour worth of shop labor time. Then again you might not want to work on the fiddly bits and fresh paint.
I repaired rust spots on the tailgate and under the tail light of my last R53. I have a fairly clean and organized heated 3.5 car garage and while in the end the work turned out okay for a first timer, I wouldn’t tackle that project again. I spent too much time and money spent on supplies for a simple spot repair. You have to carefully sand down each rear quarter panel and spray in a clean, warm and dry environment. Your car park does not lend itself to a decent finish. Can you do it? I have no doubt. Should you do it? No. Leave it to a professional. My opinion.
You are almost there Nino! Almost there!
Any thoughts on the sale and next project car?
You're right - I'll be leaving it to the professionals for sure. I can just see so much going wrong with doing a job like that outdoors in the conditions that I have. Wind, rain, dust, etc.
I already have the next project car - hoping to make a video on it real soon 😉 😎
Nino,
Time was, If it failed on a SAFETY item, they didn’t let you drive away in it…it had to be repaired there.
Don't use halfrauds or ATS for MOT'S if they offer a fix it's a second mortgage lol,an indy would ring an quote you a fix for easy stuff like that.
Keep the content coming 👌
Morning Nino!!!! Hope you're feeling better Fella 👍
Yeah much better now mate - just got to shake this horrendous tiredness that won't leave me haha.
Possibly two copper washers, one either side of the banjo 👍
I really love ❤️ cleaning my car and my childrens cars each Sunday 👍👍❤️❤️
Fair play to you. Really wish I liked it - would save me lots on money on the car wash haha
Keep the videos coming Bud 👍Very interesting watch 👍👍😀😀
Not had the best MOT history but hardly much to complain about.
So true about the low fuel thing haha
Great video mate loved the laptop part lol “ lets pretend i didnt open up this laptop” 🤣 something i would do lol
Haha I'm starting to think working on classics might be a better idea - less electronics!
Don't use Halfords for MOTs (or anything relating to cars!). Find a good independent garage. They would likely have called you and offer to fix the leak there and then for half an hours labour saving you lots of time and hassle.
That's definitely something I've noticed over the years with chain garages vs independents. I once took a car for an MOT to an independent and when I turned up to collect they had replaced three bulbs already and charged me a fiver. They got great word of mouth from me for years after that
Never use multinational garages Hailfrauds, quak fit, etc. They have target's to meet, and that target is your Bank account usualy. Most independent's are honest trustworthy and like to get returning customers, Keep up the good work. every job you do yourself is a bonus.
The tester was right-he had to fail/abort test..when you fit a caliper, most good replacements come with the new copper washers.
You should then test it under pressure-if no assistant, just wedge brake pedal done with a piece of wood or whatever.
reg.plate could be just a bulb.
disconnect hi level brake light and its a pass ;)
re: your air leak' make a smoke machine...it's on ytube :)
On a positive, with a school boy error on the Caliper, you have now passed the test to get a job at Halfrauds.... surprised they didn’t offer you a job there and then 😵🤣
Nah.... onwards and upwards, you done a lot of work in one go, very easy to miss something. 👍
Haha I'll ask them next time if they have any vacancies. I do wish it had gotten to the end of the test so I can see what else I might have missed!
Great to see you back, been really enjoying all your videos!! Don’t be disheartened about the MOT, you’ll get “Bob” through it I’m sure 😃
Cheers James. Yeah we’ll get there - might just have to remortgage the house to do it though haha
Had an car before that fail an mot test and the tester would not let me drive it away
Gutted for you mate.. Especially after all the hard work.. Ive been there with the leaking pipe on the caliper.. replaced mine on a mondeo st once, but didn't nip it up enough.. didn't notice till my tester pulled me up on it.. As for the other items? Some testers can be a bit too picky.. but, an mot tester can refuse to even test a vehicle, if he feels there is insufficient fuel, because enough is needed for the emissions part of the test and the fact that the vehicle is left running for a long period.. Anyway, even though the failures sound bad, you'll have them done in no time..
Easy mistake to make I guess. Hard to see if the brake is leaking without an extra pair of eyes. Hear what you're saying about the fuel, but the light had only just come on lol. Oh well at least I can fix all these bits easily enough before the next test and get as few advisories as possible!
@@NotEconomicallyViable After all the work you've done, it is easy to miss the odd few bits, but as you've said.. they are easy fixes, so hopefully, you'll come away with a clean sheet and a fresh ticket..
Take the car to a hand car wash , they normally do a great job inside and out for £20_25 , and there's loads all over the place
WOW super pricy but I guess it depends where you live.
I live in Indonesia - the cheapest of the new minis would cost you around 12K gbp - I wonder if anyone has half a clue as to the grief they may be buying.....
