there is something not right with my engine
Turbo Mini Forums

ok so here's the story:

i have been working on an off for the past couple of years on my mini 1.0 mayfair.

now it's been painted and mot ready besides some small points.

The engine is a 1.0 sourced from a metro with a hiff38 carb fitted...

it has been running fine all this time since i've installed it in the car.
but when i got it fired up again last month after painting.... it is running rough all the time

so when the engine is cold it fires up immediately... then revs up and runs very rough when i accelerate.
and then dies...

when i try to restart it the engine starts very difficult (mostly with the help of some start pilot) and when it eventually fires up it starts revs up and then dies immediately, when you hit the gas it is like the engine is getting too much fuel...


i have checked the ignition and compression already and everything is ok, the carb is connected to the breather pipes and the dashpot is full. no air filter installed yet and co levels are high (black smoke)

can anyone help me with this as i am out of inspiration to get this one sorted...

cheers..

my 1275 n/a does this. I've put it down to a combination of slightly rich tune near idle and a leaky piston ring on 1 cylinder. sucks in a bit of oil when the rings are cold and haven't yet expanded. once warm they seal and it runs fine.

1275 N/A Sprite, 998 T2 Turbo Mayfair
1275 EFi Turbo

i'm not able to drive the mini so i guess things are worse than a faulty dashpot i have looked at the carburettor and it is working fine so i guess it is an ignition problem i am facing..

Condensor starting to fail possibly?

ah, sorry you didn't say. to get mine running i needed to let it tick over very slowly (900 rpm) if i tried to rev mine it'd die. otherwise sorry no suggestions

1275 N/A Sprite, 998 T2 Turbo Mayfair
1275 EFi Turbo

that's what i thought as well, i have replaced that today, but still the same problem, i am now going to change the hif carb for a h2 or H4 i have lying around and see what that does...

keep you all posted

ok, the carb is not the problem, the ignition is.. there is a spark and a good one but no bang still...

i have had one that would start and rev slightly but any load and it would die, mine was the rotor arm, the metal bit of the arm had launched through the cap and it would run because the spark was jumping via the rivet to the ht lead, i did have a video of it aswell with the clear cap

if it is ignition side i would replace everything, if its been stood a few years ht leads/ caps / plugs can deteriorate

Yes i moved to the darkside

Instagram @jdm_brett

I'd agree with Brett; Could well be condensation in the cap as well. Did you touch the distributor when you painted the engine? have you checked timing?

Its good practice anyway to replace it all.

i did not have the time to look at it over the last month, but replaced the ht leads, the rotor and cap with other ones (not brand new) i am now replacing it with all new stuff as the problem is still there...

the engine is sourced from a metro, maybe there is something wrong with the wiring? is there a difference in current or type of coil for these engines???

It could be ballasted ignition from a metro (9v normally, 12v on cracking).

The first thing I would change is the condensor.