i have registered my mini. the problem is it is so hard to start i have spark at the points all the way to the plugs ( strong spark) getting petrol ( new fresh petrol) i turn it over but still wont start doesnt even want to start... the only way i can seem to start it is by push starting then once its warmed up she seems to start no worries.... i was thinking timing but she still doesnt want to start when i static time it. i cant go off a timing mark on my flywheel because the marks have been ground off. also i took it for a 20 minute drive and the temp guage only went up a quarter of the way ( round smiths mini k temp guage) i thought hmmmmm maybe this is running a little cool. but i stopped and my radiator was boiling and the water came pouring out i suggest the temp sender in the head is haddit. so what you think guys? aND what is the most damage i could have done to the car if i had been driving it around over heating it without realising? another question how do you glaze a bore? how do u know if u have glazed your bore? can overheating cause this because my car is blowing a little bit of smoke i think blue smoke...... thanks for all your he;[ guys. justin

_________________
1964 smooth roof panel van
1967 Mk 1 X-Police cooper s
1970 mini k
1975 leyland

Sorry to hear your having so much trouble , as your spark is good have you had the carby tuned ?
. have you checked the oil in your dashpot "Thats if you have an Su carby ".

.have you checked the float level in your carby ? sounds like its starving for fuel if its runs ok after a push start.

.have you checked the colour of your plugs are they are wet " from unburned petrol " maybe one of your plugs is fouling.

ahh thats all i can think of at the mo , but there's plenty of people here with way more mechanical knowledge to help you work it out.

Good Luck

Cheers Bill

_________________
Project Pickles is ALIVE!!!!! Click Here!
Success is so much sweeter after the struggle

thanks for your reply bill. carby isnt tuned but after a run they were like a brown colour which as far as i know means its running right? oil in my dash pot havent got this ill try putting some in... i did try richining up the mixture to see if it would start but still no go so yea appreciate your thoughts though bill

_________________
1964 smooth roof panel van
1967 Mk 1 X-Police cooper s
1970 mini k
1975 leyland

Does it sound like it wants to fire ? , are you constantly winding it over on the key , say for , 20 - 30 secs at a time ? I have seen dicky ign swithes do this on a few occasions .
Try starting it with full choke ,( only when cold ), wind it over for only about 5 secs at a time , i've had them where they will only fire when you release the key .

If you havent got any oil in your carbys dashpot it will run really crap i believe , or havent you checked if there's any oil in it ?

Cheers Bill

_________________
Project Pickles is ALIVE!!!!! Click Here!
Success is so much sweeter after the struggle

it does have some in there just not very much as most of it came out when i had the carby off and turned it upside down i think most of it spilled out.......i have heard some people run them without oil? also when it is started it seems to run fine so? i dont know lol.

_________________
1964 smooth roof panel van
1967 Mk 1 X-Police cooper s
1970 mini k
1975 leyland

Haha weeelllll a quick google said you can use 20w40 in it bit no thicker , here's the original oil on ebay http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Classic-Mini ... 2c7149fd80

Bit pricey though .

This ones a bit cheaper http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SU-Zenith-BD ... 2a2d0d6629

Cheers Bill

_________________
Project Pickles is ALIVE!!!!! Click Here!
Success is so much sweeter after the struggle

ok cheers ill try some oil in the dashpot. now could i have glazed the bored driving 20 mins and overheating it not knowing becasue the sender is incorrect? what damage could i have done? not even firing when i turn the key. i try with choke without accelerator down just wont start.

_________________
1964 smooth roof panel van
1967 Mk 1 X-Police cooper s
1970 mini k
1975 leyland

What makes you think over heating causes glazing? Usually it happens during the running in period when the engine isn't under sufficient load to bed the rings in. If you have done damage then it's up for a rebuild anyway so I wouldn't worry about it, if you have to cross that bridge it will become evident the more you drive it. Try starter spray, if it helps then it could be a lack of fuelling on start up.

Smoke could be many things, it could be blow by, does it go away? Or get worse after upon takeoff after the cars been idling? You're concerned about hard starting but how does the car drive in general?

A good description of all the faults will be more useful than the ones that may seem related.

yea ok sry about the lack of information. once the car is started it drives fine. with the smoke, it seems to be when i am stopped and idling i put the accelerator down to take off and out puffs a heap of smoke, the head has been rebuilt motors been all rebuilt balanced aswell. seems to drive fine just wont start unless its push started. i was just thinking maybe the motor was that hot the oil got that thin and was getting in the bore i dont know im not a mechanic lol as you can tell. i have an electric fuel faccit fuel pump gold one on it aswell, i tried having a look to see how much psi it pumps but couldnt see anything except an arrow flow and 12 volt couldnt see psi anywhere.

_________________
1964 smooth roof panel van
1967 Mk 1 X-Police cooper s
1970 mini k
1975 leyland

Retarded ignition timing will cause hard starting & overheating. Best find a way to check it or try advancing the distributor and see if it improves.

Ash.

_________________
----------1984 Mini Mayfair with not much 1984 Mayfair left of it!-----------
----------1968 fake Cooper S that messed with a tree -----------------------------

if i advance the timing it struggles to even turn the motor over

_________________
1964 smooth roof panel van
1967 Mk 1 X-Police cooper s
1970 mini k
1975 leyland

reset your points / and get a variable timing light to know what your timing is. Clean inside dist cap etc