7 replies to this topic

[austin-majors]

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Please give your topic a title that quickly describes your problem. Just putting 'Help my Mini doesn't work' is useless to anyone trying to help.
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mini city e
1985
998cc

hi all i'm having some trouble with the points on my mini, the points seem to close on their own

been to a mechanic who set it up worked perfect for a few miles then all of a sudden spluttering and loss of power.

back to the mechanic who traced the fault to the points not opening, they had closed somehow?

new points and new condenser and points set again,

a day in the mini and again coughing and spluttering, just checked the points and again they're closed????

the screw holding the points are tight so i cant see why there closing???

has anyone any idea whats causing this?

any help greatly appreciated

arwel.

[Big_Adam]

Well, do a search because I'm fairly sure this has been covered a fair few times.

Anyway, even though the screw is tight does everything work correctly? I had a problem a while back that the screw was fouling on the backplate of the dizzy and causing the vac advance to not work as well as letting the points slip. Which was fun to figure out after 3 weeks.

Another idea, just bend the arm on the points to get more spring back.

Final idea, if nothing else works (search first mind) is to change to electronic points. Company called MM 4x4 sells electronic points for the lucas 45D, I'm going with you have a 59D.

I've heard some people fitted them via some filing and they worked, but I have yet to make it work, so caution is advicesed on the "I will make it work" approach.

http://www.mm-4x4.co...-kit-2720-p.asp

[austin-majors]

Well, do a search because I'm fairly sure this has been covered a fair few times.

Anyway, even though the screw is tight does everything work correctly? I had a problem a while back that the screw was fouling on the backplate of the dizzy and causing the vac advance to not work as well as letting the points slip. Which was fun to figure out after 3 weeks.

Another idea, just bend the arm on the points to get more spring back.

Final idea, if nothing else works (search first mind) is to change to electronic points. Company called MM 4x4 sells electronic points for the lucas 45D, I'm going with you have a 59D.

I've heard some people fitted them via some filing and they worked, but I have yet to make it work, so caution is advicesed on the "I will make it work" approach.

http://www.mm-4x4.co...-kit-2720-p.asp

hi there thanks for the reply, i did try a search before posting but i couldnt find anything i will try again, bending the spring will not work i dont think as the points move away from the square rotating arm and this causes the points not to open as the points plastic arm are'nt in contact with the rotating squae drive anymore hope this makes sense

[Ethel]

Use a star washer under the screw. you could also scribe a line on the baseplate to make sure if it's the points slipping on it or if the heel is wearing quickly - a light smear of grease on the shaft may help if it's wear.

[dklawson]

I have never worked with the 59 series distributors but I seem to remember someone posting on other threads that they use a different set of points than the 45D. Is that correct? On the 45D points (at least the ones I've bought) the points are supplied with a piece of felt that "clips" into a fork on the non-moving part of the points. You're supposed to wet that felt with engine oil (a few drops so the felt is wet from end to end). The felt continually rubs against (and lubes) the square cam that opens and closes the points to minimize wear of the heel block on the moving arm of the points. If the 59 series points have this, use it. If they do not, use a thin film of light grease as Ethel suggested above.

Also, only buy quality points. There have been problems reported on many U.S. boards about premature points heel wear that was more or less traced to Asian import parts. I don't know what to suggest for quality points in Europe. Over here we have a few vendors who have started having parts made to their spec. In the U.K. I know that one such vendor is called something like "Rare Bits for Classics" or something similar. However, I think their distributor parts are aimed at the 25D and 45D series.

[austin-majors]

many thanks foryour reply's im am fairly sure the points are actually moving closed and not wearing, bearly 500yds down the road and the points closed again so we had to tow the car home

i do fancy fitting the electronic ignition but i need to figure out what dizzy i have also need to find out whats happening in my dizzy before going forward and fitting the electronic ignition.

[Guess-Works.com]

Check the spindle on the dizzy for play... If you set them with a wobbly spindle they will never hold their state.

[Ethel]

If it's original it's most likely a Lucas 45D. There's also the Ducellier identifiable by the condenser being on the outside.

The 59 is only slightly different (it has wiper points) to the 45 and many bits, including the points, are interchangeable.

It could also be someone's lost the fixing screw 'n botched with the wrong thread.