I am trying to get the new van started and have just discovered what looks like hydraulic fluid leaking down the left front of the engine. Tracing it back I found some drips on the bottom side of the coil.
I have to say I didn't expect that. On further inspection, the top of the coil is cracked and the fluid is definitely coming from there.



I have another coil but am not sure how to tell if it is the right one to put on. Something to do with resistors



The old coil has this written on the bottom:
ALA12
62941091B

Any help would be much appreciated.
Ziff

If you use that `resistor' one in an Oz Mini (unless Pulsar dizzy conversion) you will need a 1.5 ohm ballast resistor.
Available from Supercrap/Autobarn etc.
It just goes in series with the 12V feed to the coil.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Thanks Doc. Just to be sure, from what you're saying, I shouldn't use the Bosch in the picture straight into the 850 van that the busted one came out of then? I can't see anything attached to the electrical wire going to the coil after the regulator box.
God! I'm confusing myself now.
Ziff

Will work, you can fit it to try it, but it will put double the current thru the points and wear them quicker.
Also it will tend to overheat, like gafmo's did.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Thanks very much Doc. Looks like a trip to Supercrap/Otterbarn then.
Ziff

Zif...be careful of that oil....throw it in safe place with rags or gloves...keep away from kids and animules..... it may be nasty carcinogenic crap.

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"Show me the Mini!"

&%$#@)*&%#$@(*&%$#@
Couldn't get the car going today even after getting a good coil to go on.
I pulled one of the spark plugs out and watched as the car was turning over and it didn't have any spark. Maybe there is something wrong somewhere in the wiring. I wish I knew more about tuning and basic mechanics.
Are there any good books on basic mechanics out there for dumb arses like me?

PS. Mick, thanks for the tip on the fluid, I'll stop using it as cologne now

Take the distributor cap off and get someone to turn the engine over.. Then see if there is any spark there..

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Opinions expressed by me are of my opinion only and are copyrighted to Kinkabell Corporation? 2006.

Process of elimination Zif....how long has the thing been sitting and what was it running like when it was switched off anyway

If it was me....and the all the ignition parts looked old and well worn....I would be slapping new plugs, points, coil (heh heh...they are usually OK) dissy cap and rotor and plug leads on just so you know where you stand...even with "new" parts there are traps as the Doc points out, with dicky leads straight off the rack or out of the box.

If you have any other ignition stuff lying around that looks good then give it a go just to see if that kicks some life in the old girl...best of luck

Also check that you have good fuel....how long has the tank been sitting there??

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"Show me the Mini!"

OK Mick. Where do I start.
The car was running extremely well when I left it at the Mini place on Thursday afternoon. They changed the points and plugs and loosened the dizzy to rotate and get the timing right. They had started the car by using a portable jump starter by hooking it up to the starter motor mount and then the starter motor power connection. They mentioned that the car is positively earthed so I presumed it was the negative going to the power connection on the starter motor. They had removed the lid and float from the carby and were topping that up with fuel every now and then. I have since removed and rinsed the fuel tank but used the above method when trying to start the car at home.

They were supposed to finish off a few things on the car when I left but unfortunately when I picked it up on Saturday it was obvious that the car had been left as soon as I drove off. The dizzy hadn't even been done up again so it was still moving around.

When I got the van home I hooked up a battery in the normal fashion, filled the fuel bowl and got my missus to push the starter button while I rotated the dizzy to try to get it back to the right spot. After a while with no luck I checked to make sure the leads were on the right plugs and tried to start it. Still no luck.

I tried again today but found the coil problem. I got another coil and as I know that the Clubby starts OK I used it as a Guinea Pig. The Clubby started no problems so I fitted that coil to the Van. The Van still wouldn't start. I then removed the whole dizzy from the Clubby and fitted it to the Van and still couldn't get it started. I checked for spark at the spark plug and couldn't see one. This took up most of the day running backwards and forwards and trying everything that I could think of so after that I conceded defeat and gave up.

I know I don't have much knowledge about mechanics but it shits me when the damn thing was running so well just the other day.
Ziff

i'm not mechanic, but if the degrees isnt set right on the dizzy, then your timing will be wrong and it wont start/run, changing the dizzy definately would cause this, so maybe thats the prob.

But as i said, i also no not much about meachanics.

Ryan

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

Go to the fridge....grab a beer...watch a movie whilst grumbling under your breath Won't start the car...but you will keep your sanity

OK...Pull the plugs, they are probably all wet with unburnt fuel....clean em up, check the gap and whack em back in....repeat this if you have done a bit of unsuccessful cranking.

I am assuming they knew how to adjust a set of points (famous last words) so the loose dissy is the first thing....and to check whether it is 180 degrees out...do you have a Workshop Manual??? Once the thing fires its usually just a matter of slowly turning the dissy untill there is a slight increase in revs than back it off a tad (its then roughly set)....fine tune with a timing light.

Don't like the way you are taking the float bowl cover off....check if the plastic float has no pin holes, do the adjustment as per the book and whack it back on. Remove the tubing that feeds the carby, get a suitable container and crank the engine...if the fuel pump isn't pumping fuel then trace that problem...I assume you have used fresh fuel , then consider fuel is OK.

There is a limit to what we can tell you on Ausmini...best would be a home visit by a Mini savvy friend!! Good luck!!

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"Show me the Mini!"

ok did you hook up the positive to the earth strap on the battery ??
makka

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Anonymous moderation means the agro that is built up towards the mods isn't aimed at an individual (fewer "Makk" attacks). Less stress for mods means less moderator "retirements".

All righty then. I've had a hick-up with my login but it's all sorted now. I think I breached my quota for dumb questions or something

The battery is hooked up to positive earth. I discovered that the ignition switch is faulty so I've bi-passed that for the moment. I've now static timed it. I got the timing marks lined up and worked out where no. 1 should be. I quickly gave it a whirl this afternoon and I am getting back fires through the carby and exhaust. I think I'm close to getting it to start but have left it now to move on to other things as I will get a mechanic to tune the engine anyway.

I know this doesn't sound like much to you blokes but let me tell you, this is like inventing the wheel for me. The more I tinker with these things the more I learn so even though I am getting pretty frustrated at times, I am slowly getting smarter about the whole thing.

Anyway there are plenty of more important things to fix up before rego so I'll leave the engine for now.
Ziff