I have just finished putting a 1275 Vanden Plas Auto in a 998 auto mini. My first dealings with mini/metro auto engine and boxes. Whats the best oil to use in these 1275 auto's. Also what NGK plugs are recommended? Haynes only gives unipart plug numbers.
Now I've done I wouldn't touch another auto with a large pole!
Chris
I've just taken a 998 auto out to replace it with a 1098 manual. But from my auto experience. Cheap mineral 20W/50 oil works best. Anything else is too thin, and also finds its way out the bottom onto the road a lot more easily. The gearbox was designed to run on 1960s oils. It will only run worse on the modern stuff as it will interfere with the bands in the gearbox. I Always fit NGK BP6Es to my Minis, but for some reason my old auto was happier on BP5Es but I think that was just a quirk of that particular engine.
If anyone wants an auto subframe i've still got it sitting in the garage. I've heard they're good for fitting turbo engines due to the different engine mounting position.
Thanks for your comments clive. I've stuck a 74 degree thermostat in it to help it run cooler and removed the oil cooler the 1275VP metro used (no space) - the gear changes seem to drag on part throttle. Full throttle changes are fine but it does seem to leave changing upto 4th quite late. I was wondering If it could be the thick 20/50 I put in it not going thin as the temp guage hardly moves above the blue even after my 15mile country road blat to work!
Chris
The 20W50 oil is the right stuff for the auto box. The temp guage reading is probably due to the Metro temp sender in the head, unless you swapped it for the one that was on your original Mini head. The gear changes dragging might be because the kick down rod needs adjustment. On light throttle it should be in top gear by 30mph.
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