Irish Mini Owners Club

hi having trouble with engine timing on my automatic engine we ve kept trying and tryin to find the markin but no sign,Is there
another way of setting the engine timing

I've never timed an automatic but I can't find any referance to it being anywhere else then being on the flywheel/torque converter like the manual. With the inspection plate open and sparkplug one removed rotate the engine slowly by hand and when the piston is at the top of the bore you should see the marks.They may need to be cleaned and I usually mark them with tipex which shows up better with the strobe light.

thanks will try tomorrow

Make sure its at the top of the power stroke, pull the dizzy cap and make sure the rotor is pointing to number one plug HT
or pull the rocker cover and make sure both valves are fully closed ie tappets loose

To see the timing mark it won't matter if its the power stroke or not ,once the piston is at the top TDC so will the timming marks.It will matter if you want to set the static timing .

Well yea that is true , to see them, once its at T.D.C. I know very little about autos but its a long time since I have seen a mini with an inspection cover on the flywheel housing. I remember useing a mirror to see the marks doing that way very many moons ago

As far as I remember the timing marks on the pulley wheel only came with the introduction of the A+ engine in 1981.
TMG is the automatic expert ,surprised he hasn't confirmed of corrected me on the location of the marks.
I'm also assuming its the original '72 motor.

ye its still the 72 we ve being with a mirror for a couple of days

Sorry I couldn't enlighten you more last night Tommy, next time I'm down I'll try and remember to bring the timing light and we'll set it up on the button for you, then I'll tweak the carb a little to get it at it's best...

Are you going to change you handle on here once you stick the new engine & box in over winter...? or will you just not use reverse seeing your not used with having it anyway...? lol

Woody your spot on the timing mark is view trough a hole in the torque converter housing,
Your also right it is not nessarly to setup the motor on TDC Piston no1 as the timing light is triggered by piston no1 lead.

anyone know how to do the timing properly on a mini engine.from what i'm told its a 1.3 engine,i have stripped it for painting done the clutch put it back together but i'm told i have to set the timing ,and i know diddly about engines thanks in advance

I think we may have all missed the point here . Is the car on a carb and if you dont have a timing light ? if the car has a points dizzy and you can't find any timing marks you can get it close the old school way . Find as close as you can TDC of the power stroke on number one cylinder in the way I discribed then turn the dizzy to point the rotor to no 1 lead . Get a body to spin it over as you turn the dizzy slowly and slightly if the leads are set up right it should start . But it must have marks , did you have the dizzy out ? I have seen them run but ,badly with the dizzy 180 degrees out and you wont see marks with a strobe light .

think we have timing ok now just more carb tuning to do

What happened with the marks?

still no sign woody but sound s better