Engine No-go

[Guest chris n's missus]

Try a squirt of easy start to get it running. Might just blow the cobwebs out and you'll find the car is fine. At a pinch a squirt of deodorant can substitute for the easy start. Lynx seems favourite. 

well, even if the car doesn't start it'll smell nice

[Guest Peejay]

It's a resistor that normally runs in series with the coil, but on start-up is bypassed to put full voltage across the coil. Haynes manual should show it on the wiring diagram and give the resistance of it.

 

Pete

[Longboarder]

Mike have you tried it with Easy Start or 'lynx' yet. Not frivolous suggestions. I know you think I'm taking the whatsit but most aerosols are butane powered which is why they work! I reckon if you give it a go, blow away the cobwebs and any flooding and warm it up. Then you can overhaul the ignition system and or carb slow time knowing the cars essentialy OK.

 

Nigel

[Guest mkeats02]

Not had a chance to try the engine with easy-start or lynx yet, maybe tonight if not it will have to be the weekend.

 

Will let you know how I get on.

 

Mike

[Guest Alan_builder]

Hi Mike,

 

How do you know the plugs are sparking?

Have you taken them out? If so did you clean them And was the gap correct?

 

Your plugs can get corrosion across the gap which shorts the spark, result nonstatrting. Testing at the spark plug top wont show this problem.

 

Hope that helps.

 

I my RH

[Guest Battery Bill]

Nigel

At a pinch a squirt of deodorant can substitute for the easy start. Lynx seems favourite.

 

You would trust your engine on the word of a bloke called "Danozeman"

 

Mind you it sounds as if it probably does work

 

Hope not to have to find out though

[Guest mkeats02]

I took the plugs out and cleaned them, not that they needed much cleaning, they look in good condition, the gap should be ok, the plugs are only about 6 months old, and the engine only started once a month or so.

 

I read up on Ballast resistor coils and from what I understand they improve starting especially in cold/damp weather. I need to test but the case maybe that I have a non-ballast resistor coil thus resulting in a weak spark.

 

Originally, all ignition systems did not have a ballast fitted which meant that the ignition system used a 12v coil with a 12v feed from the battery via the ignition switch. Such a system works fine when an engine is running, but problems can occur when starting the engine. The starter motor draws a huge current from the battery leaving less energy to create a spark across the spark plugs. The result is a weaker than normal spark which is not ideal for starting an engine. This problem is worsened by colder temperatures and/or a worn starter motor which will draw even more energy for starting and leave even less energy for sparking. To overcome such a problem, ignition systems were changed to run a lower voltage coil (usually 9v), and these coils could still give the same output as the original 12v coils. In order to run such a coil, the 12v ignition feed runs through a ballast, reducing it to 9v at the coil. To assist starting, a 12v feed (usually from the starter) bypasses the 9v ignition feed, giving the 9v coil a 12v feed. The result is a better than normal spark which is ideal for starting, particularly on cold damp mornings. As soon as the engine has started, the 12v feed is cut and the coil will run on the 9v ignition feed.

From Burton Power

 

Is it possible to change to a ballast resistor type ignition system?

[Big Jim]

Ballast resistors were notorious for going wrong. The idea of the ballast resistor was so that you could run on a 9v coil, thus less of a spark across the points, then the points wouldn't burn away as soon.

They are supposed to give you 12v for the initial start, then trip back tp 9v once the engine fires, in reality, they failed in any which-way they could. the engine would fire then nothing, or it was a swine to start because it wouldn't go to 12v, or it stuck at 12v so the points burned away like paper, or they just didn't work at all.

Stay well clear of ballast resistors!! you don't see modern cars on points any more.......why's that one wonders??? Ford went to electronic ignition over 20 years ago!!

In fact if you're still using points, throw them away and get the inductive electronic ignition by far the easiest and most reliable.

[Guest mkeats02]

Thanks Jim, after looking at your link I seem to recognise that as the set-up I have.

[Guest Simon cooper]

Hi,

Does that mean you are on electronic ignition or are you on points??

Either way, lets check if you have enough spark for the job and lets do some basics.

1. Pull the main HT lead out of the cap and get a set of insulated pliers.

Hold the HT lead end about 1/4 inch away from the block and get someone to crank the engine. You should get a good "Blue" spark jump the 1/4 inch gap. This means you have about 20,000 volts jumping at this point.

Whilst still cranking increase the gap to about 1/2 inch. If you are electronic ignition, it will start to flag at about now, but if you are points you probably wont get past 1/4 inch.

One word of warning, when you get to the point were the spark is no longer jumping, it is trying to find an earth anywhere else. Hold all parts of your body away from any metal bits of the car or your hair stands on end and your eyes light up.

If you don't get the jump, then your insulation is breaking down somwhere or your coil is stuffed. It can be handy to check this in the dark as any breakdown in insulation leaves whispy blue sparks at the coil tower.

If you pass this test, move to stage 2.

2. Take distributor cap off. With the main HT lead still held in your pliers, Hold the end about 1/4 inch above the center of the rotor arm. Crank the engine again. The spark should "NOT" jump to the rotor. If it does, your rotor is stuffed.

WARNING- make sure that the cap clips are well out of the way. The favorite here is for the clips to tuck in and catch on the electronic pickups inside the dizzy and put them out of sinc.

3. Put you cap back on, put your main HT lead back in cap and disconect a plug lead. You now have to perform the same spark jump test with the end of the lead.

NOTE- With the "END" of the lead. Not with a plug stuffed in it. It only takes about 5,000 volts to jump the .75mm gap at atmospheric pressure. Under cranking, you need about 15,000 volts at the plug to start. Higher energy in the spark is needed with combustion pressures.

You can either pull back the rubber boot from the plug or stick a 3" nail in the end and jump the spark from the nail.

If you get 1/4 inch jump here, then your problem aint sparks.

Have a good weekend.

Simon

[Guest mkeats02]

Thanks everyone, tried easy start, result was no start, conducted Simon's test Spark not that good, investing in a new coil, hopefully the more new items I have means one less thing to go wrong now.

 

Will get the new coil and let you know of my results.

 

Mike

[Guest mkeats02]

Hello

 

Fitted my NEW coil and rotor arm, set the engine to TDC with dizzy at contact no. 1, turned the key and it started!

 

Thanks for all your help guys.

 

Mike