Dads Car wont start

[owen1183]

Right, got back from the TSSC weekend and dad parked his car in the garage, it ran perfectly......

Over the weekend he tried to back it out, but it was reluctant to start and would not idle.

seemed like fuel starvation, so we checked the fuel pump..... no problem

Decided it must be electrical, checked with a plug out and no spark......

Its got a new red rotor arm, new points & Condenser, good leads, tried a different coil, battery is at 14V

Any thing else to try? new Dizzy cap is on the way, but the old one looks ok and it ran fine last time the car was used?

HELP!!!!

[CAR]

Owen what year and model is your Dad's car?

Colin.

[Mike Stevens]

Check through the LT system with a voltmeter. You should 'see' 12V or 6V (ish) at the top of the coil, and this should go up and down as you crank the engine. Also check the voltage at the other side of the coil (points side). This should be either 12V or 0V. I'd probably not measure this when cranking as there'd be some high voltage spikes there! This assumes a car with a ballast resistor.

With the distributor cap off, open the points. You see a small spark and hear a 'crack' as the coil creates the HT. You could try wiring a plug direct to the coil too and see if that gibes a spark.

Is the rotor arm going round? Has the rotor arm key got damaged? (I've seen this before.)

Can't think of much else at present!

Cheers,
Mike.

[englishbull]

Is it auto Owen?.......................can't remember...

If so inhibitor switch?

Also had (also Mr Editor) starter motor loose wire that as caused me issues before.

Also known "new" condensors not to be very good.

[owen1183]

its a 74 2000 TC Manual.

Rotor arm is fine and rotates correctly on distributor

I suspected the coil, as it seem to be the original one, however I changed it for one off my 2500S and it made no difference.

I've got a voltmeter today, so will check coil voltage etc later on

[TedTaylor]

Ballast resistor?

Ted

[owen1183]

Right we changed the dizzy cap for a new one, still nothing.

There is no external ballast resistor, so i assume it within the wiring..... If this was the culprit and went open circuit Im assuming the coil would be at 6V?

[Clifford Pope]

If the ballast resister or wire went open circuit then there would be no voltage at the coil, except during cranking when the voltage would, temporarily, be 12v. So the engine would fire but immediately stop.

I would suggest following the current through as follows;

1) Ignition on, is there voltage at the coil?
2) Ignition on, do the points spark when you open/close them with a screwdriver?
3) Unplug HT lead from coil to distributor at the distributor end, and fit a spark plug, resting on the block. Does it spark when you flick the points?
4) Unplug one plug lead and insert a plug lying on the block. Spin engine - does the plug fire?
5) Check that all the other plugs fire
6 Check that no. 1 plug fires at the right position on the crank timing, and that the sequence is correct.

If all the plugs are firing at the right moment, then it can't be an electrical fault.

[Charles H]

Try using known good items from your 2500S. It is not unknown that 'new' items are faulty. Check from the beginning. Voltage at coil, do you get a spark from the 'king' lead, points, condensor, rotor arm, dizzy cap, leads and plugs. My money would be on the coil, rotor arm, points or condensor. Good luck.

[owen1183]

Ok, checked all ignition system and all seems ok.

Getting a spark the the plug, and everything else works as expected.

Fuel is getting to the carbs, but it just wont fire?!!!!

ARRRGGGHHH