i have a stroboscope and all that, and i think i hav some timing problems... sometimes my mini wont start and it recently stopped while i was driving.... cud anyone tell me what i need to do, to check the timing? thanks

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'77 Leyland Mini Sunshine!

On the clutch housing at the top there is a sort of diamond shaped plate held on by two bolts. loosen one and remove the other - this will let the plate swing down and expose a hole through which you will see the fly wheel. When cylinders 1 & 4 are TDC and 1 firing the timing marks will be visible in the hole. get some white chalk or liquid paper or something and fill in the marks so you can see them and reflect the light off your strobe.

You will need a mirror to look in the hole properly. hook up your timing light - start the engine and aim the light into the hole at the timing marks which should appear stationary and you will be able to read the timing relative to the pointer at the top of the hole.

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

It could also be your points. I've been having "issues" with mine slipping closed and stopping the engine from getting any spark. Very rude indeed, but nothing lubing the dizzy properly in the first place wouldn't have prevented.

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-Wasabi
1972 Clubman - Daily Driver
1962 850 - EW1 Powered

I have had problems in the past where the red plastic bit that rests against the cam goes soft when it gets hot. It then doesn't push open the points so no spark. Depending on if the points plastic bit is on the cam or on a flat when the motor cools is if will start again when the plastic again hardens.

The answer is a good quality set of new points installed and properly set. Do make sure the grub screws are properly tightened down.

Timing issues will make a car run like a two legged dog, cause over-heating, hard to start, pre-ignition BUT almost never does it cause a car to stall and stop when it is running normally. That is unless there is a mechanical failure in the dizzy or the timing collets (the things that hold it steady locked in the block are loose and the dizzy has moved.

First off - take of the dizzy cap and check that you have points opening and closing and that there is a spark. Go from there.