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No spark, new engine, 1976 TR6


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I recently had an entire engine re-build at a shop and have spent the last week re-installing the engine into the car. When I tried to start it, it would turn over but not start. I pulled a spark plug and no spark arced to ground.

 

I have 12 volts going into the coil at the wire lead into the + side, but on the coil terminal it goes to 9V. On the negative side, with the terminal lead to the distributor off, I read 9V at the tab. As soon as I put the wire end on the tab, the voltage goes to zero. The positive side has also has a lead to what looks like a ballast resistor, which I grounded to the block.

 

The points, condenser & rotor in the distributor are new, and I carefully gapped the points. I have read about bad-out-of-the-box rotors, so can change that out; I kept the old one that worked.

 

I live in south east Michigan, USA.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Kevin

Edited by Kevin76
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The ballast resistor shouldn't be earthed/grounded. It should be fed with 12v from the ignition switch. There should also be a connection from the starter solenoid to provide full 12v to the coil + terminal whilst cranking. Can you check that your points aren't permanently grounded, it's easy to get the connections on the contacts plate wrong.. With an ohmmeter you should be able to register them opening and closing.

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As peejay says the ballast resistor should feed the coil with circa 8 volts, which is upped to the full 12 volts when cranking.

 

To get you started I recommend doing away with the ballast resistor just for now.

 

So the coil + goes to ign positive.

Coil - goes to the distrib, so that as the point open and close the coil is turned on and off, which is how it works!

 

Try a basic setup to get the car running, then reinstate the ballast once you have it Woking.

 

Hth

 

Steve

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If you still have no spark at the plug when you have checked all the above and are sure that points aren't permanently grounded, also check the condensor, and replace if you have a spare. Then take one of the plug leads and a plug and connect direct into the coil, and crank and see if you have a spark. If you do then the problem is in the Dizzy, if you don't then re-check all the above, and then find a spare coil to test with.

Edited by oldtuckunder
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Very easy to assemble the points so the volts short to earth. Result- no sparks The two circular connectors should be insulated from the threaded post, rather like this:

http://www.paulhunt73.webspace.virginmedia.com/mgb-stuff/images/p25conn.jpg

 

And yes we've all done it, once.

Peter

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Thanks, Peter.

 

I re-assembled the points per your drawing and it fired up. Spent yesterday breaking in the new cam. Good to be on the road again. Thanks to all for your responses. Kevin

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