Been helping a mate on a Mini 850 recently!

It's running on 2 cylinders ( 1&4) and makes no difference if you unplug the spark leads however all 4 plugs have a strong spark and are wired in the correct order! Fuel is reaching all cylinders and we have compression with no issues on valves and the head gasket has just been replaced! Could it be timing? Any ideas greatly appreciated!

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CD0QFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theminiforum.co.uk%2Fforums%2Ftopic%2F176984-850-tuning%2F&ei=psEEVMyYIYOr0QWM1YCADA&usg=AFQjCNGdBmNVAZRIYxJ0hdgwJKzz_AuDnw&sig2=dgOR07l-YnL3yLzoD61T4g&bvm=bv.74115972,d.d2k

Head gasket?

 

 Check it out at night, look at the distributor as it may be cracked, you will see electricity escaping like in a plasma ball.

 

 Also check plugs and leads, these things are simple so be systematic and check everything in turn.

Head gasket?

Check it out at night, look at the distributor as it may be cracked, you will see electricity escaping like in a plasma ball.

Also check plugs and leads, these things are simple so be systematic and check everything in turn.

Nope checked all the cylinders for compression and all were equal! It's got a strong spark at all 4 plugs and fuel to all 4 cylinders so all I can think of is timing at the minute

give the dizzy a spin, you will soon find out

Have you tried swapping the HT leads for cylinders 2 and 3?

Ian

Have you tried swapping the HT leads for cylinders 2 and 3?

Ian

Yeah with no difference

All the tappets are set correctly I presume??  Inlet valves not opening.... Set from TDC and not BDC

All the tappets are set correctly I presume?? Inlet valves not opening....

Yes all have the correct gap! No stuck valves as they are all new and were ground in correctly! Have had the head off and poured petrol in the block on the pistons and petrol over the valves and left overnight with no change in level!

No idea then....  Plug it into VCDS  :p

No idea then.... Plug it into VCDS :p

Couldn't find the socket ;)

Yes all have the correct gap! No stuck valves as they are all new and were ground in correctly! Have had the head off and poured petrol in the block on the pistons and petrol over the valves and left overnight with no change in level!

 

you say the valve clearances are set to the correct gap, but are they actually in time with the crank?

you say the valve clearances are set to the correct gap, but are they actually in time with the crank?

As far as I know! I'll check with him in the morning as he was the one doing it

you say the valve clearances are set to the correct gap, but are they actually in time with the crank?

or 180' out?      

or 180' out?

That's worth a shot I'll see in the morning! Not like I'll be doing much anyway

Hi Toxi, it's one helluva long time since I mucked around with Austin Minis, Hillman Imps and the like so I may be getting confused.  But here goes!

 

Did your mate remove the distributor when he replaced the head gasket - and if so, is it possible he replaced the distributor with the cam (and hence rotor arm) 180 degrees out of phase?  I can't remember if it's possible to do this on a mini, but it's definitely possible on a Hillman Imp!  Symptoms were lots of sparks, lots of fuel, but an engine that would barely run.

Hi Toxi, it's one helluva long time since I mucked around with Austin Minis, Hillman Imps and the like so I may be getting confused. But here goes!

Did your mate remove the distributor when he replaced the head gasket - and if so, is it possible he replaced the distributor with the cam (and hence rotor arm) 180 degrees out of phase? I can't remember if it's possible to do this on a mini, but it's definitely possible on a Hillman Imp! Symptoms were lots of sparks, lots of fuel, but an engine that would barely run.

Another thing to check another thing 8 is that it is running really smoothly on 2 cylinders!

Hi Toxi, it's one helluva long time since I mucked around with Austin Minis, Hillman Imps and the like so I may be getting confused.  But here goes!

 

Did your mate remove the distributor when he replaced the head gasket - and if so, is it possible he replaced the distributor with the cam (and hence rotor arm) 180 degrees out of phase?  I can't remember if it's possible to do this on a mini, but it's definitely possible on a Hillman Imp!  Symptoms were lots of sparks, lots of fuel, but an engine that would barely run.

 

i had heard of this too! I wasnt sure if it was possible on these engines? A guy at work is a "mini-nut"

i had heard of this too! I wasnt sure if it was possible on these engines? A guy at work is a "mini-nut"

You can on the A series sadly I'm more at home on a B series engine...

You can on the A series sadly I'm more at home on a B series engine...

 

i have a feeling it might be a bit more likely then the crank being out of time by 180 degrees

i have a feeling it might be a bit more likely then the crank being out of time by 180 degrees

Cheers Taylor

get him to take the rocker cover off and remove the plug from cylinder 1 n drop a welding rod in, then turn it over by hand to check the crank/valve timing, probably the easiest to do as im not sure how you could check if the dizzy drive is 180 degrees out (never owned a car with a dizzy, only ever worked on one car with a dizzy drive and then we never touched it)

 

if one is in time, then check the other

get him to take the rocker cover off and remove the plug from cylinder 1 n drop a welding rod in, then turn it over by hand to check the crank/valve timing, probably the easiest to do as im not sure how you could check if the dizzy drive is 180 degrees out (never owned a car with a dizzy, only ever worked on one car with a dizzy drive and then we never touched it)

if one is in time, then check the other

Hurry up and buy that Alfa

If I remember rightly the firing order should be 1, 3, 4, 2, and it is possible to put the dizzie in 180 out.

Hurry up and buy that Alfa

 

haha! engines and their electrics, thats me mate!