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Spitfire My first Spitfire

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trrdster2000 said:
sbrmalott. You have lots of fun in the future, but get a metal pipe for the fuel hose that goes from the pump to the carbs, not a good idea on the rubber. Have a look at some photos of the Spite's and you will see the routing, along with a clamp that goes to the top of the thermostat housing.
Wayne
Click to expand...

Yeah the fuel line was a temp thing to see if i could get it running. No luck though.
 
Changed oil, coolant, pulled the plugs and checked the gaps. etc.
Put a new battery in it, turned the key and nothing.
Didn't expect a miracle but would of been nice. No power to starter. I guess i will have to get a multimeter and learn how to use it
 
Here is a couple of things to get you some power to the starter. That big solenoid next to the windshield water hose container, on the left, facing the car, use a pair of plyers that have some insulation and jump the cables, be ready for a spark. Let me see, first run a jumper to the 1/4 inch male plug in on that solenoid (white/red) wire from the + side of the battery. Try that first, then the big cable jump. If it starts we are in the game. Be ready to check for spark at the plugs, hope you have one of the wire testers you lay on the spark plug wire and it lights up.

Wayne
 
Bypassed the solenoid and she turns over. Points look terrible. Ordered a PerTronix coil and PerTronix Ignitor, now got to wait for them to turn up. Will get a cap plugs and wires locally.
 
Ok so i know the engine wasn't the original one but this spitfire is giving me a hard time with parts. Starter solenoid looks like its out of a ford or something.
Its a sw-3. Should i buy an original starter solenoid or is there any benefit with the sw-3?

So i have a 1975 spitfire with a 1979 engine with a 25d distributor and a sw-3 solenoid. hmm wonder what else i will find. Think i'm going to call her Mutt
 
Mutt would be a good start, B--ch will come into the conversation a lot.
If someone has put a Ford solenoid on, it's not the first one, but check the price and if they are close, go with the Triumph one. The 25d is real early but set up right will be fine and the Pertronix (SP) is a good idea., just keep you old stuff in the trunk.

Wayne
 
Hmm ok im stumped. New coil, electronic ignition, rotor, cap, plugs and wires but still no spark. Help me Obi-Wan
 
Are you getting power to coil? Is the coil grounded? Is ignition switch wired and working? Sometimes wires are broke behind switch. Check for rotor gap to distributer electrode.
 
I fiddled with the ignition switch and the seat belt light came on and she fired once and now nothing. The ignition switch is hanging down and i cant see any loose wires, I start it by bypassing the starter solenoid as its faulty. Got a new solenoid coming next week. guess i need a new ignition switch or is there a way to bypass it with a button or something?
 
I will offer a few additional suggestions.

The '74 probably had a ballast ignition system like my '72. You need to convert away from that to use your new coil and at the same time provide full 12V system voltage to the Ignitor module. The test to see what you have is easy.

Run a jumper wire from the coil (-) terminal to ground.
Turn the ignition key to the run position. Do not try to start the engine.
Use your multimeter to measure the voltage between coil (+) and ground.
Turn the switch off and remove the jumper wire after making the voltage measurements.

The jumper wire insures the coil has a path for current to go to ground. This is a must for making coil supply voltage measurements.
If you measure 6V to 9V on the coil (+) terminal your car has a ballast resistor somewhere in series with coil power. You will need to run a new, switched, un-fused supply wire to coil (+).
If you measure no volts (0V) this says the coil is getting no power at all and you have a problem to sort. There is no substitute for a wiring diagram and the multimeter to sort this out.
If you measure 12V, then the coil is getting the correct supply voltage and the no-spark issue lies elsewhere. (Plug wires, plugs, cap, rotor...)
Let us know what you find in these tests and we'll help you troubleshoot. Don't forget to remove the jumper wire from coil (-) to ground when you are through making these test.

ALSO... since you are having no luck getting a spark, leave other wires OFF the coil for now. As an example, if your car has an electronic tach (likely since you have the 25D distributor installed), disconnect its sense wire from coil (-). Failed tachometers can act like a kill switch.

There is nothing wrong with the Ford solenoid. I have one on our GT6. If the solenoid works and the wiring has been set up for it... use the Ford part. They work well and are available at almost any parts store should you ever need to replace it. The square-ish Lucas solenoids are OK but they cost more and are not as readily available.

