Starting a mini

[yellowminiman]

Hi I'm getting back into my minis so tried to start one tonight , was getting the engine to turn over fine but couldn't get it to start . Checked to see if I was getting spark but their was little or none any ideas what to look out for thanks

[The Marcos Graveyard]

Fresh petrol ?
Fully charged battery ?
Clean contacts in dizzy cap ?

[keith]

on the assumption that it was more or less running fine previously, look for issues related to time: damp in the electrics, degraded fuel, perished fuel lines, rusted/corroded electrics and sensors.

if its an injection mini, turn on the ignition and listen for the fuel pump in the tank - should run for a few seconds.
If it doesn't buzz, look for fuse fault or safety cut-out issue.

depending on how it was stored, you might consider mice damage!

[yellowminiman]

Thanks for the reply it's an 83 mini 1000 was back at it again tonight fresh petrol fitted and it's definetly getting to carb ,cleaned the sissy cap rotor arm and points but still no joy ,I've ordered new points condenser sissy cover and rotor arm and will try it again it's doin my head in now

[Underhauled]

My old golf wouldn't start and it turned out to be the plugs. They were manky. New plugs, white smoke.

[keith]

are you getting any spark at all ? pull the lead off one of the plugs, put it close to the block and crank the engine.. you might see a spark if its a little dark, you should hear it for sure.

[yellowminiman]

Thanks again for the replys I am getin a spark albeit weak just a question though should I see a spark coming from the points or what is their function or is it the coil that creates the spark

[keith]

You might see a very small spark coming from the points. The function of the points is to open on the negative and low tension (12v) side of the coil, causing the magnetic field in the coil to collapse , triggering a massive discharge on the high tension side, which jumps a gap first from the rotor arm in your distributor to the HT contact point in the cap then to earth jumping the gap in the spark plug.
That discharge can be of the order of 10k volts or more.
So, things to check for good spark: dwell time, which is the time the points are closed allowing the coil charge, good contact on the HT leads, clean HT posts in the distributor, dry/clean inside cap, good contatvs on plug leads, correct gap on plug.

Dwell time is controlled by the shape of the distro shaft can and the gap you set when the points are open.
Tbh, a mini will start & run with a pretty lousy spark, so if you are getting any spark at all, the problem likely elsewhere.

Are the plug leads on the right plugs?
Is the spark timing roughly correct?
Is there fuel /air mix in cylinder?
Is there compression in the cylinders?

Is the battery charged? Ie. Is it cranking strongly?

Cheers

[yellowminiman]

Went back to basics with the knowledge kieth had givin me .spent about a half an hour cleaning all the ignition parts with sandpaper and wd added some fresh petrol and put in the new battery and off it went first key turn,was delighted thanks for all the help now to try and get the exhaust clamp on properly

[Benny]

It's amazing what a new battery can do.