Air filter

[deanojr7]

Thanks Martin.
For your PM information regarding your body build number,being tucked away there i believe it was an interesting find, if we all could find the dates and keep them logged down for the register.
Yes it would be a good idea if we could have a central information library as to keep everything logged down, as we all have something new to reveal and add about the ERA and that new information is always being found.

I started a new post as not to interfear with your restoration post (R1028) and also need to know how to disconnect the Air box filter from under the passenger wing,i have tried with no success and do not wish to break something unnecessary?

Thanks.

Dean

[G96LUE]

i think the air box should be attached to the inner wing by short exhaust style cotton reel mounts.
the nuts should be visible inside the bonnet.
I know mine is a guess but i think they are not too far from where shown in this photo.

[deanojr7]

That makes a bit of sense as there is not a lot of room under the wheel arch.
I will have a look tomorrow or the weekend.
I have slowly started taking bits off to clean and inspect the car after a long period being untouched.
The car is proped up on stands at the moment with the wheels, grill and sump guard off at the moment.
The car has been started and i slowly took it to a steady but easy 60mph changing through all the gears smoothly for the first time since 1996,oil pressure fine temp fine.Turbo didnt kick it, but noticed the small black U pipe has split and needs replacing,would this have an affect with the Turbo not kicking in?
Thanks for the advice.

[robr1006]

Confirming the answer already posted above, release the airpipe from the spigot protruding through the n/s inner wing.(Radiator side) Then undo the two nuts shown in the picture above. The airbox assembly can then be extracted from under the wing. As you take it out you will notice that ERA did not bother to rust proof any of the new holes through the inner wing!

The difficult part is disconnecting the air intake pipe to the air box which runs from the front of the car, through a large retaining hoop to guide it over the radiator intake. This pipe is held on with large jubilee clips which were seized on mine.

Modern Turbo installations include an intercooler to cool the air, you will notice that the ERA intake pipe actually gets heated by the proximity of the radiator!

Once you have the airbox extracted you will note what an interesting conversion it is! The original part is from Volvo and I believe was the airbox from a twin carb Volvo 144. ERA then manufactured a metal conversion plate to close the original Volvo openings and provide a single air inlet pipe.

The two halves of the airbox are held together by several spring clips which you probably could undo insitu without removing the airbox but I preferred not to struggle.

Back in the engine bay you need to check that the air pipe from the airbox is actually connected to the Turbo inlet - its a bit tricky to secure so often is not put on properly.

If your car has not been run since 1997 you should check all the pipework very carefully. Mine was also in store for 11 years before being re-commission and has now covered about 4000 miles - not without issue I should add!

One of the things I noticed was how much debris makes its way up to the fuel filter which sits on the bulkhead behind the carburettor. So I have changed this regularly. I ran mine for about 2000 miles before fitting a reconditioning kit the to carburettor - this transformed the car.

Do remember that if you are going to "exercise" the car hard that all the timing figures provided by ERA were for good old fashioned leaded fuel with a higher octane rating than todays unleaded fuel - this means that you have to advance the timing to prevent pinking - advance it too far and you will get the dreaded "detonation" with all the work that will entail. Best answer is to check and refurbish fuel, air and ignition systems and then have it set up on a rolling road by someone who is familiar with turbocharged A series engines. (Dont forget to check the tappets as well!)

Do I remember correctly that your car is r1007? I have been wondering what has been happening with it?

[deanojr7]

both advice and pictures helped, i wouldnt of had a clue.
Removed all ducting from under the wing and inside engine bay and disconected the indicator loom and removed indicator as well just incase.
The filter is Coopers AG416 AKC not sure if ERA were the last to change it looks like its been there a while as i believe it is the last thing you want to change by choice.

The car has been started twice a year, just been unable to change the gears untill now,just need to look at the Turbo pipe.
I now need to take off all the duct work from under the drivers side wing is there anthing hidden i should know about?

[an old original]

Hi G96LUE......In the above pic, I'm interested to know what's going on with the arrangement of the radiator overflow pipe going into a bottle?

[robr1006]

The drivers airducting under the wing feeds the heater and the drivers fresh air eyeball vent. On mine it has never really worked because of a combination of the reduction in pipe size from standard plus the strange piece of pipe used from the dashboard vent to the bulkhead.

On a standard Mini air is collected by a large elbow pipe to the left of the grill aperture, passed through the inner wing and is then joined up to the large pipe which feeds the heater intake and the fresh air eye ball vent. This arrangement works very well!

What ERA decided to do was use the large elbow pipe from the front grill to duct hot air from the back of the extra small radiator out of the engine bay and under the inner wing. The elbow pipe has been cut down slightly to allow room for the radiator.

To feed the the heater and fresh air vent ERA took a smaller diameter pipe from the drivers side bumper/spoiler and fed it up over the shock absorber mount and just tucked it inside the larger standard pipe!! So the reason it does not work very well is the reduced diameter and the fact that it is not sealed to the larger pipe!

Thats all you need to know!

BTW as an early car are you aware of the differences to the later cars? The wheels you have already covered elsewhere, I am thinking of the rear foglights being mounted directly on the body kit instead of "peeping" through and the arrangement with the separate seat bolsters on the early cars which are incorporated into the seats on the later cars.

I am intrigued by your cars G registration plate plus there are no details listed for the first owner in the ERA register! As a very early car I expected it to have an F plate (there are other later cars with F plates) and for Rover to be listed as the first owner.

[deanojr7]

Managed to disconect air ducting from under the drivers wing,its a bit of a weard set up but were unsure how the plastic casing is attached to the body so i have had to leave for now.

Its good how one thread can open up new information regarding the ERA. I did not know about the differences you mentioned and glad it is now on here for all to see. I will have a look at the belts to see the difference.

As for my car being registered (G) Reg iam a bit unsure ,it was built in the early summer of 89 and taken around the country by ERA to demonstrate to the Rover dealers before the release of the production cars.ERA owned it till 1991 and was used by one of there directors
My car and yours must of been built alongside one another.
Have you got any information regarding your car and when was your car registered? you have got a very rarest interesting ERA there.
as there is a black and white photo of youe ERA R1006 in one of the cooper register magazines from 1989 apparently it won its show class of 89 but i believe it must of been there on ERA`s behalf .

[r1076]

My Airbox is made of plastic with ERA p/n formed in.

It is interesting with the Volvo Airbox. Seems the ERA Guys used the Coopers AG416 as found in:

Volvo 142 2.0 (SU Carb) 1969-74

Volvo 144 2.0 (SU Carb) 1969-74

Volvo 145 2.0 DL 1969-74


I have the XR3i filter, but it doesn´t fit very good.

[an old original]

Halfords own brand no. HAL223 will fit if you can find one, but I think they have discontinued it recently