18 replies to this topic

[myredmini]

Hi All,

I have just fitted my engine and got it running, after getting oil pressure, fitting the plugs, it fired up, got it running sweet as a nut!

Started it up this morning, no problems, warmed up and ticked over really cleanly and rev'ed with no issues. Then as we (me and dad) fitted the Lucas electronic ignition, we fired it up, was perfect.

There was one wire coming out of the loom which was black and white with a male connector, which has lost its masking tape label and dont know where it goes, If i touch it on the coil - it illuminated the oil pressure and battery light with the ignition off?

Also I think this wire is for the Rev Counter as this is not working. We tried it on the body to see if it was earth and it just sparked and got hot.. My coil has 3 terminals 2 + positive and 1 - negative, after some reading about it seems this wire should be on the negative (-) coil terminal, is there a missing terminal on my coil ?

My coil..





and the wire that sparked when touched the body (taped up to stop it touching the body)



I have looked in the haynes manual and I struggle to understand wiring diagrams

Car Spec:

1989 Austin Mini Mayfair
998cc
59d4 Distributor
Lucas Electronic Ignition Kit

Any help is greatly appriciated..
Dan..

[Brigbeale]

The white wire with a black trace line should, as you say, be the tacho wire which should be connected to a double spade connector on the negative side of the coil.
My Haynes wiring diagram shows there are two such wires connected to the negative side of the coil - the other shows as going to the distributor.
Where does that black wire go? It may be a replacement for the above mentioned dizzy wire.

You could reconnect the tacho wire with a 'piggy back' spade terminal (this is a standard flat female terminal with a tang on the back to push another terminal on to it.

The positive side of the coil should have two wires connected to it - a pink/white balast wire (runs to ignition switch) and a white/yellow wire which runs to the starter motor solonoid.

The tacho wire looks like it has insulating tape covering some sort of connector. Does this join the same colour wire which disappears into the loom. If so, then has the wiring behind the dash been tampered with?

Edited by Brigbeale, 09 February 2012 - 11:22 AM.

[myredmini]

Can anyone shed any light ? Hopefully sort this problem today :)

[lrostoke]

If the white/black sparked and got hot when you touched it to the bodywork then sounds like there is a 12v supply getting to it that shouldn't be.

[myredmini]

Right..so what's my next step ? Should my coil only have 3 terminals or 4 ( 2 on each )

[myredmini]

Yes that wire Is black abd white, that tape it just to stop it touching the body, it has a male connector and all the wiring is un-tampered as far as I see, no joins etc.. As lrostoke pointed out, seems that wire has a 12v feed, how can I fix this ?

Thanks for your advice, really helps

[lrostoke]

I've no experience with the Lucas electronic ignition so not sure how it wires.

Normally coil on later models

White/pink and white/yellow connect to coil positive no other wires and they are normally joined on a shared female spade connector anyway

white/black goes to coil negative with the other end of this wire running through the loom to the dizzy (points system) the tacho wire comes off this but is connected inside the loom.

[Dan]

First, as far as I know there is no Lucas brand electronic ignition conversion kit designed for Minis so what have you fitted? Accuspark, Aldon/Pertronix, Lumenition, Britpart etc all make kits. Or if it is a Lucas kit can you post a link so we can see it?

Coil terminals are loose and only fixed by small nuts. New coils come with a selection and you can fit whatever you need. Your coil as standard would have had 5 connections, some may have been doubled into single connectors though. It needs ballasted supply, ballast cranking bypass, dizzy LT connection, tacho LT connection and a suppressor all hooked up to it. Without knowing exactly what model of electronic ignition you have it's not possible to say what should be kept or how it should be changed. Your wiring is a terrible mess there, you need to sort it out a bit. What colours are connected where? It's hard to see in the photo.

As said the white/black looks to have some sort of connector in it, it looks like whoever split the loom open may have joined the short dizzy white/black to the long tacho white/black. Test that cable, it shouldn't be sparking if earthed if it's not connected to the coil. It should not be live, if it is trace it.

[Dan]

You now say the wire is black/white. Which is it, white/black or black/white? It is important, the colour codes are all very specific. Black/white is constantly live as it's the low brake fluid warning circuit. Have you connected the white/black to the black/white?

[myredmini]

The wiring has been opened up to check for damage, I know it needs sorting but I am trying to sort this first.. No wires have been split, the tape round the middle of that wire is to protect it where it's open a bit till I sort it.. I appreciate the advice you give me but electrics is not my strong point.. You say trace it, how do I do this ?

Here's the kit

http://item.mobilewe...nid=34941956410

2 wires, one positive coil, one negative..

Just left with no tacho, and a live wire that shouldnt be by the sounds of it

[myredmini]

White/ black, sorry didn't know there was a difference..

[lrostoke]

That looks identical to the Britpart / Accuspark unit, it probably means suitable for Lucas not made by.
And to late now but £44 is ridiculas

Wiring should be easy

Is your coil ballast or non ballast do you have a white/pink and white/yellow wire going to the coil ??

[myredmini]

I think my best option is get back to the mini this week and get more photos that are clearer.. And check what colour wires I have..

I don't know what ballast and non ballast is, what does it mean ?

Dan..

Edited by myredmini, 09 February 2012 - 11:56 AM.

[lrostoke]

Ballast coil system..Uses a lower voltage coil around 9v, But on starting a byepass wire kicks in which supplies more voltage which gives a better spark. Thats the simple version

Non Ballast is a 12v coil no boost for starting :)

[Dan]

I think it's the Accuspark actually but packaged with a decent Distributor Doctor red rotor arm rather than a garbage Lucas black one. I say that because this is a proper 59D4 unit which Britpart don't offer but Accuspark do and it looks exactly like that. I don't know who Lucas Online are but they probably aren't part of Lucas. Lucas remains a large international parts supplier, now part of ELTA lighting I think, and don't trade by an e-bay shop. Did the instructions that came with it say it could be powered by ballasted ignition or did they say it needs 12v? As for your coil terminals, the kit should have come with an extra one. Coil terminals are only fixed by some small nuts and can be swapped at will.