27 replies to this topic

[Fispop]

Google it mate, people on here just come up with the obviouse like check fuel.

[CityEPete]

I would get an electronic ignition unit, once it is set thats it no more messing and one less thing to adjust/rule out, that said you need to sort out the route of the cause first ideally. The dizzy must be OK for it to run but I am thinking maybe its shaft/cam lobe are worn? (these would also be no issue for an elec module, does the shaft have play in it side to side and rotationally as you twist it?

 

Do you have the correct coil for the system in use ie ballasted or not?

Can you see the points opening and closing as the engine turns over?

What is the gap when they are fully open?

What is the rotor arm like? worn looking? dirty?

What is the dizzy cap like inside where the four connections are and the centre where the king lead goes?

How clean are the connections to the LT side and are they firmly attached?

What is your spark plug gap?

How good are your HT leads including the king lead?

[CityEPete]

Google it mate, people on here just come up with the obviouse like check fuel.

TMF will probably be the top returned item........I wish I had 100th of the knowledge some members here have! Thanks though, are you going to put that on the end of every post in the technical section?

[KernowCooper]

Google it mate, people on here just come up with the obviouse like check fuel.

If you think the members on here are not qualified to help, then maybe input some suitable suggestions, there is more Mini related info here than any one spot on the Internet

[dklawson]

Gage, you said that the spark from the coil to block was strong but the spark at the plugs did not appear as strong.  You wondered if that was a distributor problem.  I would say it is not a distributor problem but you may have problems with distributor related parts.  Earlier I mentioned checking cap, rotor, plug wires, etc.  Your engine may benefit from some of those new parts.  A carbon tracked or cracked dizzy cap can weaken or short out spark as can cracked plug wires.  Heavily soiled spark plugs can also short the spark or not spark at all.  If you are using resistor plug wires and resistor plugs at the same time you may also be loosing spark energy there.  I don't suggest arbitrarily replacing all those things but inspect what is there and replace anything that is suspect.

 

Before going down too many more paths, when did the car/engine last run the way you wanted and what has been changed since then?  

[GageHolding]

Will check all the above cheers!

Wednesday the car was running fine, Thursday she needed a whack to start up twice, Friday I couldn't get it to start at all

[CityEPete]

Hopefully something obviouse ;)

[henri1972]

have you damaged a wire when whacking the starter motor

[cal844]

Sorry to hijack...

Im using bpr6es plugs and resistive leads, are these okay, or will i be loosing spark energy?

[dklawson]

Im using bpr6es plugs and resistive leads, are these okay, or will i be loosing spark energy?

 

BPR6ES are resistive plugs.  Combine them with resistive wires and you will be loosing some energy.  I cannot tell you if that it will be "too much" energy.  Were it my car I would choose one or the other... resistive plugs or resistive wires.  However, if your car runs well with this combination I would leave well enough alone.  Don't fix what isn't broken and don't spend money you don't have to.

[cal844]

 

Im using bpr6es plugs and resistive leads, are these okay, or will i be loosing spark energy?

 

BPR6ES are resistive plugs.  Combine them with resistive wires and you will be loosing some energy.  I cannot tell you if that it will be "too much" energy.  Were it my car I would choose one or the other... resistive plugs or resistive wires.  However, if your car runs well with this combination I would leave well enough alone.  Don't fix what isn't broken and don't spend money you don't have to

Thanks again Doug,

 

I'll try changing for a spare set(not sure if they are resistive or not) and see if it changes the spark quality

[The Matt]

Google it mate, people on here just come up with the obviouse like check fuel.

Very helpful!

[Yoda]

Is it a ballast ignition system fitted?