Range of distributors with modern day curves built,programmed and tested for Mini Spares in UK.
Beware of cheap China made units that are poorly made- see note at bottom.
GEU930 25D 850/early 998
12G2140 23D Cooper S non vac
BAU1962 45D 998/1098
ADU5789 59D 998 A plus
12G4180 45D 1275cc with vac, good for modified road tune engines
ADU3825 59D 1275 with vac, A Plus good for modified road tune
For electronic versions add suffix MS- example=
ADU5789MSA Non Genuine reproduction distributor with vac-unit suitable for 850/998cc. With modern day curves it even works on 1275cc. A worn out distributor can cost you both performance and economy. Precise spark timing and distribution is the job of the distributor. Merely replacing the points and condenser will not fix the chronic problem of worn out bushes and shaft. These look like the originals apart from vac unit with push on connector.
Most A-Series cars had a vacuum advance distributor, only the Cooper "S
12G2140 had a full centrifugal version. The vacuum is designed to retard the timing under heavy load thus decreasing the chance of detonation. These units are guaranteed to out-perform your old tired version. The best test is to put a timing light on your car and watch as timing marks on the flywheel dance and bounce around as the engine changes speed, etc. Install a new distributor and try it again!! All the bounce will never go completely away as long as you are driving the distributor through a timing chain gear set to the crankshaft.
DODGY DISTRIBUTORS-made in China and sold by some vendors
We’ve seen distributors with all different curves in the same batch. Base plates
that stick and alter the curves, sometimes jamming in full advance. When tested
we had difficulty getting them to run correctly when using a timing light and we
found that the rotor arm and dog at the bottom of shaft was often out of phase
putting the rotor arm in wrong position in relation to the point at where the spark
fired. We also found rotor arms that were hard up against the carbon bush in the
top of distributor cap causing the cap to burn away in middle.
Having tried and tested countless suppliers of imported and British made
distributors we had all ours individually built and tested to prevent costly engine
failures and breakdowns for the following reason - those suppliers were unable
to advise what curves were in them - we rarely found them the same in any
batch! Every part, even so-called ‘Mini Spares branded parts’ are being copied
for financial gain as Minis climb in popularity and value. Unscrupulous
companies can get parts made cheaply overseas, but they lack the technical
knowledge and precision required to make them correctly