Still wont run - fed up!

[Pete Clayton]

Definately an ignition problem now. Can't get a spark out of any of the leads from the cap. Sparks fine out of the king lead from the coil.

Have replaced the cap, arm, condensor, plugs, king lead, coil. Points look fine and are opening and closing (sparking when cranked over and tried the old lamp test). Getting 12v to the coil and have tried with a new live just in case. Have tried the old condensor, cap and arm. Out of ideas! at least I had an intemittent spark last week.

All I can think is maybe timing? but the dizzy definately hasn't moved.

On a plus note fitted new discs and pads and bled the brakes, so now have functional stoppers.

[Terry Game]

Hiya you proberly have checked all this but here some tests.

Have you checked earths? engine, coil.
Have you removed spark plug and checked for spark against manifold.

I will check out some more later.

Terry

[Dave Taylor]

Have you got a good earth to the coil? if you have spark and power to the cap it as to be something in the dizzy cap is the centre contact making contact with the rotor?

[Pete Clayton]

Yep good earth on the coil, and I put a new earth on the engine the other week. Have removed a plug, no spark when touched against manifold and cranked over.

Dave, yep good spark out of the king lead. There is a mark on the rotor arm where the centre pin is touching it, the spring is working fine on it too

[Terry Game]

Hiya
Ok lets try the Haynes manual. ENGINE TURNS OVER BUT WILL NOT START. "nO SPARK AT SPARK PLUG.

Contact breaker point spring earthed or broken - Check spring is not touching metal part of dizzy.
Check insulation washers are correctly placed.

Sorted or disconnected low tension leads - Chech the wiring on the CB and SW terminals of coil and to dizzy.

Ignition failure - Check over low and high tension circuits for any breaks.

Battery leads loose.

Your old dizzy could be knackered.

I wired mine up as the book, no go. reveresed wiring and hay presto. got her started.
Now trying different timing setups.

[Dave Taylor]

Use a 12 volt voltmeter or a 12 volt bulb and 2 lengths of wire. With the ignition switched on and the points opentest betweenthe low tension wire to the coil (SW +) and earth. NO READING INDICATES A BREAK IN THE SUPPLY. No reading indicates a break in supply from the ignition switch. Check the connections at the switch to seeif any are loose. Refit them and the engine should start. A reading shows a fault at the coil or condensor or broken lead between the coil and distributor.
Take the condensor wire off the points and with the points open, test between the moving point and earth, if there now is a reading, where there was not one before, thenthe fault is the condensor With no reading from the point to earth, take a reading between CB (-) terminal on the coil and earth. A reading here indicates a broken wire between the coil and the distributor No reading indicates that the coil as failed

[Dave Taylor]

Terry, I think we are reading the same Haynes manual :-)

[ifan miller]

have you checked the rotor arm and dizzy cap to make sure the contacts are in the same position?

[Pete Clayton]

Yep contacts in the same position and the rotor arm is the same as the old one.

Getting full 12v to the SW+ on the coil. Points spark away when turned over. Just get sod all out of any of the leads with a plug in it. Last week when I was fiddling it was intermittent, not changed anything and its gone all together!

ifan miller said:

have you checked the rotor arm and dizzy cap to make sure the contacts are in the same position?

[Dave Taylor]

It as to be an earth fault.

[Pete Clayton]

Funny you say that. I did fit a new negative lead from the battery to the block as the old one was a bit puny and it hasn't run since. But starter motor seems to be happy enough turning over

Dave Taylor said:

It as to be an earth fault.

[Pete Clayton]

Woohoo its fixed!!!

When I changed the condensor I put the little plastic washer back in the wrong way up so that the coil negative and the condensor wire were grounding on the post. Ran really well. Just got an oil change, coolant change, mirrors and air filters to fit. Gonna try and get an MOT booked for a week saturday.

[ifan miller]

yey glad to hear you got there in the end.