Hi, maybe a dumb question but I have looked in the inspection hole with a mirror and torch so I know where that is. Am I looking at the wrong end of the engine? I am fitting my 123 dizzy that I have had in a box for 8 months becasue I didn't know what setting to use. I have know been given info on which setting so I want to install it. Yes, I will disconnect the battery and do all the safe stuff. I have the install instructions but just need to work out how to find TDC. Someone on the weekend mentioned jacking the car up and turning the wheels but that doesn't rotate the engine. Probably an easy answer to this but I can't figure it out having never done it before. I did a search and couldn't find anything. Cheers.

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Flute - 68 MK I Cooper S
Member: VMCI #2474
Member: International Mini Model Collectors Club

Easiest way is to jack the front up and leave the gear box in gear and turn a wheel.
Take number 1 spark plug out and use a piece of wire and feel when the piston is at TDC
Should be the same as the marking on the Fly wheel

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Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It

When I jack the front of the car up, put it in gear and turn a wheel the other front wheel spins in the opposite direction but the engine doesn't turn over. Am I still doing soemthing wrong?

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Flute - 68 MK I Cooper S
Member: VMCI #2474
Member: International Mini Model Collectors Club

Using same theory about moving engine with wheels, put it on the ground and push it in gear until you find where it should be.

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You want to keep one wheel on the ground, so that when you rotate the other one you're actually turning gearbox and crank and not just the other wheel through the diff.

Personally, I just leave the car on the ground in 4th with the handbrake off and all the plugs out (muuuuch easier to turn the engine with no compression), and rock the car forwards/backwards until I get to TDC.. which you'll see either through the inspection hole or using the wire in a plug hole trick.

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

Thanks heaps. Out of time today now, have to pick up the kids, but will give it a go on the weekend. Cheers.

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Flute - 68 MK I Cooper S
Member: VMCI #2474
Member: International Mini Model Collectors Club

opps forgot to say to leave one wheel on the ground

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Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It

If I was reading this earlier, I might have told you to keep turning the wheel until the other one stops turning...then it will be at top dead center...but i fear I am too late....

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

Jim, if you need any assistance with the 123, give me a yell -- I've fitted a couple of these, they work really well. Just make sure you follow the installation instructions closely.. specifically, be sure to keep clockwise pressure on the rotor button as you rotate the distributor body when setting the static timing.

I misread the instructions and got this wrong on my first try, pressing it anti-clockwise, which meant I had about 10 degrees too much advance throughout the rev range. On my first test run of only a few hundred metres, performance was awful and it overheated badly

I love the 123 though, so easy to get the advance curve just right for your motor, and even with a lumpy cam it's smooooooth from idle all the way to ballistic and back

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

Thanks everyone. SGC I would be interested to hear what setting you recommend. I think you have a worked 1100 so it may be different anyway. I was at Phillip Island on the weekend and someone asked if I have put the 123 on the car yet and that got a nice bloke called David from the club going. He was absolutely rapt in the 123 and has put them on several of his cars. All the guys running them on their cars including Nb race cars and road cars said that setting 6 is the way to go on a 1275 (mine is an S) He offered to put it on my car at my work and everyone insisted on how easy it was to do. That got me thinking maybe I should have been doing it myself. That was fine in theory but without even knowing how to find TDC I stopped before I started. I will see how I go with David but a trip over to Kingsville would be great if I get stuck again. Like I said , it's been sitting in the box for nearly a year now and I would like to get it on. Cheers.

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Flute - 68 MK I Cooper S
Member: VMCI #2474
Member: International Mini Model Collectors Club

It depends what state of tune the engine is in. What carbs, intake, cam, exhaust are you running? What's your compression ratio? What fuel do you run?

All of these things influence the advance curve which best suits your engine.

The 123 has four advance groups, 0-3, 4-7, 8-B, C-F. Each group is suited to a particular type of engine from full race big bores to bog-standard small bores. Setting 6 puts you in the highly-tuned small/big-bore street engine category, but if yours is less worked over then you may benefit from a little more total advance, which would put you in the 8-B group somewhere.



No worries at all, I'd be more than happy to help. I'll PM you my mobile number, I'll be close to home all weekend so if you want to drop by give me a yell.

One thing though, if your Lucas dizzy is anything like mine was and just a bit tired, you'll be kicking yourself for taking so long with the 123...

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

Hey Jim, how'd you go with the 123?

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

Hi Jim,

How did the installation of the 123 go?

Just in case you can't find your copy, here's the install instructions: http://www.123ignition.nl/pdf/123MINI.pdf

My 1275, HR255 cam twin 1.25 SUs, all balanced etc etc runs very well on curve 5. Tried curve 6 and the seat of my pants couldn't tell any different!

The Nb racers are using them? Interesting!

Cheers

matt

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68 Deluxe.... it's shiny..... I like shiny!!

See my new thread re a problem I have. Started a new thread due to needing people to see it. Cheers.

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Flute - 68 MK I Cooper S
Member: VMCI #2474
Member: International Mini Model Collectors Club