Metro problems

[roy c]

Hi all I got my nipper a 1989 1275cc mini metro, and it has been going really well but recently we have had problems with it cutting out and traced it down to the ignition .(wires on other side of the ignition barrel).I got another switch from flea-bay and put it on today and it started and took it for a run and was fine. But every now and again the motor would "die," and after a couple of turns of the key it was ok again, then when you were going along it would do it again.I found that if it was driven with hardly any pressure on the throttle and the revs kept low this never happened (low revs thru the gears)but as soon as you put your foot down and built the revs up the motor would cut out. But a couple of turns of the key and it was away again.!!! Now my nipper is only a learner and never uses the motor unless me and the wife go out with him but he will sit in it and rev it and the times he has run out of petrol by just doing that is loads. So could there have been any s##t sucked up into the pump or carb and maybe blocking the main jet? Will appreciate your comments.Thanks...Must add this motor was owned by a woman who had it from new and it has only done 52K miles and the engine is as sweet as a nut....

 

[Belle427]

makes a pleasant change to have a problem in this section that does not involve any diagnostics!
Check the basics first such as plugs and leads etc, may be worth changing the fuel filter if he has run it out of fuel!

 

[roy c]

I have done all the basics and it has got electronic ignition (which was standard on this motor) I dont think it has an in line fuel filter, there wouldn't be a filter in the pump (mechanical) would there?

 

[Mursal]

Sounds like fuel starvation, due to a restriction. Blow back into the tank (with the filler cap off) and if the top can come off the lift pump, you will find a filter inside. But its probably a sealed unit? If you have a manual choke, pull it at high engine speed to help clear any blocked jets in the carburetor. Might have dirt in the float bowl of the carb and as you say blocking a jet.

 

[roy c]

Good man Mursal sounds like sound advice I will try that..I can take the carb off and blow it out with an airline but would rather not, so thanks for all your input..

 

[Burnerman]

If the cat has the 11/2" SU carb (not sure there) check that the auto choke wires on the bottom haven't come adrift. A notorious problem on these!
John

 

[roy c]

Ok the update to what has been happening to my nippers metro.We took it to my mates garage where my nipper works on his days off from college and they came to the conclusion that it was the coil causing the problem.This was after I had stripped the carb down and cleaned and blew all the jets out and it had the same problem so we concluded it was an electical fault. So we bought a new coil and it was put on, they took the motor for a run and it ran sweet as a nut. So I went down to the garage and picked the motor up (my nipper was driving) we took it for a good run and it was sound, no problems. then we pulled away from some traffic lights and it cut out, it started again and we got it to the bottom of our road and it cut out again and wouldn't start. So I towed it back to our house!!My nipper was workin at the garage today and my mechanic mate gave him a lift home and he had a look at the motor. It wouldn't start and with the pos. lead off the coil it was only showing 9 volts on the volt meter. We got it going and with the lead back on the coil it was showing a good charge rate of over 13 volts when you revved the engine but when the engine was revved and we let the revs drop we had a fluctuation in the voltage and it dropped down to 9 volts at the coil and the engine died.This happened a few times and the mechanic came to the conclusion that the coil had burnt out. Now this was a brand new coil that worked well for about 20 miles then burnt out!! So anyone got any ideas? Thanks

 

[Belle427]

are you sure the new coil is compatable with the system?
some coils are designed to run on 9 volts(ballast resistor systems) but will burn themselves out on 12 volts.
Im not sure how the ignition system is wired on yours but its something to check out.

 

[roy c]

are you sure the new coil is compatable with the system?
some coils are designed to run on 9 volts(ballast resistor systems) but will burn themselves out on 12 volts.
Im not sure how the ignition system is wired on yours but its something to check out.

Is there any way of finding out what voltage a coil runs on, without just taking the word of the guys who sells it to you?
Just a little point, the coil was quite hot to the touch is this normal?

 

[Peter.N.]

Certainly sounds as though the coil voltage is excessive. Check the wiring diagram and see if the top end of the coil goes directly to the 12v supply or has a resistor in series with it, sometimes the resistor was the was the 12v lead to the coil, otherwise the was a resistor mounted on the coil.

Peter

 

[roy c]

No signs of a resistor. It has electronic ignition could this be part of the problem as it is over 20 years old?

 

[Nige F]

I guess it could be the problem I found some info on the net - can`t bloody load it for you basically it looked like pages from a workshop manual

 

[fidom]

It might be worth talking to one of the specialist Mini firms, as the engine is basically the same as in an old Mini. They will have the correct parts and will know about coil voltages etc. One option would be to revert to the old points ignition by fitting a Mini distributor.

 

[pompeyal]

Has the + and - wires to the coil been put on the wrong terminals? this would cause the coil to overheat.

 

[Mursal]

Get a coil from a motor factor listed for the car. Just connect it as soon as the problem is there, if it starts, it was the coil, if not leave the new coil back.
Better always to check the spark coming out of the coil, rather than the input voltages, at lease to start finding the cause.

I you have a spark at the plugs, and petrol in the inlet manifold the engine will usually start.

Look at E-Bay for the proper coil, just for reference