Japanese spec 1998 Rover Mini automatic - experiences??

Hi all.
I am new to this site.
My wife has a 1998 Rover Mini automatic (Japanese spec). I have just requested info, and a price, via email, for a pscan and the necessary leads for the Japanese spec car. I wondered, whilst awaiting the reply, if anyone has had experience of using pscan on this spec car?
We live in Jersey and the availability of skilled assistance with Rover Minis (even non-Japanese spec) is dire, to say the least. Nobody is interested - or has the necessary knowledge or experience to want to "go there". One garage was prepared to have a go, but the lack of a tester stumped him.
Briefly, the auto transmission had issues, so we drove it to Northampton to get the transmission refurbished. After months of delays, we got it back and the guy appears to have done a sterling job on the "box". But he told us that he found (or had himself) damaged connectors on the injection side of things, and he had problems getting it to run properly. Eventually he got it running smoothly enough for us to bring it back to Jersey. But he said that the stepper motor, air temperature sensor and injector sensor all needed "looking at". It runs OK but is reluctant to settle to a smooth idle when cold. You have to "blip" the throttle a bit for ten seconds or so otherwise it stalls when you lift your foot off. I am hoping that pscan will help me and the garage chap establish what may be wrong - and give the injection / ECU system a check-over. Is this realistic in your experience????
Please forgive the long-winded story!
Many thanks,
Bill

We have sold a few pscan units to customers in Japan, but I have never heard anything back from them.
The Japanese spec Mini had SPI ECUs with the three pin plugs after European market ones went to MEMS2J. The Jananese ones actually also have the sixteen pin socket but it's only communication with the Airbag ECU.

Here are the live data parameters that you can view with these engines:-

Many thanks for your reply Philip. Looking at the data, it appears that it should give my garage guy much more to go on - which is what I was searching for! As I said, there is an horrendous shortage in Jersey of anyone prepared to work on older cars. Those who are don't appear to have the necessary diagnostic tools or ability. My own knowledge and experience is woefully inadequate to the task too! Thanks for replying to my email too - look forward to getting the invoice so I can complete the purchase.
Regards,
Bill

Hello Bill. I own both a Pscan and a Classic MPI Mini ( Not Japan Spec ) . We have owned the Mini from new ( 22 years ) and the Pscan has been an excellent diagnostic tool and I wouldn't hesitate to buy one . There are very few diagnostic tools as good as Pscan apart from the original MG/ Rover Testbook and the Sykes Pickervant ACR4 . Both these are very expensive to buy ,if you can find them !
:yesnod: :yesnod:

Many thanks for the reply - and the much appreciated reassurance! I have asked Philip to invoice me for one and look forward to using it with my garage guy. It was this sort of independant experience and personal knowledge that I was looking for- and I thank you for it.

Is your Mini SPI or MPI, single or multi point injection? If it's post 96 it could be an MPI. The MPI has a reset that you can do to try and sort out the idle air control valve / stepper motor. If it's an SPI I'm not so certain as the inlet manifold is different. SPI has two pesky vacuum pipes with stupid rubber elbows that can get broken off by the ECU and under the throttle body and if this is the case the mixture will be screwed, and tick over will be high. If the car is MPI you simply turn on the ignition for a few seconds, then turn it off and with the ignition off press the accelerator pedal to the floor five times. Then turn the ignition back on and start the engine. If the car has been off the road for a while, it may be that the IACV will need a good clean as they can get a bit gunged up. Pscan can help to reset it but please tell your mechanic guy NOT to adjust the idle speed using the throttle body screw as these are set from the factory and should not be moved :nonod: ! Also, worth mentioning is the throttle cable tension on the MPI. The cable should have some slack/free play in it where it goes to the throttle body. The cable is anchored to a bracket by a square nut. If the cable is tight, simply lift the nut off the bracket and back it off till you have no tension and slot the nut back on the bracket.
If you buy a Pscan you will need to tell Phillip which engine the car is as the diagnostic port is different. The MPI diagnostic port is under the dash and the SPI in in the engine bay and should have a black rubber cover over it. 16 pin vs 3 pin I believe.

John

PS Just checked and Japan spec Minis were all SPI so check those stupid vac pipe elbows!

Hi John.

Many thanks - very comprehensive info!

I'm going off what I have read, never having any experience of injection Minis before this one. Pam's previous car was a 1984 998 Mayfair that she had for over 20 years - so carb and old style ignition. We came across this new one in Newcastle - a chap was importing them from Japan. Apparently, they are being forced off the road there by tighter legislation. Anyway, it seems that Japanese spec cars were SPI right through to 1999. Philip's site says that they have the 3-pin diagnostic connection under the bonnet as well as the (16?) pin connector under the dash - but this is for the air bag ECU only. I've ordered the pscan and a special lead that he provides for Japanese spec cars. I believe that this lets you connect to both test points at once and, as a bonus, provides the 12V needed for the pscan. That is my understanding anyway - I'll know better once it arrives and I can have a play. I have 4 new vacuum pipes, a fuel trap, and new stepper motor. Hopefully the pscan will help us to establish what needs changing. The garage guy did tell me that someone in the past has moved all of the adjustments, quite likely the transmission chap - he is brilliant at what he does, but not too good outside his area of expertise it seems.

Anyway, thanks again for your info John - much appreciated!!

Bill

Oh well your well on the way to sorting the car out if you have the vac pipes . The pipe under the throttle body is an absolute B....D to fit and your mechanic will have his patience tested .
Interestingly the engine on later Japan Spec cars went from SPI engine block to MPI , the later having wasted spark ignition and coil pack but still retained the side mounted radiator.
As this is an MG forum and a very good one , I wouldn't want upset the folk on here with Mini related problems so , if you need any other info , you can always PM me .

John .

The pscan section of the forum is for all pscan owners, irrespective of the car. It isn't limited to MGF/TF owners.

Bill, am I correct in thinking that the Japanese spec Mini doesn't have a 5AS alarm system?

Hi Philip.

As far as I am aware, Japanese spec Minis have no alarm system fitted. I know nothing about 5AS so looked it up on the Interweb and there is no box in Pam's Mini that looks like that portrayed on the pages I saw, there is no fuse for any alarm, and the car doesn't have fob access - just a key.

So, I would say that you are correct in that it doesn't have it fitted.

Cheers!

Best,

Bill