11 replies to this topic

[ken22]

ok folks see if you can stop me going out of my mind and sending a classic to the scrapyard.Problem is i,ve just put my engine back in after doing some body work,nothing was done to the engine save replacing a broken dizzy cap.There is a spark at the plug leads but it just wont fire, i,ve gone through all the checks on the coil and leads, the timing is right, it was running before i took it out but now absolutely zilch. also plenty of petrol getting through and no air leaks.If by coincidence the electronic module failed would i still be getting a spark? Any ideas would be very appreciated.

[alex-95]

Have you got the plug leads in the correct position? 1342 anti-clockwise.

[Spider]

Sorry for going OT here, but I have to say, awesome diagram alex-95, nice and clear.  Thanks for posting up.

[ken22]

yes all leads are correct. it fires like it should but just wont start. I,ve noticed that if left for a while and then tried it will fire for a split second and die straight away, according to the haynes manual in the fault section this points to a ignition problem but every thing checks out ok. The only thing bugging me is that when i removed the engine i labeled the wires from the coil black and white to the negative and white ignition wire to the positive. but the other white wire from the dizzy amplifier was taped up at the end and i hadn,t marked this one,so i,ve connected it to the positive like the wiring diagrams show. Ive tried it with this wire disconnected like the ballasted type but i dont even get a spark then. I was wandering if some previous owner had done some alterations and had this wire connected some other way but i can,t see anything.

[IainNeon91]

When I fitted my electronic ignition kit, it chucked my timing out by a few degrees. Making it start like a bag of nails, so I done the necessary to get it back to what it was before I put the kit in.  

[lawrie124]

Tricky to diagnose but let's start with a few basics:

 

. have you got a spark on all 4 plugs?

. does the float bowl have fuel in it? (I'm guessing HS4 carb?)

. did you move the distributor at all, or just replace the cap?

. you say it runs briefly; are you using choke?

 

Mike

[madaboutcherry]

how long has the car been off the road? unleaded is useless after a few months.

[ChopperHarris]

wrong cap or faulty?
"it fires like it should but just wont start" explain, if that's the case its running no?
Do you mean " turns over"?

[ken22]

hi again folks, yes its firing on all four  plugs its getting plenty of petrol which is fresh, the dizzy hasn,t been moved at all. I,m pretty sure it,s down to the wiring of the coil but the haynes manual only shows the wiring for the old points system, i,ve looked at the wiring diagram again and it shows a white and yellow wire going to the starter solenoid, i don,t have one of these, does anybody know if electronic factory fitted needs one? Is there anybody out there who has a factory fitted electronic ignition system without the ballast resistor who could explain the wiring set up on their car please

[cradley-heathen]

if you have a good spark at all plugs, and the correct fueling it should run.

 

have you changed the plugs at all? i took an engine from one vauxhall nova (where it was running perfectly) and fitted it in another a few years ago, everything was exactly the same, leads, plugs etc, all transfered from one car to the next, i didnt change or alter anything, yet it wouldnt start. i checked the plug gap and it was quite big, closed that up and it started straight away! yet they were the exact same ones it run with in the donor car!

 

about 6 months later it refused to start again, i checked the gaps and they seemed to have got bigger again? i closed them up and away it went again. never figured out why that was but its something i always try now!

[KernowCooper]

Here is the module wiring and the 12v white feed to the coil + is correct the extra white black on the coil - is for your rev counter, the other wires from the module go onto the coil + and -  as per the diagram below

Attached Files

•  Ignition module correct wiring.jpg   15.18K   40 downloads

[lawrie124]

so is the OP sorted now?

 

If yes, what was it?

 

if not, where are you at?