Non Starter 400SE

[H2DCA]

Help needed here please!
My 400SE broke down the other day, towed home and ran some tests
Fuel Pump OK, Moved flapper and pump ran
Tested HT lead at spark plug, no spark
Tested HT Coil HT lead, no spark
Tested 12v circuit, power to coil and to amplifier, all connections OK
Changed coil and HT leads with 2 x coils inc a new coil, still no spark
Thought it maybe the capacitor (Small barrel on side of coil connected to + side of LT circuit) but !!!

Not sure if it is a surpressor so should it make a difference
Searched on here and found one thread regarding it, some say the car should work without it, some say it can have a bearing on the ignition
I have spoken to a few TVR speacialists and they don't list it so confused, any ideas ?

Many thanks

[gsx600]

I would try a new rotor arm followed by a new dissy cap.

As had a similar issue on mine.

In another related incident my amp on the side of the dissy went, but this caused a very weak spark at the plug

[adam quantrill]

Yeah but at the king lead:

»» Tested HT Coil HT lead, no spark

So I would guess the LT side, yes disconnect the suppressor cap, then change the ignition amplifier.

Keep all the old bits as this can get expensive otherwise!

[chedder]

Ignition amp on the side of the dizzy is an old favourite, do you know if the injectors are firing? as they are also triggered via the amp.

[rev-erend]

No spark..

You sure you don't have an Alarm / Immobaliser fitted..

Also - check low tension wires - as they often span a gap and can fracture.

[gsx600]

adam quantrill said:

Yeah but at the king lead:

»» Tested HT Coil HT lead, no spark

So I would guess the LT side, yes disconnect the suppressor cap, then change the ignition amplifier.

Keep all the old bits as this can get expensive otherwise!

Guess I can't read

Also the connector between the amp and the wiring (white wire I think - but I'm probably colour blind as well ) connector can get corroded / fall apart

[adam quantrill]

Black and white stripe isn't it - with the bullet connector in the middle. A cheap fix.

Now I have to fix the too-rich running on my 350i. Engine temp sensor already ordered from Rimmer's!

Incidentally I was working on it last night and as a precaution cleaned out the insode of the dizzy cap and sprayed a load of Tesco "maintenance spray" in it. Next time I turned it over the dizzy exploded! Luckily the cap popped off and no damage done, but it was spectacular in the dark! THat stuff must be quite volatile.

Edited by adam quantrill on Monday 17th November 16:34

[rev-erend]

Perhaps it was Easystart

You could send a rocket to the moon with that stuff..

[H2DCA]

Thanks for all the feedback, the dizzy is new, well May 08 but looking at the feedback and having read some sites it could be the amplifier, a new one is about £30 so I will give that a go, I did a full circuit test on the LT side and everything was fine. Will order the part and try Thurs when I get back from this trip
Thanks again
Cheers
Hamish

[H2DCA]

Update !!!
Well the TVR is finally running but not after more head scratching! After the new coil failed to get the car going I ordered a new amplifier, in between delivery I found a spare in my garage. Fitted it and the car started and ran OK, when the new one arrived I thought I would fit the new one as I did not know the history of the old one.

The car failed to start so I fitted the old one and the car stilled failed to start, a left it a few days to scratch the head, on the off chance I turned the car over and it started.

I decided to go through the complete system so I started in the dizzy just to make sure there was no broken wires etc, I looked at the air gap and it seemed a bit close between the module and rotor. On closer inspection it seemed that over a period of time (excuse the terminology here) the rotors eight finger pick up points had been touching the pick up module, each of the fingers on the rotor had wear. Fortunately I had a spare so fitted this and set a new air gap, I refitted the new amplifier and coil and the car fired up, ran a lot smoother.

My only concern now is whether any damage has been done to the module inside the dizzy, could it be damaged?

In hindsight I should have looked inside the dizzy but as it was new in May it never crossed my mind, a bit disappointed with the quality of the Dizzy as it looks like it may have been touching from day one.

[matt-man]

Glad you sorted her...sorry that by the time i looked at this thread, you're sorted!

Reminds me of after i did the carpets on my car....i could NOT start her. I was checking everything, same as you above but with fuel, spark etc all present...

Then i opened the cupboard in m garage to grab a screwdriver and saw the ECU which i took out to carpet under the dash!!

Started beautifully with that plugged in!!