She doesn't like even the slightest drop of water

[Scrooloose]

At the first sign of moisture in the air, my engine starts missing quite badly. This can be as little as about 5 spots of rain on the windscreen.

I've cleaned everything and used about half a can of damp start on it, but it doesn't seem to last very long.

Any ideas?

[Make me a coffee]

Hahahahaha. It's a mini!

Sort out your dizzy cap, plug leads, coil with some way of keeping it dry.

That reminds me of my 64. st, it's going to rain, st, a few spits.... (engine cuts out) cue WD40 and lots of swearing

[Cooperman]

A common problem I'm afraid.
As many here will know my Minis are, in general, rally cars and are used as such, not just parked in fields and polished (!).
I don't put any sort of additional covering on the dizzy, leads or coil and in particular I don't use a rubber glove as many do as this can trap moisture/condensate inside and actually cause a mis-fire.
What I do is to liberally coat the dizzy cap where the leads come out and around the cap to dizzy body interface with a good quality non-conductive silicone grease. The one I use is the one used to grease light aircraft flying controls, but any good silicone-based grease will do. Alternatively use Vaseline. I also grease the coil connections and the plug caps where the leads go into the caps. Then I liberally spray with ignition sealer. Not, you note WD40 as WD40 tends to wash the silicone grease off.
WD40 is fine for dispelling water when a mis-fire is happening, but it's no good as a water insulator.
My cars go through deep fords and have never (so far) let me down except when I hit a ford at over 40 mph (navigator said fast right over bridge!) which just stopped the car. It would not re-start due to the water filling the exhaust box and pipe.Once it had drained out it started straight away.
I hope this helps.

[Scrooloose]

Thanks for your help.

I think I'll replace everything, just to be on the safe side. Then cover it in lube.....

[Extra 300 Driver]

Cooperman said:

The one I use is the one used to grease light aircraft flying controls, but any good silicone-based grease will do.

Aeroshell Fluid 3?

[Red Firecracker]

Mine used to cut out if it was raining in the next county.

As above was the only way I found to sensible control it, a good quality grease.

[Cooperman]

Extra 300 Driver said:

Cooperman said:

The one I use is the one used to grease light aircraft flying controls, but any good silicone-based grease will do.

Aeroshell Fluid 3?

I have some American stuff I was given a long time ago. I guess Aeroshell 3 is fine so long as it's a silicone based grease and non-conductive.

[Scrooloose]

New HT leads seems to have sorted the problem

[topchef]

I also own a classic mini.

To stop the dizzy getting a faceful of rainwater in bad weather i have retrofitted a peice of clear perspex onto the back of the grille, which is directly in front of the dizzy. This acts a a basic splash gaurd and while it cant stop moisture in the air, it will stop the worst of any water soaking the dizzy!

[russellwatson17]

My method for keeping water out of my dizzy is quite simple and cheap:

Get a rubber glove

Cut the tips of the fingers off

Carefully put each ht lead through a different hole (taking careful note of which lead goes to which hole in the dizzy cap)

Put the part of the glove which would cover your hand over the distributor its self

Tape the fingers to the ht leads to prevent leads

Mines can handle any rain we get up here, lets just hope it lasts the winter!!