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Help! Engine Not Starting

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#1 joewilliams413

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Posted 07 February 2022 - 09:38 PM

Hi guys, I have a 1989 mini mayfair which i'm restoring, and have installed engine to get it started and check its all working, and have got it to crank over, get spark and i'm almost 100% sure its getting fuel. It sounds like it's so nearly firing, but isn't starting. Ive made sure the dizzy is in the correct position and rotated it to try and get it to start, but still no luck. Ive taken the carb off, and cleaned it all out, put it all back together and it all seems correct. The coil has around 8v which i've heard is correct as it is the later type with a resistor in the wiring loom (I believe). I also put the vacuum advance pipe to the dizzy from the carb and taped up the breather hole, so no air leaks from what i see. 

 

Any advice or solutions would be very greatly appreciated!



#2 cal844

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Posted 08 February 2022 - 09:38 AM

How old is the fuel? Was the timing set on firing stroke and not 180° out? To verify timing you can remove the rocker cover and make sure the rockers for #1 cylinder are loose.

If your car does indeed have the ballast resistor loom you should have

Pink /white and yellow /white at coil positive.

Make sure the yellow/white is connected at the starter and coil to give 12 volts during cranking

Edited by cal844, 08 February 2022 - 09:41 AM.


#3 joewilliams413

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Posted 08 February 2022 - 09:59 AM

How old is the fuel? Was the timing set on firing stroke and not 180° out? To verify timing you can remove the rocker cover and make sure the rockers for #1 cylinder are loose.

If your car does indeed have the ballast resistor loom you should have

Pink /white and yellow /white at coil positive.

Make sure the yellow/white is connected at the starter and coil to give 12 volts during cranking

I just took apart the carb and flushed everything out and made sure jet/fuel bowl/fuel lines were all clear and open, and put new fuel in. I set the timing on the compression stroke of cylinder 1, haven't checked the rockers for cylinder 1 though. I do have pink/white and yellow/white at coil + and connected yellow/white at starter, but haven't checked that its 12v during cranking, will do that when i get home today.



#4 Steam

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Posted 08 February 2022 - 09:29 PM

Make 100% certain of the firing order, 1 3 4 2 anticlockwise at the distributor..



#5 sonscar

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Posted 09 February 2022 - 11:03 AM

Start again and assume nothing.Set no1 to TDC on firing stroke,check this is correct by looking at valves they should be shut.Take off the dissy cap and see where the arm points.It should be pointing at no1.wherever it points is going to no 1 cylinder.These steps are very important and must not be bypassed.No1 cylinder is closest to the radiator.When you have done this and if it still fails to start then check other things.You may have already done all this but do it again.Steve..

#6 joewilliams413

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Posted 09 February 2022 - 08:27 PM

I have got a video of it turning over if that helps. I noticed its got a non ballast coil but ballast wiring but with 12v to the wires that connect to the coil. Does this show anything? Pretty sure its supposed to be 8 ish volts. Changed the spark plugs so shouldnt be them.

#7 cal844

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Posted 09 February 2022 - 08:37 PM

The pink/white wire should give 9v with ignition on, disconnect it from the coil and take the voltage then

#8 Tornado99

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Posted 10 February 2022 - 07:20 PM

Did you confirm spark with a plug out and grounded to the engine block? You can also pull a plug wire off a plug, stuff a metal bar/screw driver etc in the cable end then hold it carefully by the insulated handle while bringing metal close to the engine block. Have someone crank engine.
If no spark, try doing same but with the coil to distributor wire to see if coil gives a spark. This can be dome without cranking engine by just supplying 12v to coil terminals (ign on), then disconnecting the 12v supply (or turning ign off), which should then trigger coil discharge. If all good, but no spark at plug, then suspect distributor (points or EI?), rotor or cap. I've seen videos showing a cracked rotor that was new, leading to shorting, no spark at plug.





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