Hi all,

Need some more help getting my Rossa going (!!)

I have converted it to use a mk2 metro loom with proper fusebox and relays etc.

Everything has been going swimmingly, until i get to the starter wiring. The loom now has a starter relay, and connections for fitting a pre-engaged piggyback style starter.

My engine has the earlier inertia starter with seperate solenoid.

Dose anyone know how i can link the two together to work?

I tried with the battery and all brown wires on one terminal of the solenoid, and a short lead between the other and the starter (how you do it on minis!) but i havent got the trigger wire as it now connects to my relay.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance. Nathan.

There should be another wire coming off your relay - that should be your trigger.

IIRC it'll be blue/yellow.

cheers for the input. unfortunately i dont have a blue/yellow wire off the relay.

I think i will find another engine out a later car. it will solve all my problems!!!

This should be relatively simple.

Chunky cable (permanently live) goes to starter solenoid (one large bolt on terminal) Wire from the solenoid's other large bolt on terminal goes to starter.

Trigger wire (live when operating starter from key switch) goes to spade terminal on solenoid.

Not sure of colours but a metro manual should tell you?

Allen

The trigger wire could be white/red if you have one of those.

Also, depending what you've mounted the solenoid to - it may have to be earthed.

Allen

thanks for the input guys.

I finally got it turning over (surprising seeing as i hate wiring!) so im closer than i have been to getting this car running.

I was chilling with my girlfriend the other night when it hit me. I took the relay out of the metro loom, and just connected the trigger wire up as you suggested. Why i didn't think of this before i have no idea. I've done this change so many times on my minis. I think i was just over complicating things trying to use the relay when i could have stayed with the wing mounted solenoid all along!

Now its turning over - new battery purchased - getting a big fat spark - getting fuel - but it wont start.

Every now and then i get a pop from the exhaust, but its not catching.

Any ideas? Easystart down the carb dosent help. want this running!

Nathan.

Sounds like timing to me.

Agree, sounds like timing - are plug leads right order and is it timed on no 1?

Allen

I assumed it would be timing related.

The leads are currently on in the right order. I havent yet checked if its set correctly. Compression stroke rotor arm facing at no. 1 spark plug hole sound about right?

Nathan.

Sounds right. Have you checked your direction of rotation for your rotor arm? A couple of times in the past i've had my plug wires backwards. 1243 instead of 1342.

Other than that, if running an HIF carb, have you got it connected properly?

An a-series will usually start as long as fuel and spark are something like.

Are you using fresh petrol?

Thanks for the reply.

I havent checked the rotation, as i just assumed it always went anti-clockwise.

Hif carb connected properly. I even changed it for a spare one i had in the workshop but it made no difference. Even the easy start wouldnt work (normally get a small amount of firing when used before)

Petrol is what was in the tank when i bought the car (must be nearly a year ago now??!! )

I still think the timing is off. Will check static timing, rotation of the rotor arm and change the fuel and see how i get on.

Thanks again.

Ok,

Been out and had a play tonight.

My distributor seems to be 90deg. out of whack.

Image below: firing order is shown, my current order (with pistons at TDC the rotor is pointing as shown in red) is shown as circled numbers.



Is this a case of pulling the distributor out and turning it 90deg. anti clockwise and re seating it?

Interestingly the clip on numbers on the HT leads now line up, and it turns over to the point of trying to start, the starter cuts out, and it imediately dies. Would i be able to leave the dizzy where it is and just adjust static timing? I can only assume is used to run like this, as the previous owner used it on the road and i havent moved it.

Thanks for the continuing help.....

The rotor arm should point to no 1 at tdc as a rough guide.

Pulling the dizzy out and turning it won't help because it turns 180 degrees at a time. The easier solution is to take the plug leads off and put them back on so that No1 is the one facing the rotor arm at tdc and so on. I suspect that the problem may stem from the distributor drive gear being a tooth or three out - correctly fitted, the slot in the drive gear should be at 2 o'clock with No1 piston at tdc. and the rotor arm should point in the same direction. You can check it with the dizzy removed and if you want/need to correct it you can screw a 5/16unf (I think it is) bolt into the centre of it and withdraw it with a clockwise twisting action, replacing it with the slot at 3 o'clock and letting it slip in anti clockwise so that it sits at 2 o'clock. It sounds complicated but it's really very straightforward. A Haynes Mini workshop manual explains it with foties