so recently my clubby has been doin somethin strange when i turn it off, it sometimes keep wanting to start up even once ive taken the key out (pre egnition?)..

but turning into my street last night and the car just turns off. ever since i cant get it started. didnt run out of fuel because theres fuel going to the carby so pulled off a lead and no spark. i was checking the lead to the distributor and got a massive kick so i assume thats working so how do i test the distributor out? what should i test?

to start off with remove the dissy cap and check your points are they very worn/burnt?
check the points gap when at the top/ridge of the dissy shaft cam lobe. check the dissy cap for wear and or corrosion on the electrodes (inside the cap) going to the leads.
check the wear of the carbon brush (inside the cap) or if it has fallen out,also check how much tension there is from the spring behind the carbon brush by pushing on it but do not pull it out.
check the rotor arm for wear from the carbon brush and check the end of it for wear/corrosion.
check resistance of all high tension leads and dont forget to mark where they are from on the lead and on the dissy cap.
once all put back together with any new parts that are required check the timing is correct.
also i almost forgot when you have the rotor button off give the dissy shaft a wiggle ( no not the "wiggles" with the funny coloured shirts) from side to side to see if there is any dissy bush/bearing wear as this can give false point gap measurement and cause irrattic gap when driving, sometimes no enough gap, sometimes to much gap.

hope some of this helps
Good luck

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thanks for your quick reply.. im just running through those things and noticed the coil is really really hot, so i think theres probs a prob with that

Just check if youve got spark from the coil by removing the coil lead from the dissy cap and putting it near one of the head bolts or even put a spark plug in it and earth that out ot find out if it has spark. Also is it a resisted coil?? if so the resistor may have given up the ghost and be causing this problem. even check to see if all if the wires to the coil are connected (no breaks) because it could be the low tension wire from the dissy that has dissconnected from the neg side of the coil which will also stop it from running.

Good luck!!

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so after taking all the wires off the coil and testing the resistance etc. and putting them back on, and fidgeting with the distributor cap, i got spark!

And sure enough, car started first click!


...But, it runs really rough, no power.

any thoughts anyone?

Might be time to change all the leads (5 dollars each) and consider the cap and rotor button as well.

The problem can be anywhere from the coil's 12 volt connections to the spark plugs. And then you've got to ensure the timing is set correctly as well. There's no magic bullet fix, just a service and inspection of the ignition components done by the book.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Is the little spring loaded carbon bush in the top of the dizzy cap still in there?

Matt

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as mick said above.......(my bit again) as well as the points may require either resetting and or replacing, then check your rocker clearances (for a stocker 13 thou in & ex), check your dash pot oil (if running an SU carb) if it doesnt go over the plunger base by about 5mm top up to the top of the piston shaft and then refit the plunger as that will get rid of the small air lock created by filling the dash pot as should be at or very close to the right level.....use the right stuff penrite make some called damper oil....its a green fluid.....anyways good luck with it.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDMkVq1jRGU

check the wire to the consdenser too... mine got old/cracked and came off...

i had the same symptoms, rough running then eventually death...

in the end i had to strip a bit of speaker wire and use that until i got a newy.. genuine b(c)ush mechanic styles..

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