Explain this fault................(utterly perplexed)
Discussion
OK 1975 midget, fairly simple agricultural thing.
This fault is intermittent, sometimes it works perfectly.
Turn key switch, ignition light comes on, needles up off thier stops etc. Turn it to start and the needles drop, lights go out (as you'd expect realy). Except the solenoid doensn't click and nothing happens.
To my mind thats a fairly simple solenoid's failed or a wire's loose.
Anyway, it also cuts out at random, once at speed on the motorway for 1-2seconds then came back to life, several times at low speeds when changeing gear the engine has just died and refuses to re-start.
Now both problems would be explained by a loose wire to the switch from the battery (i.e. the live wire to the key switch). But that obviously works as the ignition light comes on when the key is turned.
Any thoughs? Anything to explain both problems? Or do I have 2 duff connections/components simoultaneously? I'm begining to think its a duff solenoid and a loose ignition wire becasue its usualy possible to re sart the engine by droping the clutch and waiting a few seconds before using the last of the cars momentum to re-start it (although sometimes nothing happens).
This fault is intermittent, sometimes it works perfectly.
Turn key switch, ignition light comes on, needles up off thier stops etc. Turn it to start and the needles drop, lights go out (as you'd expect realy). Except the solenoid doensn't click and nothing happens.
To my mind thats a fairly simple solenoid's failed or a wire's loose.
Anyway, it also cuts out at random, once at speed on the motorway for 1-2seconds then came back to life, several times at low speeds when changeing gear the engine has just died and refuses to re-start.
Now both problems would be explained by a loose wire to the switch from the battery (i.e. the live wire to the key switch). But that obviously works as the ignition light comes on when the key is turned.
Any thoughs? Anything to explain both problems? Or do I have 2 duff connections/components simoultaneously? I'm begining to think its a duff solenoid and a loose ignition wire becasue its usualy possible to re sart the engine by droping the clutch and waiting a few seconds before using the last of the cars momentum to re-start it (although sometimes nothing happens).
I've had similar problems in the past, and eventually rectified them.
The answer is to attack the things you suspect. Attach some sort of indicator. In my case I used LED's. You can use them to trace multiple suspicions at once. Set them up, leave them there, and just carry on as normal. When you get the problem next, check out all of your indicators and see if any "tell the tale".
HTH.
The answer is to attack the things you suspect. Attach some sort of indicator. In my case I used LED's. You can use them to trace multiple suspicions at once. Set them up, leave them there, and just carry on as normal. When you get the problem next, check out all of your indicators and see if any "tell the tale".
HTH.
yep, thought that, but it does its job in every position apart form start, (and all the lights go out so presume its doing its job there as well). If it were the switch I would have thought that it wouldn't turn the ignition light on in the on position.
If it started but cut out I'd say it was the ignition/switch, if it ran but wouldnt start I'd say it was the solenoid/associated wires. But both problems together isn't quite explained by either being at fault (but could potentialy be both).
entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem - William of Ockham
If it started but cut out I'd say it was the ignition/switch, if it ran but wouldnt start I'd say it was the solenoid/associated wires. But both problems together isn't quite explained by either being at fault (but could potentialy be both).
entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem - William of Ockham
just started a new thread here to draw it to some others attention as well.
The stalling problem I think was a blocked vacuum hose, no idea how it was blocked, but it ticks over without choke even when freezing cold now! At least I hope that's what the problem was.
Basically, it was working this morning (although exhibiting the intermittent fault occasional and not starting, ignition lamp goes out but no ones home). I replaced the solenoid, not 100% sure I wired it up correctly but AFAIK the two big HT terminals (battery+ +ve rail for whole car and starter on the other) are interchangeable, and ditto the two smaller LT (ignition switch and cold start to coil ones.
Now there is a voltage the solenoid when the ignition is 'on' I think this is the 6-7v that supplies the coil, and this goes up when the key is turned (presumably to 12v), but then nothing happens. I've taken the screws out and cleaned them, so I think its earthed correctly.
How loud should a Lucas solenoid be? should it be audible? Off to buy a multimeter and some long leads so I can get testing more accurately than I can a the moment with a test bulb.
Oddly, now when the key is turned, the dials still quiver, but the light doesn't go out.
Yours
Utterly Perplexed of Berkshire.
The stalling problem I think was a blocked vacuum hose, no idea how it was blocked, but it ticks over without choke even when freezing cold now! At least I hope that's what the problem was.
Basically, it was working this morning (although exhibiting the intermittent fault occasional and not starting, ignition lamp goes out but no ones home). I replaced the solenoid, not 100% sure I wired it up correctly but AFAIK the two big HT terminals (battery+ +ve rail for whole car and starter on the other) are interchangeable, and ditto the two smaller LT (ignition switch and cold start to coil ones.
Now there is a voltage the solenoid when the ignition is 'on' I think this is the 6-7v that supplies the coil, and this goes up when the key is turned (presumably to 12v), but then nothing happens. I've taken the screws out and cleaned them, so I think its earthed correctly.
How loud should a Lucas solenoid be? should it be audible? Off to buy a multimeter and some long leads so I can get testing more accurately than I can a the moment with a test bulb.
Oddly, now when the key is turned, the dials still quiver, but the light doesn't go out.
Yours
Utterly Perplexed of Berkshire.
dear "perplexed of berkshire"
two possible faults to check quite easily
solenoid
this earths through the screws that hold it to the bracket on the battery shelf - If the earth is cruddy, rusty, heavily overpainted or just plain loose it will not switch the current through its internal, secondary circuit. Get rid of any rust below the solenoid monting point, screw it to bare metal with new screws and paint a dab of primer round the remade fixture
Fuse box
oh boy do we have fun with these
Early Spridgets have a two fuse box, later cars get a four fuse one ISTR - The best of them is about thirty years old and the clips that hold the fuses can either work harden and lose "grip" or corrode up where the fuse fits. The fault you describe could be caused by an ignition fed fuse losing contact in opertion, maybe a little warming up occurring due to slight resistance and letting the grip go for a while, breaking the circuit and causing the intermittent failure
Try taking the fuses out, cleaning the terminals, the fuse ends and making the clip fingers close up a little
A new fusebox might be called for if it does look as if I got it right (not guaranteed, sorry but when not looking at the car we are all P'ing in the wind)
And yes, bad news it is but the ignition switches DO fail, quite often too
bill
two possible faults to check quite easily
solenoid
this earths through the screws that hold it to the bracket on the battery shelf - If the earth is cruddy, rusty, heavily overpainted or just plain loose it will not switch the current through its internal, secondary circuit. Get rid of any rust below the solenoid monting point, screw it to bare metal with new screws and paint a dab of primer round the remade fixture
Fuse box
oh boy do we have fun with these
Early Spridgets have a two fuse box, later cars get a four fuse one ISTR - The best of them is about thirty years old and the clips that hold the fuses can either work harden and lose "grip" or corrode up where the fuse fits. The fault you describe could be caused by an ignition fed fuse losing contact in opertion, maybe a little warming up occurring due to slight resistance and letting the grip go for a while, breaking the circuit and causing the intermittent failure
Try taking the fuses out, cleaning the terminals, the fuse ends and making the clip fingers close up a little
A new fusebox might be called for if it does look as if I got it right (not guaranteed, sorry but when not looking at the car we are all P'ing in the wind)
And yes, bad news it is but the ignition switches DO fail, quite often too
bill
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