6 replies to this topic

[Jordie]

Hello all

Right got a wee little problem here.

Ive put a metro engine in my car, now when turning over its abit slow. i put this down to a combo of weak battery and the engine been tight (new components, rebore etc)

I have a magnetronic dizzy.

However, I am using the coil which was on the engine from the 998. The coil bracket says "for use with contact breaker without ballast" or something along those lines.

I was getting no sparks, so i remove the white cable(loom) from the positive side of coil. I replaced this with a 12v feed from fuse no1.

I am getting a spark now, but it is very faint and weak. Is this due to the coil or the poor battery? or even a combo of both?

I tried to get a electronic coil today, but my local mini suppliers didnt have any in stock. Only ballast and non ballast.

Should the car run like this? I only want to hear it fire up and run for a minute or two. Im going to charge the battery tomorrow, but can anyone see anything i have overlooked?

Any ideas?

Jordie

[cowboy]

jordie

a few things

1. you will need an elctronic coil. each coil has a differant output depending on what they are used for. so change the coil.

2. a week battery will make the engine turn over slowly, so charge your battery or use a jump pack. this will also help with a weak spark

this should be enough for the new engine to run

[Jordie]

I will order a coil.

I think i need this one - http://www.minispare....aspx?pid=36483 - out of stock doh.

Will the engine run with the old coil for now? I just want to see/hear it running so i know i dont have to pull the bugger back out.

Jordie

[Jordie]

found another website with them

it says this

Coil, electronic type
For use with factory fitted electronic ignition systems and not for aftermarket set ups, such as Magnetronic or Ignitor.

Part Number: GCL143
Price: £13.62 (£16.00 inc VAT)

So do you rekon thats the right coil?

[Jordie]

Ive been reading up and as far as i can tell i have a non ballast type.

I have a white wire on the loom, I havent taken a reading from this.

However, with this connected i got no sparks at the plugs. Connected 12v up from the fuse box and i get a very weak spark.

Is that coil correct, dont want to order it if i dont need to.

Jordie

[Dan]

If you are using the Magnetronic module rather than an actual electronic dizzy then it is designed to be used with a standard, ballasted or non-ballasted coil and not an electronic ignition coil because it is an upgrade for a completely standard car.

Whether your ignition is ballasted or unballasted doesn't matter so long as the coil is correct for the system and the module is not run by a ballasted feed. The module must use 12v.

If the ignition supply is thin and plain white and there is only one cable supplying the coil then you do have non-ballasted as you suspect. If there are two cables (one very thick and pink/white and the oher white/yellow) then it is ballasted. They may not both be fitted so have a good look around that area of the engine bay to make sure they aren't flapping about anywhere. All non-MPi Mini's after 1984 were ballasted.

Edited by Dan, 11 February 2007 - 12:08 PM.

[Jordie]

Swapped the coil. checked the wiring etc. battery struggled even after a charge for afew hours.

Put power from a m8s running mini to the solenoid and afew tweeks of the dizzy we got it running.

Thanks for the help.

Jordie