Non Bloody Starter

[McMuttley]

OK, as with previous posts......

 

30 mile run a few weeks ago - fine (apart from oil cooling rad bursting on way home) (now replaced)

 

This weekend, start up to warm engine oil for change. Run for 16 minutes. Fine, no rough running.

 

Change oil.

 

Try to start next day - nothing.

 

Today drain fuel from tank and stick in Treg, put in newly bought fuel, 20 litres, even swap fuel in horizontally positioned float chambers to give it an early chance.

 

No start.

 

Battery is fully charged.

 

HT leads are pretty new and good.

 

Pull spark plug and turn over - no spark.

 

Check if HT lead from coil to dizzy has spark - no.

 

Change quite new coil for an even newer one - still no spark or start.

 

(Coil is bolted to block, so thought maybe 16 mins of stationary running with no air might have cooked it - unlikely but worth a try.)

 

Change equally newish condenser for spare one - still no spark at either coil HT lead (into dizzy) (held against block) or spark plug.

 

Nothing inside dizzy looks burned out? Rotor is turning

 

For a car that was running fine the day before, what has suddenly happened to take away the sparks ??????

 

Cannot find any loose wire/connections between starter solenoid or anywhere.

 

I am not sure how to check if the dizzy itself is faulty ?

 

Any clues anyone ?

 

Also, anyone want a place at Brands track day next Monday?

 

 

Grrrrrrrrr

[MostEasterlySteve]

Is there power at the coil though?

[Guest ntc]

check the little brown wire in the dizzy earth plate.

[Marc R]

Hello,

 

You are focusing on the Hight Tension side, did you check any loose wire/connections from the battery to the coil (via the ignition switch) on the Low Tension side of the ignition system (prior to the coil)?

Did you check if the issue face on the ignition system HT or LT is realy the only one !? Any other electrical things altered ?

 

Regards

Edited November 28, 2016 by Marc R

[RogerH]

Hi Austin,

do as Steve says and check for 12v at the input to the coil. That is the first place to look.

 

Rotate the dizzy and check that the Contact breakers are opening and closing. Secpnd place

 

Third place - As Neil states have a look at the little flexible wire that connects the CB to the coil. This is the LT wire.

Remove the wire from both ends and check that the tags are crimped AND soldered on.

I had an occasion two years ago where the solder let go but the crimp nearly held it in place - it eventually went OC big time.

 

When you put it back make sure it is correctly assembled.

Roger

[RobH]

A few simple checks Austin:

The circut schematic shows ignition supply comes via the ammeter and light switch, to the ignition switch. Check whether the lights are working - if they are and the ammeter reads a discharge the connections that far are OK. Does the ammeter needle twitch and the ign light come on with the ignition switch ? If not there might be a break in the feed from the light switch to the ign switch (brown/blue).

If it does, is there is an electrical supply to the coil with the ignition on ? If not then possibly a break between the switch and the coil.

[barkerwilliams]

Spark plug connected to HT lead and clamped in jump-lead other end of jump-lead to battery earth, crank engine, is there a spark, try each plug lead?

 

Is there moisture inside distributor cap?

 

Is coil polarity the correct way round?

 

After dark have assistant crank engine whilst looking at distributor cap for arcing.

 

Alan

[peejay4A]

Contact breaker points gone open circuit? I've had it happen.

[Lebro]

Use a volt meter (DVM) set to read DC volts 20V range or there abouts.

Connect black test lead to a good earth (on engine preferably) connect red wire to the coil LT terminal with the white wire (from ignitionsw) on it.

with ignition on should read 12V (approx.)

move red test wire to the other terminal on coil, this should also read 12V when the contact breaker points are open, but should drop to 0V when they close.

If it always reads 0V then you have a short somewhere between the coil & dizzy points, or coil is open circuit

If it always reads 12V then something is open circuit, could be:

 

dirty points not making contact

too big a points gap

sliding plate in the dizzy not connecting to the dizzy case (a small cotton covered wire does this in the dizzy - make sure it is screwed firmly to the casing.

Broken wire between dizzy & coil

 

If all of this is OK then LT is OK, start checking HT side - rotor arm, coil, leads etc.

Good luck

 

Bob.

[cvtrian]

Austin, have you got a red rotor arm from the distributor doctor?

Regards

Ian

[Steves_TR6]

.... or go for a beer!

[Bill Bourne]

also check the little carbon brush inside the middle of the dizzy cap

 

Best Bill

[GT6M]

Rotor arm earthing

bung ohm or volt meter onto it, and ont earth or batt live,

if volts,or ohms, then its rotor arm

 

quite common fail, esp the newer type

 

M

[sadman]

Also could try hotwiring car, lead from either battery terminal or I forget which, control box terminals, to switch side of coil to eliminate broken connections, (the ignition light will/should come on)

Doug

[Marc R]

Rotor arm earthing

bung ohm or volt meter onto it, and ont earth or batt live,

if volts,or ohms, then its rotor arm

 

quite common fail, esp the newer type

 

M

Hi, M, It si always a challenge for me (one of the foggy on the forum) to try to understand you but I like it, you contribution are always interesting. Thank's and regards

[John Morrison]

She knows you don't love her any more

and you plan to get rid.

Just what you deserve.

 

John.

[Ian Vincent]

To check the low tension side, wire a test lamp between the coil terminal that is connected to the distributor and an earth point. Then turn the ignition on and spring the points apart. The test lamp should light up if the LT circuit is working up to the dizzy. Obviously if the points are already open when you connect the lamp, it will light up as soon as you turn the ignition on.

 

Rgds Ian

[Tom Boyd]

Check ign switch hasn't failed.

[graeme]

Did you change the oil filter?? While you were there you may have accidentally knocked off the wire from dissy to coil?

 

Cheers

 

Graeme

[McMuttley]

Thanks all, will absorb comments and look at the instructions on how to use my voltmeter!

 

Yes red rotor.

 

Having gone back in there, no blown fuses and no obvious wiring faults, everything electickery works, ...... but for the sparks !

 

I did notice having changed the coil that (as a negative earth alternator conversion) the loom power (yellowish cable) goes to (-) and the coil to dizzy is (+) , which I suspect is the wrong way round - but then it ran fine that way before ???

 

(John, she's a typical woman/HMRC employee, trying to take all my life savings and still isn't happy.

 

She deserves a new husband who will ride her more often !

 

More likely, she's a football team, just wants a new manager and will suddenly be top of the league.)

 

Either way she's clearly trying to send me to an early grave before something else does !!!

[Ian Vincent]

If the car is negative earth then the negative terminal on the coil should be connected to the dizzy.

 

Rgds Ian

Edited November 28, 2016 by Ian Vincent

[rog1]

Can't bear the tension anymore!

 

ATB

[Hamish]

Can't bear the tension anymore!

 

ATB

Hi or low tension. That is the question ?!?!?!

 

Good luck with it tho. I hate electrickery you just can see or smell the leaks or faults.

Tony Thomson is your man to help.

Edited November 29, 2016 by Hamish

[harrytr5]

Maybe bad earthing?

Regards Harry.

[BrianC]

I have had a similar problem twice in the dim, distant past. First time, it turned out the riveted LT spade connector on the coil was loose - fixed by gentle tap with a hammer and punch. Second time, it was the spade connector on the LT feed wire itself. Always the first check I make if I have an obscure ignition problem.