Took her for a quick spin around the cul de sac, she goes well, good throttle

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

2 Problems though:

Gear selector is super sloppy, it's a rod change. Selecting reverse was really problematic. Lifting it up and to the right caused the whole rod to twist in there, which wasn't great, and it was hard to find. We'll have no idea what we're looking at down at the selector - might just be easier to pay someone to fix it...?

Second option which is more of the question is the engine got fairly warm and when we cut the ignition, it kept on kicking on and on and on. How do you stop that? It probably went on for another 15-20 seconds.

It's getting there, and it's also the first mini i've ever driven

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1978 Leyland Clubman

running on is timing related i believe.

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Dog Food! Most kids like it more than Broccoli.

Sounds like the rod on your rod change is 180 degrees around the wrong way? Have you had the gear stick out with the motor disconnected from it too?

I don't know how to answer the second question, we bought it with the engine in and haven't taken it out. I think I've read about that rod being the source of the problem, but is that the rod that connects from the gear selector to the gearbox?

Also, we assumed it'd have something to do with timing.

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1978 Leyland Clubman

Running on is pre ignition which is caused by ignition timing too advanced or compression is high and fuel is not high enough octane, 98?
First, I would get a good tune up

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1969 Cooper "S"
1967 Mini Deluxe
1973 Clubman Van (the fleet spare)
1978 ex 1275 LS ("Wizard" Eaton Supercharged)
2015 HSV GenF GTS(occasional drive & tow car)
2019 MINI F55 Cooper S

Could also be localised hot spots in the cylinder head. Temp gauge working ok?

If it idles fast slowing it down a bit may stop it running on also

As for the gear stick, it sounds like you are missing some bits which prevent you from pulling the gearstick out of it's groove. Or more so, there is a pin in the side of the housing, which mates with the groove in the gearstick. As you are pulling the gearstick up too far (because of missing bits) it allows the gearstick to turn as the groove is now above the pin.

I'm actually not sure what the missing bits are exactly, but you can do a dodgy with washers, and essentially pack enough in until you can only lift the gearstick high up enough to lift into reverse.

Thanks for the help guys, we've put in convertible mini's electronic ignition upgrade and running standard unleaded in there for now. We're still sorting out the tuning of the carb, we'd managed to get it idling pretty smooth and responding well too but we're not experts either.

Ill have a peeksie at the selector and have a look at what I can see, I did manage to find a good exploded assembley of it too, which would help in identifying things too, but may end up needing to enlist an expert. Wll see how we go. What you're saying Matt sounds about right as to what the stick is feeling like.

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1978 Leyland Clubman

Minis should not be run on standard unleaded which is only 91 octane
Should only use 98 or 95

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1969 Cooper "S"
1967 Mini Deluxe
1973 Clubman Van (the fleet spare)
1978 ex 1275 LS ("Wizard" Eaton Supercharged)
2015 HSV GenF GTS(occasional drive & tow car)
2019 MINI F55 Cooper S

WoW you managed to fit the Electronic Ignition Kit without connecting it wrong way round and blowing it up. Like some people did and claimed it was faulty. (Them not knowing that I test every one before I pack and post them!) Enjoy the fact you don't have to replace points and condensers any more.

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DID I MENTION THAT I AM THE BEST SUPPLIER FOR MINI ELECTRICAL PARTS AND REPAIRS?
"Let us remove your "SHORTS"

How can running on be caused by ignition timing being to far advanced?
The ignition is switched off when the engine runs on so does not come into play!

Running on in the Majority or cases is caused by too much Air and Fuel at Idle.

There is too much air and fuel simply because the Butterfly has to be, relatively, a long way open to allow the engine to Idle at an acceptable speed.
There for it is supplying Air and Fuel to the engine which allows it to run on.

So How do we stop the engine Dead when we turn off the ignition, Simple!!!

We have to turn off the Air and Fuel as well.
Late model Japanese cars With Carburettors ALL used this method/
They had a fuel shut off solenoid fitted to the idle circuit on the carburettor as well as a solenoid which allowed the butterfly to close completely.
I understand that some later model cars fitted with SU's used this butterfly solenoid as well to shut off the Air. With an SU no air no Fuel so kills 2 birds with one stone.

Anyway Back to the Old fashioned Mini Engine.
The reason Most Mini engines have to Idle with such wide open butterflys is simple/
It All comes back to the Lucas Distributor with its Advance Curve.
Most Mini Lucas Distributors have 15degrees of Mechanical Advance which equates to 30 degrees at the Crank,
The total Advance for the Average Mini Engine should be Around the 30 to 32 degree mark.
So with the standard mini Distributor you are stuck with an initial Timing setting of 2 degrees BTDC to give a total advance of 32 degrees.

Now, to get an Idle with only 2 degrees of initial advance requires the butterfly to be relatively a long way open. This creates a condition of excess fuel and air which causes the engine to run on when the ignition is switched off .
On the other hand if the Initial is set to 10 degrees BTDC the idle speed Speeds up Very Considerably which allows the engine to Idle Smoothly with the butterfly closed down to the almost fully closed position.
No More Running On...

But with a standard Distributor 40 degrees of total advance is way too much.
The Distributor must be modified Mechanically so it has no more than 11 degrees of mechanical Advance and then the curve has to be set up for your particular engine.

So 10 initial, and 11 in the distributor which equates to a total of 32 degrees
Obviously these figures will not suit all engines but one thing is for sure,
Run as much Initial advance as practical and Keep those Butterflys Closed................

Dave

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