27 replies to this topic

[CdnAustinAmerica]

Have a Canadian spec mk3 mini and have had some ignition issues, (cut out after 30 mins - would start again but would stall out under throttle/misfire, would run fine after off a few minutes but then would stall again) which seemed to me like a bad coil? Also think it could be the ignition switch - ign light would be off when it stalled and sometimes wouldn't crank over properly (replacing that soon).

 

Although I am replacing my coil as I wasn't happy with its readings on the primary winding (sometimes all over the place)

I was running a 0.9 coil (GCL143) with a minispares 45D (C-27H7698) without issue before I just did a rebuild,  but I would like to know for sure if this is okay with my ballast ignition. I have another new coil of the same part number

 

Would it be better bypass the ballast to run this coil? I know you should run 1.5 ohm with points and ballast but this is the hall sensor "electronic" ignition. 

If so how would that be best achieved? The ballast is the wire type and my solenoid is the one with extra terminals.

 

[timmy850]

That particular distributor recommends the 0.8 ohm coil

You could try a 1.5 ohm coil (with no ballast) for fault finding but you’ll need to close up the points gap to 25 thou

If you used a 1.5 ohm coil and the ballast with that distributor it’ll run very poorly, as the distributor is variable dwell and the charge time it idle would be very low.

Does your existing wiring loom have the ballast feed (pink wire)?

If you use a ballast feed to the coil you would need to make sure the distributor is still getting the full 12v

Edited by timmy850, 24 November 2024 - 11:27 PM.

[68+86auto]

It is best to bypass the ballast resistor for that distributor and coil.

It should also be ok with a higher resistance coil from some quick testing I've done with one I modified for a two cylinder engine.


To bypass the resistor, the easiest way is to run a wire from the fuse box ignition feed.

[CdnAustinAmerica]

It is best to bypass the ballast resistor for that distributor and coil.

It should also be ok with a higher resistance coil from some quick testing I've done with one I modified for a two cylinder engine.


To bypass the resistor, the easiest way is to run a wire from the fuse box ignition feed.

As in from an extra spade on the fuse box to the + on the coil or do you mean from the wire itself? I still have the standard two fuse only box.. (constant or switched/keyed power) 

Will that affect starting at all?

 

 

That particular distributor recommends the 0.8 ohm coil

You could try a 1.5 ohm coil (with no ballast) for fault finding but you’ll need to close up the points gap to 25 thou

If you used a 1.5 ohm coil and the ballast with that distributor it’ll run very poorly, as the distributor is variable dwell and the charge time it idle would be very low.

Does your existing wiring loom have the ballast feed (pink wire)?

If you use a ballast feed to the coil you would need to make sure the distributor is still getting the full 12v

 

Yes its the wire ballast 

I was running 25 thou anyway, could I go to 30-35 without the ballast?

 

Part of my concern was what happens when one runs a 0.9 ohm coil with the ballast and this electronic point replacement style dizzy

Edited by CdnAustinAmerica, 25 November 2024 - 08:17 AM.

[timmy850]

So are you currently powering the coil and the distributor from the pink ballast wire? 

 

If you are feeding the distributor with the ballast wire that is a likely cause of poor running. The distributor modules really need 12v

 

If you are running a 12v fed 0.8ohm coil you can use 35 thou plug gaps

[Ethel]

It would likely also be worth adding a starter relay to give the ignition switch an easier time.

[Cooperman]

Whatever you do get rid of that pink/white wire. I have had to re-wire two cars on which the 'effing pink wire' overheated and took out/melted the front loom. If you do still want the ballast system, replace that wire with a resistor of the correct value.

I always delete that wire and fit a standard 'Sports' coil, etc.

[cal844]

Whatever you do get rid of that pink/white wire. I have had to re-wire two cars on which the 'effing pink wire' overheated and took out/melted the front loom. If you do still want the ballast system, replace that wire with a resistor of the correct value.
I always delete that wire and fit a standard 'Sports' coil, etc.

I agree with this, I've also had to repair 2 cars after the ballast wire melted the loom, not easy to do properly

Edited by cal844, 25 November 2024 - 05:05 PM.

[CdnAustinAmerica]

So are you currently powering the coil and the distributor from the pink ballast wire? 

 

If you are feeding the distributor with the ballast wire that is a likely cause of poor running. The distributor modules really need 12v

 

If you are running a 12v fed 0.8ohm coil you can use 35 thou plug gaps

 

Whatever you do get rid of that pink/white wire. I have had to re-wire two cars on which the 'effing pink wire' overheated and took out/melted the front loom. If you do still want the ballast system, replace that wire with a resistor of the correct value.

I always delete that wire and fit a standard 'Sports' coil, etc.

 

 

Looking at the wiring diagram (one MikeL on this forum made, thank you for that!)  in there from the wire from the positive side of the coil which ties into the fusebox and then ties into the wire from the switch/warning lamp

 

If I run an extra keyed wire to the coil that will bypass it? 

 

Edited by CdnAustinAmerica, 25 November 2024 - 05:59 PM.

[CdnAustinAmerica]

 

So are you currently powering the coil and the distributor from the pink ballast wire? 

 

If you are feeding the distributor with the ballast wire that is a likely cause of poor running. The distributor modules really need 12v

 

If you are running a 12v fed 0.8ohm coil you can use 35 thou plug gaps

 

Whatever you do get rid of that pink/white wire. I have had to re-wire two cars on which the 'effing pink wire' overheated and took out/melted the front loom. If you do still want the ballast system, replace that wire with a resistor of the correct value.

I always delete that wire and fit a standard 'Sports' coil, etc.

 

 

Looking at the wiring diagram (one MikeL on this forum made, thank you for that!)  in there from the wire from the positive side of the coil which ties into the fusebox and then ties into the wire from the switch/warning lamp

 

 

[Cooperman]

I simply undo the pink/white wire at each end and replace it with a white wire. There is a joint point just inside the engine compartment where the wire comes from the ign switch, and the other end goes onto the 12 volt coil. You can leave the redundant pink/white wire in the loom.

 

The first time I had to do this was on my Sister-in-Law's Mini and as it was then her daily driver, I had to use what wire I had, so some of the colour coding was lost. On the second one I had the time to order additional wire with the correct colour coding.

[Abdalim]

I just installed a 0.9 coil (GCL143) with a minispares 45D (C-27H7698). Its running smoothly at first but suddenly the engine stop and cannot start. Is there I’m missing something on setting this set up. By the way I used mild camshaft and ngk bp5es plugs.

[68+86auto]

I just installed a 0.9 coil (GCL143) with a minispares 45D (C-27H7698). Its running smoothly at first but suddenly the engine stop and cannot start. Is there I’m missing something on setting this set up. By the way I used mild camshaft and ngk bp5es plugs.

 

How have you wired it up?

 

There could be many faults, really you need to get out a multimeter and check everything. It could be totally unrelated to the distributor.

[timmy850]

You’ve got to make sure in that case both the distributor and coil are fed a full 12V from a wire that’s rated for the current

[Lplus]

I just installed a 0.9 coil (GCL143) with a minispares 45D (C-27H7698). Its running smoothly at first but suddenly the engine stop and cannot start. Is there I’m missing something on setting this set up. By the way I used mild camshaft and ngk bp5es plugs.

Does this problem repeat each time you try to use the car or did it run once and never again?

 

Presumably you have checked there is still a spark?