Technical Question

johnf2020

I recently discovered that the bad running of my R17(pinking)was due to a faulty Vacuum advance mechanism. I disconnected it and just timed the car to try and get a happy medium . I had some success with this until I found a new Distributor.
Luckily I found a brand new Ducillier distributor on Ebay specifically for my 17.Was I chuffed :DWhen I put it on the car, making sure that I had TDC lined up correctly and the rotor firing on 1,,,,,no start,,not even a spark:eek:. Brand new part,and I am worse off.
HELP--ANY IDEAS.

I put the old one back on,turned the key and off it goes...

John

Randyleprechaun

I'm not being smart, but, did you put the rotor arm back in. I hate to admit but it's happened me many times where I left it sitting on car roof or something!!!!!

other than that, I cant understand, if its the ssame cap and you have all the leads back right.

Abelloid

Points, condenser...?

johnf2020

I had the rotor in;). At the time I thought that it might be the points or condenser but I said that it couldn't be that as they are new,,,,,but I suppose it could:rolleyes:

Randyleprechaun

Unlikely to be condenser or points if one cap works and another doesn't I would have thought

macplaxton

Wiring shorting against the body of the dizzy?

Abelloid

johnf2020 wrote: »

I had the rotor in;). At the time I thought that it might be the points or condenser but I said that it couldn't be that as they are new,,,,,but I suppose it could:rolleyes:

Are the points gapped correctly? Is the condenser shorting on the body of the dissy?

johnf2020

I'LL GO AGAIN----I fitted a completely new Distributor which included everything,cap,rotor,points,condensor etc and I set the points.Nothing.

Put complete old unit back on and it starts

Blue850

Sounds like one of the "new" components is a dud, starting swapping points, condensor etc one at time.

MercMad

The new points may be fitted, but may not be gapped. I would start again and gap the points on the new dizzie before fitting. Also if this is a new unit its possible that fresh paint somewhere may prevent the unit from earthing correctly.

Gap the points, refit and with ignition on flick the points to see if you have a spark, before you put the cap back on.

johnf2020

Thanks guys--we keep ye posted:D

nmacc

At the risk of being insulting, did you clean the anti-rust grease off the new points?

I'm sure you did, so I'll just concur with the rest of the posters that it has to be one of the new components. Be wary of the condenser; I'm pretty sure that they're electrolytic and if they're stored at elevated temps in a dry atmosphere then the electrolyte can dry out and it will be open-circuit, not short circuit. The book says that the condenser is there to reduce sparking at the points, but it also plays a part in building the spark. I've tried taking out the condenser on more than one car and they wouldn't start for me.

Another oddity could be the rotor. Many years ago I had to sort out a Pug 104 that just died. Turned out the rotor was shorting internally to the shaft. Tricky.

Swap over the components methodically until the new dizzy fires or the old one stops.

Luke Crowley

I'd suspect the condensor myself, I had one fail on my R4 before, and it took me aaaaaages to figure out what was wrong!

johnf2020

I put new point and condersor into the new distributor also yesterday.
I then did a stitic timing on it. First turn of key and off she went. I dont know whether it was points of condersor,and I dont care---Its running.:rolleyes:

MercMad

Good stuff, well done. I always keeps a set of points and a condenser in the glovebox just in case. Haven't needed either yet, in nearly 10 years !

Abelloid

My money is on the condenser, they can be a bit iffy these days.

Pertronix will get rid of points and condenser.

MercMad

JustinOval wrote: »

My money is on the condenser, they can be a bit iffy these days.

Pertronix will get rid of points and condenser.

.......yes but if your Pertronix unit fails you will be waiting a few days if not a week for a replacement whereas you couold get a condenser almost anywhere !

Abelloid

MercMad wrote: »

.......yes but if your Pertronix unit fails you will be waiting a few days if not a week for a replacement whereas you couold get a condenser almost anywhere !

Keep the condenser in the glove box, if the Pertronix fails put it back on.

I've had them for over 6 years on a few different cars and never had one fail, condensers however...