149 replies to this topic

[Marc13]

here are the other photos

[Marc13]

That look like a bit of a botch job I'm afraid 

 

The distributor is a factory fitted electronic type - Lucas 65DM4. So you have no points or condenser to worry about.

 

However the coil may not be the correct one and it's not entirely clear what's going on with the wiring.

 

My best guess is the loom (at the least) isn't from a '71 Mini, but 80's era for ballasted ignition.

 

The original wiring had the spade that the broken wire you're holding attached to the coil's -ve and the unconnected spade at the bottom of the photo on the  +ve.

 

I think we need to know where the bottom 2 red connectors on the coil are going - and if there's any axtra text on that coil to help identify what it is.

 

The yellow/white will have gone to the starter solenoid and what I'm assuming is a pink/white wire is the ignition ballast. You don't actually want either with that distributor.

 

 

 

...The unconnected carb pipe is the float chamber vent, come fuel overflow. It won't be contributing to your problem, but it would be better if it had a length of hose running downwards to somewhere out the way.

Hi, you say the coil doesn't look like its the correct one. Can you advise what coil I should replace it with?

Thanks

Marc

[GraemeC]

This one:

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

As mentioned by someone earlier, I'd also potentially change the module on the dizzy as using the wrong coil could have caused it to start failing (they do go in time anyway):

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

There does look like a lot of bodgery in that wiring.  Do you have a multimeter?  If so check the voltage at the coil +ve terminal - it should be 12V or higher with the ignition on, looking at the wiring you may find it is only about 9V.

The fact you can remove the other wire from the -ve terminal and the car will still start points to that only operating the rev counter. 

 

Not sure what the 'broken' wire is though - you'd need to trace that back. It could be some previous owner's attempt at an anti-theft switch.

Edited by GraemeC, 28 September 2020 - 12:04 PM.

[Ethel]

The bottom 2 wires from the coil (1 neg and 1 pos) both go to the distributor. You can just about make it out on the photo. They come in to a connector surrounded by more tape and then the black surround comes back in a U and you can pick it up on the photo going into the distributor

 

I thought they might, which is fine provided they are in good condition.

 

I was hoping to find out if there's an alternative supply to the coil than via the pink/white ballast wire. If there isn't your ignition is trying to run on 9 volts instead of the 12v the distributor is designed to.

 

I've no idea what coil you have from the photo, there are 3 options made by multiple suppliers you can only tell by info printed on them, such as a part number, or by measuring the resistance with a meter.

 

It could be you have the wrong coil, but the ballasted supply has protected the dizzy by adding resistance.

 

The first thing is to make sure you have a suitable coil, then you can sort the wiring to match. That intermotor part number could be 11070 or 11040

 

Looks like you'll have struck lucky if it's 11410

[Marc13]

This one:

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

As mentioned by someone earlier, I'd also potentially change the module on the dizzy as using the wrong coil could have caused it to start failing (they do go in time anyway):

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

There does look like a lot of bodgery in that wiring.  Do you have a multimeter?  If so check the voltage at the coil +ve terminal - it should be 12V or higher with the ignition on, looking at the wiring you may find it is only about 9V.

The fact you can remove the other wire from the -ve terminal and the car will still start points to that only operating the rev counter. 

 

Not sure what the 'broken' wire is though - you'd need to trace that back. It could be some previous owner's attempt at an anti-theft switch.

Thanks Graeme . The coil in the link is for non ballasted ignition - a previous post said the ignition looked like it could be a ballasted ignition. 

Do you think this is the case?

Complete novice - what is the difference between ballasted ignition and non-ballasted?

 

Oh, and the wire that is broken is for the rev counter (now its broken the rev counter doesn't work), but there is still power to the rev counter as you can hear it, it just doesn't measure revs. If I crudely connect the wire, it shows revs again.

[Marc13]

 

The bottom 2 wires from the coil (1 neg and 1 pos) both go to the distributor. You can just about make it out on the photo. They come in to a connector surrounded by more tape and then the black surround comes back in a U and you can pick it up on the photo going into the distributor

 

I thought they might, which is fine provided they are in good condition.

