Capri Electrical Problem

Magnum

A small problem guys, I treated her a new battery and plugs today, started fine and then I swiched on my rear demister and the capri cut out and hasn't started since.

It's turning over fine it just seems like it's getting no spark,I took out a plug and got someone to turn over the engine and so spark fron the plug, I have nothing in my possession for testing the coil, I may add it does not have points either it has this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aldon-Ignitor-Electr...=item2ea9bc9dae the previous owner put it in, any help is greatly appreciated.....
Since this has happened I've been turning on and off things to see if they work and I notice that one of my main beams is considerably dimmer than the other (it was working fine)

Any budding mechanics/ auto electricians want to come take a look ? You will be paid for your time, I'm located in Tipperary...

DublinDilbert

Have you checked the fuses?

You need to check if there's power going to the ignition coil. The transistor ignition should be controlling the low side of the coil.

If you have a multimeter or test lamp you should be able to see if there's power on the primary side of the coil...

Magnum

DublinDilbert wrote: »

Have you checked the fuses?

You need to check if there's power going to the ignition coil. The transistor ignition should be controlling the low side of the coil.

If you have a multimeter or test lamp you should be able to see if there's power on the primary side of the coil...

Thanks for the reply,
I ran a cable from the battery to the positive side of the coil and still the same thing altough the coil did get fairly hot...

crosstownk

It sounds like you have a compromised circuit. Remove all non essential fuses and start the engine. Refit the fuses and see which circuit offends.

DublinDilbert

I'm wondering does the transistor ignition unit need 12v supplied to it? Any chance they tapped it into the same fuse as the back window heater.

If the coil is getting hot, it means that the low side is being pulled to ground. You could replace the primary of the coil with a bulb, it should flash on and off as you crank the engine....

shamwari

Magnum wrote: »

Thanks for the reply,
I ran a cable from the battery to the positive side of the coil and still the same thing altough the coil did get fairly hot...

What side of the coil is triggered by the breakerless ignition?

crosshair1

Temporarily hook up another earth to the dim headlamp bulb, see if it makes a difference to the starting, may be a bad/broken earth point supplying lamp/window/elec ign. Just guessing as i dont have any diagrams for this.

Magnum

the bulb was replaced with another bulb as it was blown but not fully blown (if you know what I mean, I also found a fuse that was blown up underneath the dashboard and replaced that.
The electronic ignition has both wires going to the coil both + and -
I even got another 12v coil and tried that to no avail....:(:(

Buford T Justice

Take the ht lead off the coil and turn it over. If it's working it'll spark out of the coil and you'll be able to see it. If that doesn't work then I'd rekon it's a bad earth somewhere.

DublinDilbert

Have you tried replacing the primary winding in the coil by a bulb to make sure your getting switching power from the ignition unit?

I think your going to need someone handy with a meter or scope. You'll need to look at the signal coming from the pick up coil/sensor inside the distributor.

Magnum

Fingers McGee wrote: »

Take the ht lead off the coil and turn it over. If it's working it'll spark out of the coil and you'll be able to see it. If that doesn't work then I'd rekon it's a bad earth somewhere.

Nope no spark..
Might be easier to replace the loom than go tracing earths...

DublinDilbert wrote: »

Have you tried replacing the primary winding in the coil by a bulb to make sure your getting switching power from the ignition unit?

I think your going to need someone handy with a meter or scope. You'll need to look at the signal coming from the pick up coil/sensor inside the distributor.

I have taken off both wires on the coil and bridged them in turn with a 12v tester and seem to have power in both.....
Yeah I think your right, I need someone handy with auto electrics.

Thanks for all the help guys..


Anyone living near Tipp want to give it a look over ??

DublinDilbert

Do you have a wiring diagram or details for the transistor ignition unit?

If you were closer I'd have a look.

Hopefully there's someone on here who's closer who can help.

ianobrien

IIRC, the Aldon ignitor is to be wired to both sides of the coil, and the coil is to have a ballasted supply.

Edit - I THINK (and I'm going off memory here) it's red to positive side of the coil and black to negative. There may be an aftermarket ballast resistor bolted to the side of the coil.

I'd say somebody wired the supply side to a "convenient" circuit and happened to pick the rear window demister. The amount of wiring to the coil can get "full" if there is a rev counter fitted to the car and a convenient circuit was tapped.

Have you changed/checked the fuses for the rear window demister? if the fuse is gone (it's probably not the blade fuse of modern cars but a "bullet" type and you'll see the wire on the outside of them) change it and try starting the car (and leave the demister off!)

The coil getting hot means that there is current going through it.....

I had an Aldon Ignitor in a Motorcraft distributor and it never gave any trouble.

Magnum

Just an update on this guys, it was the igniter that was the fault.

I removed the igniter and stuck in a set of points just to rule out the igniter, first turn of the key on the points off she went....