M-series ignition troubles
Discussion
Hi,
Recently my always trusty 3000M failed to start (while in a multi-storey car park
) the engine would only run as long as the starter was engaged.
Suspecting a faulty ballast resistor on the 9V coil I quickly bodged up a "hot-wire" straight from the battery to the + on the coil via a toggle swith in the cabin (vowing to fix it properly later). Not pretty but it did the job and got me out of there.
I've only used her a couple of times since, but the other day after stopping for petrol she cranked, but no spark. The coil was VERY hot.
Could I just buy a 12V coil and junk the old 9V coil and resistor, (the weaker spark while starting wouldn't be much of an issue I guess) or would I risk burning the points?
All thoughts appreciated
Recently my always trusty 3000M failed to start (while in a multi-storey car park
) the engine would only run as long as the starter was engaged.Suspecting a faulty ballast resistor on the 9V coil I quickly bodged up a "hot-wire" straight from the battery to the + on the coil via a toggle swith in the cabin (vowing to fix it properly later). Not pretty but it did the job and got me out of there.
I've only used her a couple of times since, but the other day after stopping for petrol she cranked, but no spark. The coil was VERY hot.
Could I just buy a 12V coil and junk the old 9V coil and resistor, (the weaker spark while starting wouldn't be much of an issue I guess) or would I risk burning the points?
All thoughts appreciated
IMHO, Junk the points invest in an electronic ignition then coil and resistor (perhaps just the resistor if you have not cooked the coil)...do the job properly.
AND a straight swap to a 12v vault coil is possible (the single wire side of the resistor should be the 12v ignition +).
Adrian@
AND a straight swap to a 12v vault coil is possible (the single wire side of the resistor should be the 12v ignition +).
Adrian@
Edited by Adrian@ on Tuesday 21st June 16:05
Be careful what system you chose, lumenition with the remote amplifier will not work for long on an unballasted set-up, they start to break down intermittently then finally fail, must be ballasted. Other systems that fit in the dizzy quite often need a matched coil for a full 12V, but well worth doing, especially if like me with a 1600M the dizzy is buried under a pair of side-draught carbs. Geoff
[quote=Cedar]Hi,
Recently my always trusty 3000M failed to start (while in a multi-storey car park) the engine would only run as long as the starter was engaged..........
May well be coil related but the fact that it only started while you were cranking could indicate a faulty ignition switch or wiring. In other words when the switch was turned back from cranking to just ignition on, the ign + may not be reaching the coil.
Recently my always trusty 3000M failed to start (while in a multi-storey car park
) the engine would only run as long as the starter was engaged..........May well be coil related but the fact that it only started while you were cranking could indicate a faulty ignition switch or wiring. In other words when the switch was turned back from cranking to just ignition on, the ign + may not be reaching the coil.
Thanks for all the input!
I was just tinkering with the TVR and my new multimeter and found the following:
Ballast resistor: in=11.45volts out=6.15volts with ignition on (was expecting nothing)
Ballast resistor resistance= 2.3 ohm
Coil resistance= 2.4 ohm
With the starter engaged I had 11.50 volts on the coil
Those figures didn't seem abnormal to me and sure enough it fired up!!! Meaning the fault was intermittent..
Just became more difficult to diagnose and make sure I won't be left stranded on the next inconvenient occasion
(like the on trip I had planned with the missus this weekend)
I did notice a wee bit of smoke, clearly coming from the resistor, is that normal?
I was just tinkering with the TVR and my new multimeter and found the following:
Ballast resistor: in=11.45volts out=6.15volts with ignition on (was expecting nothing)
Ballast resistor resistance= 2.3 ohm
Coil resistance= 2.4 ohm
With the starter engaged I had 11.50 volts on the coil
Those figures didn't seem abnormal to me and sure enough it fired up!!! Meaning the fault was intermittent..
Just became more difficult to diagnose and make sure I won't be left stranded on the next inconvenient occasion
(like the on trip I had planned with the missus this weekend)I did notice a wee bit of smoke, clearly coming from the resistor, is that normal?
Just for info; I replaced my coil and dizzy with a kit from Bestek http://www.bestekuk.co.uk/ last year. My 1600 has run like a dream ever since.
Money well spent!
Money well spent!
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