 

I was hoping to find out if there's an alternative supply to the coil than via the pink/white ballast wire. If there isn't your ignition is trying to run on 9 volts instead of the 12v the distributor is designed to.

 

I've no idea what coil you have from the photo, there are 3 options made by multiple suppliers you can only tell by info printed on them, such as a part number, or by measuring the resistance with a meter.

 

It could be you have the wrong coil, but the ballasted supply has protected the dizzy by adding resistance.

 

The first thing is to make sure you have a suitable coil, then you can sort the wiring to match. That intermotor part number could be 11070 or 11040

 

Thanks, I'll pop out and see if I can find a part number on the coil.

[Ethel]

 

This one:

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

As mentioned by someone earlier, I'd also potentially change the module on the dizzy as using the wrong coil could have caused it to start failing (they do go in time anyway):

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

There does look like a lot of bodgery in that wiring.  Do you have a multimeter?  If so check the voltage at the coil +ve terminal - it should be 12V or higher with the ignition on, looking at the wiring you may find it is only about 9V.

The fact you can remove the other wire from the -ve terminal and the car will still start points to that only operating the rev counter. 

 

Not sure what the 'broken' wire is though - you'd need to trace that back. It could be some previous owner's attempt at an anti-theft switch.

Thanks Graeme . The coil in the link is for non ballasted ignition - a previous post said the ignition looked like it could be a ballasted ignition. 

Do you think this is the case?

Complete novice - what is the difference between ballasted ignition and non-ballasted?

 

Oh, and the wire that is broken is for the rev counter (now its broken the rev counter doesn't work), but there is still power to the rev counter as you can hear it, it just doesn't measure revs. If I crudely connect the wire, it shows revs again.

 

Irrelevant, as you have an electronic distributor that isn't directly compatible with either.

[GraemeC]

 

This one:

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

As mentioned by someone earlier, I'd also potentially change the module on the dizzy as using the wrong coil could have caused it to start failing (they do go in time anyway):

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

There does look like a lot of bodgery in that wiring.  Do you have a multimeter?  If so check the voltage at the coil +ve terminal - it should be 12V or higher with the ignition on, looking at the wiring you may find it is only about 9V.

The fact you can remove the other wire from the -ve terminal and the car will still start points to that only operating the rev counter. 

 

Not sure what the 'broken' wire is though - you'd need to trace that back. It could be some previous owner's attempt at an anti-theft switch.

Thanks Graeme . The coil in the link is for non ballasted ignition - a previous post said the ignition looked like it could be a ballasted ignition. 

Do you think this is the case?

Complete novice - what is the difference between ballasted ignition and non-ballasted?

 

Oh, and the wire that is broken is for the rev counter (now its broken the rev counter doesn't work), but there is still power to the rev counter as you can hear it, it just doesn't measure revs. If I crudely connect the wire, it shows revs again.

 

 

You need a coil specifically suitable for the factory electronic ignition (which is non-ballast).

[Marc13]

unfortunately the coil currently in place has no numbers or codes, just the wording you can see in the photo (which is of no help whatsoever!).

I'll order the one from the link that Graeme posted along with the module too.

[GraemeC]

Nothing stamped into the bottom of the coil?

[Ethel]

You could identify the coil if you have access to a meter to measure the resistance between the + & - terminals, but if I had to guess I expect it's just as ordinary 3 ohm coil.

 

If you're buying bits have a look at the distributor cap* & rotor arm before you place your order. They are service parts really & a possible cause of the fault.

 

 

*Undo the slot head screws going through the lugs on the cap.

[GraemeC]

 

*Undo the slot head screws going through the lugs on the cap.

 

[cough] posidrive [/cough] 

[Marc13]

i'm about to cut my arm and fingers off to try and undo the distributor cap - smallest gap I have ever seen!

Would one of you be kind enough to reply with a link to the correct distributor cap and rotor arm please.

[GraemeC]

GDC156 & GRA2143

 

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

http://www.minispare...56.aspx|Back to

Edited by GraemeC, 29 September 2020 - 11:39 AM.

[Marc13]

GDC156 & GRA2143

 

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

http://www.minispare...56.aspx|Back to

Thanks Graeme - I assume the following two items are compatible with that distrbutor

http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

http://www.minispare...01.aspx|Back to