Every time I think I sussed out how to make the mini reliable in the wet - it surprises me again. This time I've got the coil installed horizontaly with the terminals facing slightly downwards and the dizzy behind one of these plastic shields (which probably does nothing on a Pulsar distributor) - still yesterday (Sunday) driving to work in the crazy storm that hit Sydney (atleast in the city area) the car cut out as soon as the storm started. Any amount of WD40 dousing couldnt revive her so I had to dump her on Anzac Parade and take a cab to work arriving soaking wet.

Now the rain fall was pretty ridiculous and nearlly unmanageable even for the modern cars but still its pretty dissapointing that the mini gives up so easily. I've got the Pulsar electronic conversion so when I returned to the car later tonight it started immediately but still ran rather badly with a slight missfire.

So: Any way of rain proofing the ignition?
- I am gonna relocate the coil to the inner gaurd probably - just gotta get a longer lead.
- I think my leads are due for replacement - would that contribute to poor wet weather running?
- I've got a rover mini ignition shield - any point it using it?
- Would an epoxy coil (the Bosch GT40R instead of the current oil filled one) make any difference (I'm pretty sure a GT40T one did on the car when it had the points ignition, and I've got a couple of epoxy coils for that came with the Pulsar dizzy, but I never fitted them as the resistance across the terminals was not the expected approx 1.6ohm - does it have to be 1.6?).
- Would sealing the distributor cap to the dist. body with some silastic or a gasket do any good?
- Any other advice?

Cheers
Mike

My thoughts-
1. If you have Top Gun etc suppression leads and they are old, that can cause misfiring in wet weather- I had to chuck mine every 2 years.
I'd buy some of GR's, (custom length for Pulsar dizzy) or go the Bosch.
Coil lead length if putting coil on inner wing like real cars do, is 500mm, get a lead with elbow on both ends..
2. WD40 works usually, but stay away from that pretend stuff- `Australian Export' in the green bottle, it works for 5 mins only.
3. If it's a Pulsar dizzy check the rubber seal is not broken between cap and body, and make sure it has no cracks.
4. Clean top of coil and then spray it with WD40.

I can hose mine when running, it has the Bosch leads and a stock Pulsar 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.

From memory my Pulsar dizzy has no rubber seal there - would trying to source a replacement seal be worthwhile or just use silastic?

In the old Group G rally car days, a lot of the datsun 1600 drivers (and probably others that I had less to do with) used to silicon seal all the plug leads and cap - used to look crap, but it survived creek crossings and other wet weather drownings. By this I mean they used to run a bead of silicone around each plug lead cap (top and bottom) once it was in the dizzy cap and on the coil, and around the cap base.

Why don't you try Doc's trick (but with a spray bottle rather than a hose) while the engine is running to see if you can isolate a weak spot?
KB

I would start with the rubber seal which is meant to be there first.
KB

Somebody on here got a new Pulsar dizzy cap rubber seal from Repco, they ordered it in.

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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.

I went to Repco and bought a new rotor, cap and seal for my pulsar dissy. I can hose my engine bay at the local carwash without any issues.

Regarding old leads, I bet that's the main cause of your wet weather running. Either check out Graham's leads or buy the Bosch ones from Supercheap (cause it sounds like you will need long leads if you want to mount the coil to the inner gaurd).

One other thing to note is that apart from the dissy cap leaking, the only other thing that would be susceptible to water is the lead plugs themselves. New leads with new plugs should be air tight on the plug end so therefor water should not be an issue at all.

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

could always try the rubber glove and cable ties trick

I went to a motorbike shop, got some old inner tube and put it over my dizzy, then up and over my leads, seems to work well and doesnt look bad as it's hidden way and actually tidy's up that area by pulling all the leads together.

haven't give it a real in rain thrashing as yet, it hasn't rained much in a long time.

I used to drive with Lucas dizzied car around in the rain and never had an issue, but the first heavy, heavy raining with the pulsar it gave up on the way to work, after parking in the rain for 5 mins I managed to just get it going and drive into work with my rpm up as then it wouldn' missfore so badly and it stalled in the carpark lol. Getting home wasn't so bad as it didn't rain so hard.

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1964 Morris 850, 1330 Supercharged - 81.8hp atws.
1975 Leyland Mini S 1100S powered - Nice and reliable.
1977 Leyland Mini LS - Project LS-T

With my current pulsar setup, I drove through torrential, 1-2ft flooded roads with no issues. She kept on going on her merry way, dellorto and all...

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

mairgolds have my vote..

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We went on the flooded out drive to Kangaroo valley, about 20 Minis in all. Drove through sheets of water. I think 4 conked out with wet ignition all together, and they all had points...
WD40 to the rescue.

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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.

last time i drove my mini in really really really heavy downpour it started coughing up like a dizzy with points would. (i have a lucas electronic dizzy)
damn lucas

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real men race downhill - keiichi tsuchiya

I have a Pulsar dizzy with a 2 litre ice cream bucket sitting in front of it.
Never had a problem.

Any dirt on the outside of the leads and cap will act as a conductor when it gets wet. Road grime will go through the grill and coat the dizzy and leads. If you fit a shield in front of the dizzy it will keep the grime off the dizzy and also keep the water off it.

I havent had any issues when I had my old grille (A UK MK2 hexagonal Cooper S grille) but its been s*house ever since fitting the correct MK2 Aussie grille. I reckon its because the UK grille has a lip that fits atop the bonnet and cover the little slit between the bonnet and the front panel - with the Aussie grille the water just gets through the slit and onto the coil.

Anyway - I've ordered a set of leads from Graham and I'll be getting a new dizzy cap and relocating the coil to the inner wheel arch.



I've called Repco and was told that a dizzy cap gasket is too specific and item for them to carry - did the seal come with the new cap or did you buy it separately?