Was thoroughly enjoying this until you said I can't understand people that enjoy cleaning their cars! 😶
Pull the entire interior out seats and all carpet and wool underlay,. The mini Bob will never truly belong to you until you fully strip the interior out and clean fully.
I’ve just found your channel 🚗, your car does look good, little bit here and there on the body work overall It’s not that bad, brakes do work under high pressure and if you have a leak it often looks much worse than it is, take your time and do it right you should be ok. I’m no mechanic but do most of my jobs myself on my Mini. I look forward to catching up on your other blogs and seeing your progress. Keep the faith brother👍
you seem to tackle mechanical so it just practice follow the dave 24v your pick it up
Bob it's short for Kate
You live and learn🤣 always a good thing to laugh about afterwards eh? Congrats on getting this far though - the end is in sight!
Also, just checked the MOT history online and it’s not recorded on the system (because the test was abandoned), so that’s a good thing as it won’t show your mistake to future buyers🤣
If I didn't laugh I'd just cry haha. Yeah the test doesn't show, which is good. They also gave me a refund on the test, which I wasn't expecting. Let's just hope the future buyer doesn't watch these videos 😅
Apparently it's common place on older car's like getting any parts it could to do with getting "ice" cars off the road and the persistent push to extremely expensive EV's noone can ever afford, it's beyond a joke the government hitting the car owner from all sides.
Dude you dont need the pc to bleed the brakes man
Oh dear Halfords, I sued then many years ago for failing my car (the wife took it) which I had worked on, full engine rebuild everything done full Monty, I picked the wife up made an new appointment at another garage took it the next morning and it passed on everything not a thing wrong with it, engine smoke test so low the mechanic asked if the engine had been rebuilt where Halfords failed it, Anyway Halfords returned my money with a letter of apology.
Could you put part 1 part 2 on the mini so know which watching first to last
Don’t quite have the time to do that mate, but here’s the Mini playlist and they should all be in order: Mini Cooper S R53 Restoration
ua-cam.com/play/PLcLLcJeGMH_IoPBJq3NI2jXoQaQHsS1Ix.html
@@NotEconomicallyViable thanks you. Doing great job fella. Keep it up.. love to see Mercede fix too if have time 👍
Cheers mate. Working on the Merc currently - it’s turned into a pretty big job behind the scenes 👍🏻
@@NotEconomicallyViable look nice motor in back ground.
We live and learn.
When I mot a car if it’s got screen wash I will just put some in not worth the paperwork
Good lad 🙌🏻
Halfords garage and Especially Kwickfit are not very good , infact I wouldn't go there if you paid me too
Never ever use Halfords or kwik fit for mot
If you're a Blackadder fan then BOB is a perfectly suitable girls name.
The plastic elbow charger pipe
Mine did it you don't have to take everything off to fix it watch my video on it
Checked out your video and can see how to play around with it without taking everything off. Cheers for that 👍🏻
Just take off the bumper and losses the radiator and you can reach in to take off the bolts
You could next time check the light in dack next time . ,l this should never happened
Probably nothing wrong with it, you took it to Halfords, they've never passed an MOT first time as they want to rip you off replacing parts that aren't broken first 😂
Nino, Bodywork, Have a look for a SMART repairer not saying they will be able to do it but you might find one that will be able to do something for you on your drive - That really needs a bodyshop but a really good SMART person might be able to help, keep it cheep and make some content? Don't try to do it yourself, without the interest to do it, it will go wrong and you will pay twice
Cheers, Gary, I'll get in contact with some SMART repairers and see what they say. You're definitely right about it going wrong if I have no interest. Plus, doing it outside in the wind with all the dirt would only end in tears even if I gave it my all!
Replace you lamps with LED lamps, they will out last the car and possibly you!
Hi, I work on a mobile basis, doing servicing and MOT repair's, if your stuck mate gimme a shout, as long as your not too far away, you'd probably be quite pleasantly suprised at my pricing, and as long as it gets you back on the road " happy day's"
Check out Chrisfix videos on bodywork and painting. Very detailed and makes it look easy
oops 🤭
👍🏼👍🏼🚘
meet your match dont like it my self
You miss gendered him. Thought he was Bob not her
Thought you wouldve checked or noticed a leek????? anyway......TIP: NEVER EVER take your mot at Halfrauds or queerfit.......absolute idiots work there.
Another modern German manufactured Mini that quite frankly has so many issues you wonder why people actually put up with these overpriced junk cars? 🤷♂️
because you need to know what u buy.... mine doesn't have any issues appart from age related like it needs new brakes....
It is BMW, not a Mini.
german shite.
my wifes mums 1987 toyota corolla she bought new is still running perfect and never had a single issue. still on original dampers and clutch.
never ever buy german crap is the lesson here