I hate asking questions like this.....

anyone got a picture of which plug lead goes where?

Often mini distributors have been put in at different angles. My reccomended trick is this, take out no. 1 plug and get someone to crank the key a tiny bit at a time while you have your finger over the hole (it won't hurt you), when air pushes out stop, ignition off, into 4th and look in the hole while slowly moving the car forward. when the piston is at the top the rotor will be pointing to no 1 lead. Then the firing order anti clockwise is 1-3-4-2.

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Dean Hutton's first car was a Mini.

1 - 3 - 4 - 2 anti-clockwise

a car wont start with the leads being on the wrong way, but if it does then it will sound like shite, and you will know.
explain what you mean by running rough - at idle, through the rev range etc could be your timing, points, carb, air leak, pretty much anything making it run rough.

The pic above shows the order anti clockwise of 1-3-4-2, but a previous owner may have put the distributor in out of normal alignment to the above.
If it still does not work at all, rotate the leads anti clockwise until it does fire.

Once it's done, get a timing light and check your timing is still correct or you will risk further problems.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

thanks everyone,

i just fouled the plugs the other day. pulled em and cleaned em, large weekend and i forgot where the leads came from..... just goes to show the mini shouldn't be worked on with a hangover...!

cheers.

You should mark the leads to tell you next time...
Look at the number of cable ties on each lead...

What a great idea, have to remember that one

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Ian - My Ve SSV Ute - Looking for a Mini

Just be sure to remember which is #1

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

It's no problem with a hangover, you just do things a little slower. I'd just pull one lead at a time, believe me I never get mixed up doing it this way.