15 replies to this topic

[Harrydewhurst]

Just bought a 1990 mini mayfair with half built MG metro engine in it. apart from some obvious problems like engine steady bars and coolant hose problems i cannot get a spark out of the thing at all!! I'm not tho most technically minded about these things. i have attached a White and Pink wire to the '+' on the coil and two wires that came off the distributor to the '-'.

 

the white and pink wire has 12v when the ignition is turned on but when in the starting position drops to 10/9v. i connected 12v to the '+' directly so the voltage didn't drop but still cannot get a spark!! Can someone help please!! 

 

[Dusky]

2 wires from the dizzy to the - can't be right.

[Dusky]

2 wires from the dizzy to the - can't be right.
There will be a negative in the wiring loom thatshould be connected to the - of the coil as well.

[CityEPete]

2 wires to the dizzy can be right, earth from breaker points and negative pulse to the tacho?

[KernowCooper]

Is it still running the MG Distributor with the Module on the side ? if so then wire as below to the coil

 

Can you confirm what coil you have ? White/pink is usually 9v feed

Attached Files

•  Ignition module correct wiring.jpg   15.18K   5 downloads

[Dusky]

2 wires to the dizzy can be right, earth from breaker points and negative pulse to the tacho?

then they don't go to the coil -.

[Classic1275cc]

This will be loose help but here goes

I have a metro engine in my mini (not at home so can't go look at the details)

But after building I had the wrong voltage coil which although would start when cold, the engine wouldn't start when hot, no spark

The solution was (and I'm remembering from 4 years ago) I had the wrong coil on and deleted the pink wire (something like that)... started first time every time ever since

I know that's waffle but maybe it will spark (lol) somebody else's brain while they are browsing this

[CityEPete]

2 wires to the dizzy can be right, earth from breaker points and negative pulse to the tacho?

then they don't go to the coil -.

Ha true, we need to know more about dizzy type and coil type then.

[Harrydewhurst]

Yea it's got the mg distributor, there is definitely 12v going through the white/pink wire until you crank the engine then it goes down to about 9v

I'll upload a picture tomorrow

[Ethel]

You do need the coil to match your ignition. Does the distributor have mechanical points?

[Harrydewhurst]

here should be a picture of the distributor and the coil i am trying to use. sorry there a bit crap i took them last night. I'm not working on the car today so i can't have a look inside the distributor. 

Attached Files

•  image4.JPG   55.19K   7 downloads
•  image2.JPG   57.94K   5 downloads
•  image1.jpeg   48.32K   4 downloads

[GraemeC]

That's the standard 64DM4 distributor with electronic ignition and the correct GCL143 coil.  You should only use a GCL143 (or direct equivalent) with the factory electronic ignition.

 

That coil requires a 12V ignition feed (white wire) to the +ve connection on the coil - you may need to run a new cable from the fusebox. The pink/white wire should not be connected (presumably you original Mayfair engine used a ballast coil system).

The distributor should connect to the coil as per the diagrams above.

You may have an additional white/black cable to drive a rev counter - this should connect to the -ve side of the coil.

[Harrydewhurst]

ahh okay thank you. from which fuse should i run a wire from, should it be the top fuse left connection? 

 

also the coil looks a bit old an knackered i think i will get a new one.

Edited by Harrydewhurst, 14 March 2017 - 02:41 PM.

[nicklouse]

also note the dizzy drive is fitted at a different angle to a Mini.

[Ethel]

White wires aren't fused, you'd be better off with a melted wire than your ignition dying suddenly in traffic. You can just piggyback one of the existing white wires at the fuse box.

 

You can test the coil by taking its earth wire and tapping it against an earth (bare engine casting) with the ignition on. Every time you lift the wire off and break the circuit it should fire a spark plug - connect a plug & lead directly to the coil to eliminate the rotor arm and dizzy cap roulette.

 

A slight aside, you'll always see battery voltage if there's no current flowing in the circuit you're testing. Current flows through your voltmeter so it's a circuit in it's own right - one with very high resistance that flows very little current.