To learn more, I'll add a pair of reading glasses, these books: Haynes Manual, David Vizard's Tuning the A-Series Engine or How to Modify Your Mini and a downloadable library on your computer. 

Good FREE reference material found here:

//www.minimania.com/article_list.cfm

• //www.minimania.com/_A_Calver_s_Corner.cfm

• //www.minimania.com/_A_Technical_Information.cfm

• //www.minimania.com/_A_General_Articles.cfm

 

• //www.minimania.com/_A_Restoration.cfm

• //www.minimania.com/_A_Installation_Instructions.cfm

 

I've found that even if I don't need to install a part or don't need to get involved with a particular system, it doesn't hurt to familiarize myself and know where I can find the answers later on.

Alot of Car Forums suggest any NEWB- start with Stage 0 With their car -- This is particular in the modification world.

RObster - I beleivey you are well on your way - nice fix of the shifter assembly- and your rust fixes are your choice.

Stage 0 - is a simple 100% reliable TUNE UP- before throwing bad parts in replace of good parts. So your distrubutor works- but is tempermental. How about replacing the basics before the whole Dizzy.  And others will agree- coils- MEH - Rarely go faulty - High power - big coils- are good for over the top builds- not a simple 998 Needing that.

Cap   15$

Rotor   5$ 

Wires   30$

Plugs    10$

Fuel Filter  8$  parts store

 and all those items would carry and be in known "good condition" before you throw a set of points at it.

Pertronix -- Easiest Igntion upgrade possible,. //www.minimania.com/part/LU142-P/Pertronix-Ignitor-Lucas-Conversion-Kits

  I have a mini friend- put this in... //www.ebay.com/itm/AccuSpark-Stealth-Electronic-Ignition-Points-Conversion-Kit-For-LUCAS-45D-/201173466639?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ed6df7e0f&vxp=mtr

Hasnt missed a beat...

Sure- distrubutor can be "worn out" but start fresh with other known parts before throwing new "unkowns at it"

Bam - Done. 

My oh my--- major bendage in the clutch arm you've got there...   (that clutch arm should be dead straight.  Check out some posts about clutch operation - and find- Bending (in your case) re welding the arm - is a "FIX"for worn out clutch componets.

I see that being the next project for ya!

 

DR : Give our bud a break about the vtec build. - TOO many people have visions of a Vtec Mini- Big eyes - but in the end little pockets even for everyday stuff... I like looking at them and ideas with a cup of java in the mornings.!

 

You question a $300 expense and think VTEC is a posibility?  Sell the Mini as you are delusional! 

A post from "spider" over on another message bored about the flea-bay distributors:

"...As a side note and a little OT, I've tested around 30 of those dissys that are so cheap and popular on ebay and the like. None of them are stamped with a serial no. and so far, no two that I have tested have had the same curve, some have had as much as 23 degrees distributor advance (46 at the crank) and others have as much as 11 degrees 'free play' in them, but they are all Oh so shiny " /> It really is a lucky dip as to what engine the one you might end up with would be for..."

You must remember that a "rebuild" involves parts AND labour. The unit must be inspected, disassembled, cleaned, worn parts replaced, assembled and tested. After $50 to $100 or more on parts, that leaves maybe $200-$300. Then there's shop supplies, business overhead (rent, heat, lights, equipment...) - chop off another $100. leaving $100-$200.  Labour including employer's costs might run $50 to $100 per hour.  That's maybe 2 hours. Suddenly it might look like a good deal.

 

Love the custom clutch arm!

 

oh my, the rebuild cost $300 to $400.

and its a point distributor?????

replying to Min41.

Jeff at Advanced Distributors.

//www.advanceddistributors.com/

Terry

Lol, yeah neg ground is pretty beat up, ill get a better replacement cable, thanks

 

sxsman, heres the pic

Sigh....
The cable that has a black terminal clamp, is the battery marked with a plus or a minus sign?
If it's a - minus sign, the car is negative ground as expected.

Hard to tell from the picture but that ground cable looks like it has a really nasty kink in it. Go to the auto parts store with cable in hand and get a replacement. Unless, of course, you enjoy walking home.

Although I can't make out in your picture the polarity marking on the battery (+, -) the terminal going to the chassis appears to be the ground (negative earth) and the one painted/colored red going forward to the starter solenoid should be coming off the positive terminal of the battery.

If the above mentioned is true, you would have a negative earth car (as most cars are).

Do you have a better picture that would show clutch arm/flywheel housing ? From what I can see, it looks like a non-verto clutch set-up. 

SxS 

 

dan this is how the battery was set up on mine,  is it indeed a negative ground? before i order the distributor today i wanna make sure.. thanks

the big wire with the bare metal showing is attached to the positive of the battery

To fill in what Zippy was saying, very early Minis had positive ground electrics - the battery was connected the other way and the electrics of the car were configured to suit. Back then, one had to be very careful connecting booster cables, or nasty things would happen. Your car woould certainly be negative ground.

Another item to check when replacing the distributor is to get the right drive dog at the bottom end of the shaft. There are  2 different types, AND the ne one may not necessarily be put on right. It may need to be removed and rotated 180 degrees, or timing will be really weird.

Who does the distributor rebuilds mentioned in the earlier post.

Jack

I've never been a proponent of electronic distributors on Minis for that exact reason.  I have been driving Minis since 1976 and never took one out that I couldn't fix on the side of the road, at least enough to get me back home.  When the electronics pack up there's no fixing that unless you carry a spare that is expensive.  Good ol' points and condensor are cheap and easy to fix/swap out in short order.

There's a battery in the boot.(trunk) It will have two cables attached. One goes forward and transports smoke up to the engine. The other cable is much, much shorter and is attached to the body. Your battery will be marked with a + &- on the terminals.
The short cable, most likely will be attached to the - side making it negative ground. 

I would imagine your mechanic is looking at boats about now.

you can have an "old unreliable" distributor rebuilt for about the same money, and then you have something that is confirmed to be right (by an expert, who rebuilds them one at a time), rather than a new part made in China with random quality

Not sure what "unreliable" means, in the case of a distributor. If the bushings are replaced, then the timing will be steady, and if the springs and weights are confirmed to be correct, then the advance will be correct and reliable. All that is left then are cap, rotor, condenser and points, which only need service about every 6000 miles, which the points and condenser are easily swapped for a pointless unit, if that is desired, so they never need any service, or just make sure to buy the points and condenser (and cap and rotor) from a trusted source like here, and not a random "take a chance" place like ebay.

Norm

Hmm, never saw that little package before, must be a Pertronix 1 mounted inside.  That's very very cheap indeed.

thanks!...when i buy this, the old one will be my spare.