Hey Fellas. Haven't been on here for ages. Life gets in the way sometimes.

Just wondering if you can help me with some diagnostics over the interwebs...

After that massive storm the other day, my minis been running crap. It got me home fine that afternoon, but on the way to work the next day, started running like a pig. It starts and idles fine, but power is way down and when you put your boot into it or go up a hill it just coughs and splutters and bogs right down. It'll clear up a bit if I back off and ease onto the power, but still not right.

So, does this sound like water in the fuel tanks, or has my tune suddenly gone to crap, or is there something else going on?

I had it in to Greig at Mini Classic a few weeks back and he had it running sweet. I'm thinking my best option at this stage is to drain the tanks and start with a new batch of fuel and new fuel filter. I have also heard that metho in the fuel tanks can help get rid of any water.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

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Cheers, Matt

Don't be fooled, Gruhms is not my real name.

I'd bet with these symptoms it's moisture in the dizzy cap.
Remove it, remove plug leads, spray cap inside & out with WD40, wipe dry, spray again. Shake excess off and refit.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Believe it or not, that was actually the first thing I thought of when it started happening. But in all my fussing around, I kept forgetting to check it. I'll go and do it now.

Thanks Doc.

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Cheers, Matt

Don't be fooled, Gruhms is not my real name.

Dizzy cap cleaned. Made zero difference. Which, when I think about it, makes sense because it's an electronic ignition.

Any other thoughts?

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Cheers, Matt

Don't be fooled, Gruhms is not my real name.

Top of coil? It gets dirty like the dizzy cap.
Frayed or loose wires on the coil primary can cause the same symptoms. I gave up using spade lugs there, I now use ring terminals instead.
Plug leads? Check resistance on all of em including the coil H/T one.
Bin any over 5K ohms.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Unless you have really crap fuel caps its unlikely that they let water in...but, where did you get fuel last? your usual place? maybe their tanks took some water...have a look at your fuel filter if it is the see-thru type...if it look dirty that could be a clue.

The other thing is the plugs you buy these days can last a week or 10 years! Same-same with points.

Have a look under the bonnet in the dark...to see if there is any arcing or tracking around the plug leads and coil..put a tarp or similar over the bonnet if you have to (only takes a couple of minutes once your eyes adjust).

Yep Metho displaces water, whack a litre into a 3/4 full tank

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"Show me the Mini!"

Thanks fellas.

Tried your suggestions Doc. Cleaned up the coil and checked the connections. No joy there. Checked the leads, all under 3k ohms.

9YaTaH. I'll have a look in the dark, but it seems unlikely considering my previous tests. Bought my fuel from the usual place and tanks are about 3/4 full. It's possible that my fuel caps are crap, nothing would surprise me, but it does seem unlikely that they would let much water in.

I guess I'll chuck some metho in and see if it helps. Have to nip out to the shops to get some more (fighting the urge to make a joke about it being hard to find any in the shops after the Rabbitohs won the grand final...). Can we just confirm that this won't do any damage to the engine?

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Cheers, Matt

Don't be fooled, Gruhms is not my real name.

The arcing can occur in micro-cracks in the coil terminal etc...

Do you have points? prime suspect...

If the shop is also out of boot polish, you are in trouble (that's what the derro's used to add when I was a kid

As I said, if you plenty of fuel in the tank, no problem whacking some metho in, try a half a litre first if you are worried. BUT if you got a load of crap fuel...better to dump it and replace with fresh/change your filter.

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"Show me the Mini!"

I got a bad load of 98 fuel once from Woolies, I barely made it 3km home. It swelled the SU's jet hose closed.
Bugger adding metho, I just siphoned the tank, then strained it into the AU Falcon.. the Valiant of the noughties..

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Funny story. Had to try 3 different places before I could find any metho. Bunnings had none, one servo didn't stock it anymore.

I'll try putting a bit in. If that doesn't work, I'll keep looking for some other issue. And no points, electronic ignition.

Thanks for the help boys. Keep the thoughts and suggestions coming.

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Cheers, Matt

Don't be fooled, Gruhms is not my real name.

I had a similar problem on my mini with a 1340cc engine.
Only under load. I'd tried points, dizzy cap and coil.
It was only when I decided to swap coils again that I noticed the spade terminal connection was loose.
Unconvinced I bit it and refitted it and the problem was solved.

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Too many cars, and too little time.

did you bite it with the engine running, if you did could you put up a video please for our entertainment,

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Does it have a condenser

Mine ran fine after changing that and the coil i had the same symptoms

Both were less than 12 months old

Guys please read the thread, twice he said it has electronic ignition..

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Solly Doc..I get your points

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"Show me the Mini!"