13 replies to this topic

[bobbym18]

Hi everyone,

My mini keeps misfiring randomly making it un-drivable. At first it was after driving for a while but no just idling its loosing power everyone now and then. I've looked at the spark plugs and they seem alright. HT leads look alright and everything in the dizzy cap looks alright.

The rocker cover gasket needs replacing but would that make any difference?

The car was only MOT'd and services 2 weeks ago. I need it for work etc so I need to get it sorted ASAP!

Any help appreciated!

[Bungle]

best take it back to who serviced it and get them to have another go , they might of turned the fueling down to get it through the emissions test

 

sounds like they didn't do a very good job the first time

Edited by Bungle, 16 May 2013 - 04:27 PM.

[bobbym18]

So you think it might be the fueling? Should I make it slightly richer?

[Bungle]

i would take the car back , you don't pay someone to make the car worse

[bobbym18]

I haven't got a day off until next weekend that's the only problem so if I can sort it myself I would like to. Before the mot and service it had been off the road for over a year

[Tamworthbay]

It could be a lot of things, but if you have a spare condensor its worth sticking it on. It will only take 5 minutes. A failing condensor usually starts showing itself by misfires under load then gets progressively worse.

[bobbym18]

Ok il try that later, I've got an old one that I replaced though it didn't really need replacing

[minimuk]

dizzy isseue, check for moisture in dizzy, I second the condenser, preferably a new one, check points gap, then check yr timing wiv strobe, then the fueling,good luck

[johnyc]

Timing checked? timing being off can cause epic backfires

[Carlos W]

Vacuum pipe to dizzy come off?

[sledgehammer]

I would go with condenser - a brand new one can fail within hours - & an old one can last years

 

check little earth lead in dizzi (if it has one) - they can corrode

 

& a tiny dab of grease on the points heel - without it - can cause the points heel to wear quickly - closing them

 

also check with a dwell meter (if you or a friend has one)

 

another thing - fuel may be a bit stale if it's been stored a while ?

 

but also contact the garage that serviced it

Edited by sledgehammer, 16 May 2013 - 07:56 PM.

[bobbym18]

Seems to be sorted for now. It's been misfiring all day while the engine was idling. I tried everything then I just sprayed WD40 on the dizzy cap, inside and out and it seems to have stopped for now.

Going to get some new leads tomorrow and see how she goes :)

[tiger99]

The trash condensers on the market these days may indeed fail within days. Even when they were properly made, and not in China, they had a limited life expectancy, and I used to always replace them regularly, when the points were replaced, to avoid breakdowns.

 

Part of the problem is that no modern car has a condenser, so they are only made, as far as I can tell, by third rate suppliers, the big boys who make good stuff having no interest in that business. It is very easy for a back street operation in downtown Shanghai to procure cheap ceramic capacitors and stuff them in the right size of metal can, but they just can't cope with the repetitive peak current and voltage, as the original paper insulated type could.

[Carlos W]

I've got an intermotor condensor I bought in a job lot. I listed it on eBay for 99p and it didn't sell