9 replies to this topic

[minimininut]

Hello people, please help me

 

Arthur, 1988 Mini City

 

In January, I was turning off a roundabout in 2nd gear, on a slight incline, when I realised the engine had cut out - no power, when I looked at the dash the ignition light was on. No noise / stalling, had just cut out. Started the engine, went on my way, nothing like it has happened since, until today.

 

I was changing lanes, in 2nd again, and also a really small incline, when he kind of jumped / hicupped - looked down, ignition light was on, but engine had recovered and I was still moving.

 

Any ideas of what this might be about?

 

May or may not be relevant so I'll mention - he runs at a temperature somewhere between cold and middle after getting to the normal line (which as a separate issue, I'm about to try to sort out with thermostat / temperature sender). But it's so intermittent - and today was ten minutes after I started the engine, but in January was during a 2 hour journey, that it feels like this might not be related in any way.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Nikki

[nicklouse]

I would be checking the wiring to the dizzy.

[minimininut]

Ok, thanks.Moved Into The Garage - I'll check for moisture in the cap and the wiring.

 

Open to any other suggestions, as it scares the bejesus out of me when I lose power like this, so would really like to check as many possibilities as I can and try to sort it - hate intermittent problems like this.

[unburntfuelinthemorning]

That's horrible when it cuts out like that, you stop trusting it.  This thread may give you some ideas from when I had a similar problem:

 

http://www.theminifo...ignition-fault/

[minimininut]

Thanks Speeding Along Now, yes, exactly, I'd started trusting that it was a one off and maybe a driver error so it's annoying that it's happened again. Thanks for the link, will try some of those - glad you got the problem sorted in the end.

[andyapanel]

It has happened to me in Minis, Metros, Allegros and Ford based Kit Cars-it was always the coil.

They often misfire when warm but are fine cold. 

Good luck tracking it down soon, unless you enjoy the Adrenaline rush, of course:)

[minimininut]

Thanks Andyapanel - I'll add coil to the list of possibilities.

 

I reckon I'm pretty lucky that no one went into the back of me on either occasion  - definitely not an adrenaline junkie! ;) 

[cal844]

My estate does this if I'm coming to idle after a drive, it's running rich, so I think the timing may be slightly out.

However what I'd do first is check for moisture in the ignition system and wiring.

Then I'd take it a drive and try to replicate the fault on a quiet stretch where you can coast to a safe stop and check the colour of the spark plugs.

Just out of curiosity does it pass the emissions at MOT time?

[minimininut]

Thanks Crazy-About-Minis, I'll make sure he is checked for moisture all round and look at wiring / earth too maybe??

 

I have a suspicion this is going to be electrical has he was stripped and rebuilt a year ago and occasional electrical gremlins have been appearing (temperature gauge wasn't working and something else I can't remember).

 

It is happening so rarely that I think it's going to be really difficult to replicate (early January to mid February, no problems - but both times on a slight hill??!?? - so I think I'm going to have to get things thoroughly checked and hope it never happens again. 

 

The last couple of times the mixture has been checked it has been said to be spot on and he does indeed pass the MOT emissions test. 

Edited by minimininut, 13 February 2019 - 04:20 PM.

[Its a min]

Has your dizzy got a vacuum?

 

I only ask as I had similar problems years ago with various old classics and found it to be anything as simple as bad/loose earth in the boot, corrosion on the fuse box, furring/oxidisation on the battery connector, coil, frayed condensor wire but on one occasion, I found the vacuum connector was jumping off the pin in the dizzy. Scary times!

 

Good luck.