No ignition lights on the dash.
Motor turns over but won't fire.


Any suggestions?

Battery ok????

Got spark at the points????

Got petrol????

When did the engine last run????

From what your symptoms are, maybe a short somewhere, so that although the engine is turning over, no spark is going to the distributor. Check the lead that runs from the coil to the centre of the distributor.

Good luck

_________________
Rod
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v607/Rodney/

Thanks Rod

I'll check that lead in the morning.
It was running earlier today although rough. I was in the middle of trying to work out why it was running rough then no ignition light!

Probably operators error.

Do you know how to set the timing on a standard 1100 72 clubman?

Cheers

Rod,

Turns out the that lead was ok so I pulled out the fuses cleaned the contacts and presto, we have ignition!

Now why is it running so rough, sounds like a rotary on idle and kinda stutters when I rev it?

Can anyone tell me how to set the timing on a standard 1100 72 clubman?

By winding it over a lot with no spark you have just wet the plugs...
Stick another set in...

<edit> see which one it is.. then pull the plug lead off the plug about 5mm or so. This increases coil voltage and it may then fire the plug. If so, thrash it around the block, push lead back on and it's sweet.

_________________
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.

By winding it over a lot with no spark you have just wet the plugs...
Stick another set in...
[/quote]

Wetting or fouling plugs after cranking is usually considered to be a two stroke only problem (two strokes can be fair bar stewards in this regard)....however...and for what it is worth...

Over the years, I have managed to start many stubborn engines just by pulling the plugs and carefully cleaning and drying them....by doing this, you are always giving the donk the best chance of firing.

So...pull the wet plugs and dry them excternally with an absorbent cloth. I then get down into the inner part with a very small screw driver covered in cloth. I also use a small screwdriver to scrap stubborn carbon deposits away. Make sure you get an absorbent rag all the way down around the bottom of the insulator post...I do this with the very small screw driver covered in cloth.

I also use wire brushes made from "File Cards", these are the flat boards with a wire brush glued to them for cleaning files. I put these on a band saw and cut them up into 3 or 4 long skinny plug cleaners (I make em a bit over 1 cm wide). I use these to brush away all the carbon scale from the plugs (because I'm too lousy to buy a plug cleaner!)

(and be patient, sometimes you might have to do this multiple times whilst trying to find that dud plug lead, cracked dissy cap or dicky points)

_________________
"Show me the Mini!"

I've cleaned up the spark plugs this morning, They were brand new plugs 2 days ago, I've replaced everything even a new coil. This car is new to me and has been in a shed for three years.

I have a feeling it's is something more sinister like carburetor or even head problem.

How do you know if there's a blown head gasket?

Bush method to check blown gasket-
Pull plugs out. Crank engine over, while putting yer thumb over each plug hole in turn. If you get 2 adjacent cylinders with little pressure it's a fair bet that the gasket is blown between them.
On a 1275 it's usually 2-3, on small bores either 1-2 or 3-4.

If it checks OK put a meter on each plug lead to check resistance. They go bad with time as most now just use carbonised string inside..
Over 8K ohm I would throw away. New are around 2K. Check the coil lead, too...

_________________
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.

Generally speaking....newness done matter...if you blacken or wet new plugs due to some other problem and you leave them in....then you are just compounding your problems....see my rant about cleaning above.

However, in your case it may well be something more sinister...but try and look on the bright side

_________________
"Show me the Mini!"

TimB...can I suggest you wander into Delatite Ford (the Parts Dept) and ask for Alan....if a fella says "Yeah, I'm Alan" then ask Mr Holgersson in the nicest possible way if he could come around and look at your Mini sometime

_________________
"Show me the Mini!"

Mr Holgersson hey,
I've been told there was a mini enthusiast in Benalla, could this be he?

Thanks.