Ignition Issues
Turbo Mini Forums

Been having problems for a while. I assummed it was the dodgy electoric ignition module in the dizzy, so we ripped it all out and put points etc back in, along with a new coil and cap. Rescently had a different dizzy fitted to try and resolve it.

When the car gets really warm, the spark will just stop and the engine will cut out when the revs drop. If I leave it 5 minutes I can get a few hundred yards.

I sat in traffic last night for about half an hour and it got quite warm. When we got onto the M40 it made it about half a mile before it died.

We swapped the coil and ran a new switched live and negative feed to the condensor, but it was still the same.

I had two RAC patrols looking at it and they where both stumped. One thought the weights in the dizzy might be getting hot and expanding in the dizzy sending the advance miles out. The coil is very hot to touch. Ended up coming home on a flat bed

The car is a pre a+ 998 with a front mount rad. The coil is on the head in the usual place.

Could the heat from the rad be cooking the coil?

It ran perfectly up and down the strip all weekend. Bloody mini's....

Hmm, dodgy coil lead? Breaking down under heat

1/4 Mile 14.3secs 96Mph Terminal 10psi of boost.


Fibreglass Parts? - http://www.tdkracing.co.uk/
Split Rims? - http://www.force-racing.co.uk/

Possibly....

Is it worth shifting the coil to the other side of the engine bay out of the flow of warm air??

Hmm i cant see how that would bother it really, i once left my ignition on and it got really hot.

1/4 Mile 14.3secs 96Mph Terminal 10psi of boost.


Fibreglass Parts? - http://www.tdkracing.co.uk/
Split Rims? - http://www.force-racing.co.uk/

I'll stick a new king lead on it and see what happens...

I thought about shifting it when I put the rad in, but then I thought that's where they are on the metro.

That said, a new coil didn't fix it so shifting it probably isn't going to help.

Maybe I'll get a better set of plug leads. Does anybody have any recomendations for a set??

http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?ty=...ILICON%20FROM...

These look Ok for the money. Has anybody used these??

Yeah, had them on when i was running dizzy, should be ok.

1/4 Mile 14.3secs 96Mph Terminal 10psi of boost.


Fibreglass Parts? - http://www.tdkracing.co.uk/
Split Rims? - http://www.force-racing.co.uk/

Is the coil the correct one for 12V ignition or is it a ballast coil - both the ballast coil and the electronic coil will overheat with 12V points ignition.

(edit - grammer)

Edited by Rod S on 13th Jul, 2009.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Yes it's a 12v none ballast coil. 2 weeks old from minispares.

Had a Lucas sports coil on it before and also tried it with a used one. Had no problems since fitting the new ignition stuff until it got hot on Sunday.

Right. There is a condition called blowing out the spark! When the pressure inside the cylinder increases the energy required for the spark to jump the gap (through now thicker air) increases when a spark plug begins to fail it is unable to carry the energy required to achieve this and hence the spark does not happen ie. you have blown out the spark.

I would suggest a new set of plugs and new coil.

Own the day

Right. There is a condition called blowing out the spark! When the pressure inside the cylinder increases the energy required for the spark to jump the gap (through now thicker air) increases when a spark plug begins to fail it is unable to carry the energy required to achieve this and hence the spark does not happen ie. you have blown out the spark.

I would suggest a new set of plugs and new coil.

Own the day

double post.

Edited by Mr Joshua on 13th Jul, 2009.

Own the day

I had similar problems with the original
MT electronic dizzy, which were cured by changing the coil for a very low resistance unit,harder spark plugs, and a new ignition amplifier.The hard plugs were to cure a high speed misfire and may be a complete irrelevance.

I've finally got round to taking it for a good hard thrash after fitting the new carbide cylicon leads. No hint of a misfire at all anymore.

Let's see what the drive to MITP brings...