7 replies to this topic

[nerb]

Hi, I have recently aquired a LHD french early 1986 Mini 998cc and it was trailered here as a non runner/ non road legal, although I did have it running (very badly) before the move.

After sorting out a clutch master cylinder with a seal in the wrong way round (derr!) I was looking forward to getting the car road tested to see what I'm up against.

Guess what....won't start. Here's the situation:

It has a Ducellier distributor with points, checked, cleaned and gap set OK.
I'm getting a weak, yellowish spark at the plugs that jumps around and doesn't fire to the electrode well.

The coil is a mystery? It is a Ducellier also and although the paper label is worn, the body has 12V stamped on the plastic terminal end.
It has 4 wires to it. 2 to the negative (white/black) and 2 to the positive (white/pink with "resistance" written on and white/yellow). All from within the loom.
The white/pink reads at 12V when not connected with ignition on, but 6V when connected and reading it across the + and - terminals of the coil or from the + to earth. When cranked it reads 6V"ish" too.
Resistance accross the coil is around 1 ohms which is puzzling if it's a 12V non-ballast coil (unless it's knackered!)
After reading dozens of threads here I am sure the wiring is for a "ballast" coil but perhaps my 12V coil is "standard 12V" and has been stuck on the car by a dork and that's why it ended up in someone's barn for a couple of years.

The real question is...do I have a "ballasted" 12V coil or is it wrong for the car? I think I might need to replace it but need to know with what?

Desperate to get this little gem up and running and any help you peeps could give me would be greatly appreciated. If more info is needed just ask.

Thanks in advance and I love the site.....my new home for a while me thinks ;-) Cheers, nerb

Edited by nerb, 22 March 2010 - 01:15 PM.

[Pooky]

I'm sorry but dizzy knowledge is not my specialist subject but my Mrs' Mini was a 1984 with Ducellier dizzy. We had lots of problems with it eating condensors. Sometimes they would only last a matter of weeks. We got bored of replacing them so ripped it's guts out and replaced with an Aldon Electronic conversion designed for the Ducellier dizzy. Have you tried replacing the condensor?

[Dan]

You have indeed got the wrong coil fitted. Ballast coils are not stamped 12v, it's a broken regular coil that you have there. If I were you I would replace the coil and condensor, nothing else at this stage though.

[nerb]

You have indeed got the wrong coil fitted. Ballast coils are not stamped 12v, it's a broken regular coil that you have there. If I were you I would replace the coil and condensor, nothing else at this stage though.

Thanks for the quick responses.

Replace with a "ballast type" yes, and a new condenser too?

[nerb]

You have indeed got the wrong coil fitted. Ballast coils are not stamped 12v, it's a broken regular coil that you have there. If I were you I would replace the coil and condensor, nothing else at this stage though.

If the car is fitted with a "standard" 12v coil, and I need a "ballast" coil instead, I must also get a resistor for it, yes? seeing as there is not one fitted at the moment.
Where is the resistor usually fitted and what would be the connections for it please anyone?

[Pooky]

I think the white/pink wire is a resistor of sorts. Have you got a Haynes or wiring diagram? Have you tried searching on the forum for more info?

[Dan]

(white/pink with "resistance" written on and white/yellow)

As Pooky says, the wire itself is the resistor. That's the whole reason you need a ballasted coil. If there were no resistor fitted you could use a normal coil as it's the resistor that makes it ballasted (the resistor is the ballast). You can either change the coil to ballasted or change the wiring to non-ballasted. At the moment you have half and half.

[nerb]

(white/pink with "resistance" written on and white/yellow)

I thought the labelling was for connection identification, not a wire-type descripton. ho-hum.

..............it's the resistor that makes it ballasted (the resistor is the ballast). You can either change the coil to ballasted or change the wiring to non-ballasted. At the moment you have half and half.

Half & half eh?.....

Then explain this....I just ordered parts that arrived today....dizzy cap, rotor arm, points, condensor and a ballasted coil (lucas DLB 110).

Without what I thought was the seperate resistor I needed, I chucked everything but the coil on and it fired and ran almost 1st time.

The WIRING is the ballast, I understand that now....but nobody said until that last post by "pooky", but the coil IS stamped with 12V and after further testing with my haynes manual and using the supplement at the back for reference regarding "ducellier" and "ballast" coil etc, everything checked out OK.

Maybe update your personal info to include ballast coils WITH "12V" on them. Like this one which is what I ordered even though I recieved a lucas model instead:

http://www.hytheperf...4243-709666.php

I'll keep an eye on the old coil still on the car and test every now and then.

SO.....a ballast coil ONLY needs an additional resistance unit IF the car does NOT have ballast wiring as standard, right? Does that mean I could use the new lucas DLB 110 without the need for the recommended seperate resistor (0.9 - 1.2ohms) seeing as it's already in the wiring? (see...I'm learning)

I'm just glad it works, and I'll keep the new coil for future (or ebay it for a profit here in france..lol)

Cheers all and thanks again for your help. Maybe this little thread will help others sort out their ignition probs )