cant get her running..help please
Discussion
Hi all
Model: city e with 1275 engine
Year: 1986
Description of problem:
No spark! There is 8.6 volts at the coil when I turn the car over. the points are set and working correctly, yet there is no spark, it was working fine when I first got her. Left it for about a week or so and now she wont fire? we have a haynes manual and followed the instructions in there for troubleshooting with no luck. What can I do?
I have also tried a different coil that we know is working on my VW kit car.
distributor cap looks new, and all parts are clean and worked fine before I left her alone
please help!
Model: city e with 1275 engine
Year: 1986
Description of problem:
No spark! There is 8.6 volts at the coil when I turn the car over. the points are set and working correctly, yet there is no spark, it was working fine when I first got her. Left it for about a week or so and now she wont fire? we have a haynes manual and followed the instructions in there for troubleshooting with no luck. What can I do?
I have also tried a different coil that we know is working on my VW kit car.
distributor cap looks new, and all parts are clean and worked fine before I left her alone
please help!
If you have no spark then it's not the rotor arm (these have caused trouble in the past). Could it be the condenser?
Are the contacts in the points correctly isolated/insulated, in other words, is the plastic 'bit' on the points which stop it earthing out fitted and fitted correctly?
If it's neither of those, then the coilm is suspect. Personally I don't like the 9V coil arrangement as I once had a car which melted the 'pink wire', the high resistance wire from ignition switch to coil, which drops the voltage to 9V nominal. It took out half of the engine bay loom!
I had this last week and, after changing the points and the condenser, it turned out to be the 9-month old Lucas Sports coil was defective.
Are the contacts in the points correctly isolated/insulated, in other words, is the plastic 'bit' on the points which stop it earthing out fitted and fitted correctly?
If it's neither of those, then the coilm is suspect. Personally I don't like the 9V coil arrangement as I once had a car which melted the 'pink wire', the high resistance wire from ignition switch to coil, which drops the voltage to 9V nominal. It took out half of the engine bay loom!
I had this last week and, after changing the points and the condenser, it turned out to be the 9-month old Lucas Sports coil was defective.
lewis1 said:
... There is 8.6 volts at the coil when I turn the car over....
I have also tried a different coil that we know is working on my VW kit car....
A couple of issues here:I have also tried a different coil that we know is working on my VW kit car....
It sounds like you've got a ballasted ign. as Peter mentioned.
Nevertheless although it's correct that you have 9v nominal when the engine is running you should have the full 12v when cranking the engine - there should be 2 wires to the coil: the pink resistive one and a second, that I think on your model is from the solenoid, supplying full voltage as the starter is operated.
Also the VW coil that you fitted is quite possibly a normal 12v type and would be unlikely to work on a ballasted system.
So in addition to the checks Peter suggested I suggest:
Check for full voltage when you crank the engine.
Try a new correct coil.
Fit a 12v coil and bypass the ballast system by fitting a new 12v supply fronm the ign switch to the coil.
Edited by Dino42 on Saturday 4th July 12:12
Edited by Dino42 on Saturday 4th July 12:14
10v is very low, you should be getting full battery voltage when you crank the engine. It falls back to notionally 9v when you let go of the key.
It sounds to me like you may be only getting the ~9v ballasted voltage, the most likely cause of this is that the cable's fallen off the coil! There should be 2 wires to + side of the coil: the pink ballasted one and a white/yellow one coming from the solenoid.
It sounds to me like you may be only getting the ~9v ballasted voltage, the most likely cause of this is that the cable's fallen off the coil! There should be 2 wires to + side of the coil: the pink ballasted one and a white/yellow one coming from the solenoid.
Take a tip. Go for a 12 volt coil and eliminate all that ballasted (or should it be blasted) coil rubbish. It never was a good system, which is why they went back to 12 v coils.
Just fit a 12 v coil, run a wire from the ignition switch to the coil and then the existing wire from the coil to the dizzy. Disconnect evil 'pink' wire completely. In fact, I think the pink wire starts near the brake fluid resevior, so you can put a new standard wire in from there and it should only take a couple of connectors and a few minutes of your time.
If the 'pink' wire burns out, it's a days job to re-wire the engine bay loom - I know, I've had to do it on a Mini 30. I made that 12 v afterwards - wish I'd done it before!
Just fit a 12 v coil, run a wire from the ignition switch to the coil and then the existing wire from the coil to the dizzy. Disconnect evil 'pink' wire completely. In fact, I think the pink wire starts near the brake fluid resevior, so you can put a new standard wire in from there and it should only take a couple of connectors and a few minutes of your time.
If the 'pink' wire burns out, it's a days job to re-wire the engine bay loom - I know, I've had to do it on a Mini 30. I made that 12 v afterwards - wish I'd done it before!
I'm a bit old-fashioned as I prefer the points-type ignition. If there is a problem with the spark, or lack of it, it's easy to diagnose and rectify with points, whereas with the electronics if there is no spark all you can do is to change the entire electronic 'gizmo' and the coil.
If I'm honest (I try to be), I think the electronic system is smoother and gives a more consistent spark, but after 48 years with Minis I'm still in the steam-driven age. I like 10" wheels too.
If I'm honest (I try to be), I think the electronic system is smoother and gives a more consistent spark, but after 48 years with Minis I'm still in the steam-driven age. I like 10" wheels too.
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