Dear God, can't ANYTHING just work?
I was missing one headlight/ring and the other looked like they had sprayed something on it that destroyed it - why not buy nice new stuff for the old girl - oh, because it probably isn't going to fit anyway!
The inner rings don't fit, the pilot bulb has no way to hold it in...
Fking fk old Minis SUCK! 50.gif
(https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-2TJVpth/0/L/i-2TJVpth-L.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-PZb9R6f/0/L/i-PZb9R6f-L.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-53HnFh6/0/L/i-53HnFh6-L.jpg)
Think if I hack off the 'notched' pieces for the adjusters from the new rings it will work (the old ones didn't have that)...there's clearly no room to slide it in there.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-QrX4w4t/0/L/i-QrX4w4t-L.jpg)
On the plus side I got the car started at least. Holy blue smoke batman...any way to tell if it's the head or the rings? I think the car sat for years and years...
Once I get the clutch working (must need a new master cylinder turned into must need a slave cylinder turned into, oh, the hose is completely blocked) maybe I can give it a drive some and see what happens. Maybe something will free up? How about some Seafoam?
Drive it hard and take compression checks to see if it comes up.
I agree, run it - hard - for a bit, what do you have to lose?
It may or may not improve the compression or oil burning if the rings are stuck.
Agree with all of the above, and if that does not work I would then try the same thing again after putting a little Marvel, or ATF, or liquid wrench through the plug holes and let it sit over night. It will smoke like it caught fire for a bit so definitely don't want to start it up in the garage but it can free up stuck rings if that is the issue.
Like Dave said, you basically have nothing to lose.
I cut those stupid tabs off my rings I've never seen an original that had em. Almost everything you buy for an old car is a half-assed kit that can maybe be turned into what you need on the bright side minis are better than most some of the aftermarket stuff can even be used right out of the box.