At my wits end, again!

[Jasonking]

Turning the fan blades won’t turn engine, need three arms/hands to tighten it more so am flummoxed again!

['S'-type]

In the absence of being able to get a ring spanner on the crank pulley bolt, you can turn the engine by rocking the car while in gear (2nd) plugs out. Grab hold of the slam panel. Takes a bit of buggering about to get the timing marks to line up Or get an assistant to push while you keep an eye on the marks.

[Jasonking]

Stand by yer beds men, am officially suicidal Mini hasn’t got any compression! Not much anyway, most no1 pot with about 105psi, least was no4 at 55-60,others 70-85psi, done cold open throttle and squirt of oil down plug holes, when engines cranking over no obvious leaks from head or manifold gasket, tappet clearances?

[timmy201]

If you do a leakdown test you’ll be able to see where the compression is going:

External via blown head gasket
To another cylinder via blown head gasket
To the coolant passage via blown head gasket
To the sump via piston rings
To the exhaust or inlet port via worn valve seats or damaged valves

[Jasonking]

Seems strange that this happens right after having the head skimmed? Some white noxious smoke came out while cranking motor, via radiator and bit from valves and pushrod tunnels? Anyone know any mobile mechanic genius close to me who knows what an A series is!

[Exminiman]

Seems strange that this happens right after having the head skimmed? Some white noxious smoke came out while cranking motor, via radiator and bit from valves and pushrod tunnels? Anyone know any mobile mechanic genius close to me who knows what an A series is!

I think you are sensible to seek help from a mobile mechanic. If you can find a Mini specialist, then great, but any decent mechanic, should have no problem with a mini engine. Maybe someone can suggest a mechanic near Runcorn ?

[nick@dunsdale]

Five week old fuel is not an issue. I've filled my tank in spring and still using it towards the end of summer before topping it up for winter. Also in all my years I've never used a quick start fluid, tbh I didn't know it existed until I saw it on some "will it start" YouTube videos. You haven't definitively answered if you have set up the timing correctly and know 100% that it is correct. You should always verify this before throwing new parts at it hoping to find the problem. Always diagnose the issue before changing out parts. As others have said, having a spark doesn't mean it's happening at the correct time.

Good answer !!
If it is not firing or even trying to fire with fuel in the fuel bowl
And there is a spark
And as a further resort it is not even trying to fire with a little fuel down the mouth of the carb

Good chance it is incorrect firing order or perhaps the timing is 180 degrees out
checking the leads are in the correct order
And a static timing test will perhaps provide the answer

[Andrew1967]

Something really not right with compression that low. Not surprised it won’t start.

I’d check head is fully torqued, then valve clearances to start with.

[Peter Laidler]

Relevant to Nicks and others replies. Ignition timing. It is so simple to get it wrong. I scratched my head for a couple of days following a simple points change some years ago. That time, i stripped and rebuilt the distributor too, forgetting the phrase, if it ain;t broke, don't fix it. I replaced the drive dog 180 degrees out but just not obvious - to me!

From then on, I always marked the dist cap and leads from 1 to 4. Looks silly, but......

I feel for you Jason and if I lived nearer I'd come over, help fix it and have a few beers for lunch! But, alas, Oxford is a bit far

[Jasonking]

Appreciate that Peter, I’m completely fed up! Wonder if the composite head gasket needs some engine heat to ‘go off’? Therefore it’s leaking again between cylinders like last time? As said will check and torque head again then tappets again.

[Jasonking]

Have contacted 3 local mechanics, nobody’s interested in a little mini apparently, could anyone do me a step by step guide to setting points and doing static timing from first to last? That would be a great help to me.

[EAVB]

You should be able to get hold of an old Haynes manual pretty easily and cheaply. It's very clearly explained in there.

Cheers

[111Robin]

Also the factory manuals are available on the main site, everything is explained there in detail.

[timmy201]

Have contacted 3 local mechanics, nobody’s interested in a little mini apparently, could anyone do me a step by step guide to setting points and doing static timing from first to last? That would be a great help to me.

https://mk1-forum.net/viewtopic.php?p=342996#p342996

As to setting the points gap - use the setting in the manual. Once it's running confirm the dwell angle with a dwell meter

[Jasonking]

That’s it don’t understand all that, have all the manuals including the original BMC manual, Haynes, Autodata and more, just can’t get me head around it all, sorry.

[gs.davies]

Jack up one front wheel

Loosen the inspection cover on the flywheel housing, this will show you the timing marks

Put it in gear (ignition off) and I’d use fourth.

Turn the lifted wheel forward and carefully observe the timing marks on the flywheel. You see a mark that shows 1/4 indicating top dead centre on cylinder one. Shortly before that are some other marks showing 5, 10 and 15 degree Before top dead centre. Somewhere around five will get you in the right ball park so stop turning the wheel as the engine gets to that point.

Remove the dizzy cap. Hopefully the rotor arm is pointing at the segment on the cap where number one plug is plugged into. If not, don’t worry. The dizzy drive is in at the wrong angle, no big deal.

Loosen the dizzy clamp a little to allow movement of the dizzy body.

First gap the points. Turn the dizzy until the heel of the points are on the peak of the dizzy cam. This is the widest open the points will get. Check and adjust gap accordingly.

Now turn the dizzy so that the points JUST begin to open. If you can rig up a test lamp or some kind of meter across the points to help find that spot that’ll help. When you’ve identified that point, you’ve set the speak plug to fire at whatever point BTDC is shown on the flywheel. Tighten up the dizzy clamp, put the cap back on, take it out of gear and see if it starts.

Hope that helps.

['S'-type]

Just a thought, and please don't take this the wrong way, when you say 'tappets are set to book', are you using the rule of 9? i.e. valve No. 8 fully open adjust No.1, then 7/2, 6/3, 5/4 and so on.
Apologies if you knew this.

[timmy201]

I’d sort out your compression problems before getting too worried about the timing

[Jasonking]

Agreed,have to sort compression first, is it possible to over tighten and compress the head gasket flat? Torqued the head down in the correct sequence in four passes, up to 47ft/pnds, is that too much with a composite gasket? Yes, set valves as per the rule of nine in the manual. Maybe use a copper gasket this time.

[Exminiman]

That’s it don’t understand all that, have all the manuals including the original BMC manual, Haynes, Autodata and more, just can’t get me head around it all, sorry.

This not meant to come across as rude, but how are you going to take on instruction from us if you cant take it from a Haynes manual ?
To avoid doing any damage, my adice is to invest in more time finding a mobile mechanic or get the car transported to a local garage. The more work you carry out in the car, the more things the garage will potentially have to charge you for putting things right.