EDIT: You were typing while I was typing so I'll add more comments. How do you know the solenoid is bad? The quick tests are to put the gearbox in neutral and open the bonnet. Locate the white/red wire on the solenoid. Take a short jumper wire and hold it to that terminal on the solenoid. Take the other end of the jumper wire and touch it to the solenoid terminal with all the brown wires on it. If the solenoid is OK, there will be a modest spark (don't let that spook you) and there will be an audible click followed by the starter motor turning over. If there is no "click" make sure the solenoid's mounting foot has a good ground connection. Run a new, dedicated ground wire to it if necessary. Repeat the test. If there is still no click it is reasonable to say the solenoid is bad. If there is a click and the starter does not spin, that could be the starter motor or the power contacts in the solenoid. To test if it is the power contacts, take an old pair of insulated handle pliers. Rest one jaw of the pliers on the terminal with all the brown wires. While holding the pliers in place on that terminal, rotate them so the other jaw of the pliers touches the other large threaded post terminal with the cable going to the starter motor. There may be a BIG spark. Again, don't let it spook you. If there is no spark then something is amiss with the starter motor or its cable to the solenoid. If there is a big spark and the starter motor spins up, that says there is a problem with the power contacts in the solenoid.
 
I have a spare 60 Chevy ignition switch I use a GT6 and Spitfire temporary replacement as they have the same wiring terminals and connections. Also used in 50-60s Jags and some BLTR cars.
 
Installed the new solenoid and i have spark when i jump the red and white wire to the brown ones and the starter kicks on and she cranks over so woohoo on that. Now i guess i need to fix the ignition switch because that's doing nothing at all. Any hints on this one? Also the fuel pump is not pumping any gas so is it worth replacing with the same type or go with an electric pump?
 
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You will get a lot of opinions on the fuel pump. The following is my take on this but others will offer alternate views that will be equally valid.

If the mechanical pump is truly dead and you are interested in an electrical pump, the Facet and Airtex aftermarket electrical pumps are probably as inexpensive as the mechanical pump (once you shop around... prices vary wildly. You want one that delivers no more than 3 PSI... 3.5 PSI MAX). However, with an electric pump you will have the added expense of a blanking plate for the block where the mechanical pump was and generally people like adding some form of safety interlock for an electric fuel pump (oil pressure cut off switch, roll over switch, inertia switch, etc). Those obviously add to the cost and complexity of the electric pump. However, once fitted in the boot, the electric pump is immune to vapor lock and working as a pusher will deliver good fuel pressure under all conditions. Electric pumps also can be a bit more versatile in that you can prime the float bowl simply by turning the key to run and waiting a second or two. Troubleshooting fuel delivery problems can also be easier when an electric fuel pump is fitted. However, for most people these don't offer sufficient benefit to justify the effort and additional expense of converting to electric pumps. Me? I like electric pumps but as I said, there are equally good reasons for staying with the OEM mechanical design.

On the ignition switch you must start with a wiring diagram and multimeter to see where you are loosing voltage. In all the Lucas wiring schemes I am familiar with there will be an un-switched, un-fused brown wire from the starter solenoid to the ignition switch. That is your permanent live feed. The white wires leaving the switch are... switched and un-fused. Typically one or more of these wires go to the fuse box. On your '74 one of those white wires would have supplied the ballast resistor which in turn would have been connected to the coil (+) terminal. Again, you will need to sit down with a multimeter and your car's wiring diagram and check point by point to see where the voltage drops out.
 
Ok so it looks like its the ignition switch that's not working. Looked online and haven't found the same one as mine. Mine has 6 wires and five pins but the only ones i saw online have 4 wires. Am i going crazy or am i just hopeless at using the internet or both? Anyone got a link to the right switch?


Guess i was just hopeless. Found the right switch and boy they are pricey.. So where do you guys shop for parts?
 
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Vendors:
BP Northwest (BPNW)
The Roadster Factory
Spitbits
Victoria British (VB)
Moss

Others will add more vendors to the list. These are the ones I use the most.

When you found the switch, was it the whole lock assembly or just the switch? Take a look at the pictures at Spitbits. The switch for the post 1973 cars (up to about 1977) costs $99 for "Lucas" and $42 for a generic part. It looks like they may be a bit less at VB and BPNW. Lucas on the box today does not mean Lucas really made the part unless you are talking about NOS components. You might be perfectly happy with the generic item.
 
Thanks. It was just the switch i was looking for. I have the rest of the lock assembly althrough it was cut off by the last owner
 
Did the PO cut the lock itself or the tamper-proof bolts holding it to the column? If they cut through the lock itself, it's decision time for you.

You can buy a new steering column lock and switch assembly. They are expensive. Extra keys for the lock assembly are also expensive... but the lock would be "original". Alternatively, you could choose to fit the earlier dash mounted ignition switch and do away with the steering column lock. I think there are some minor wiring changes involved but it is not an uncommon change. Keys for the earlier dash switch are relatively inexpensive and not dealing with a "fiddly" steering column lock can be a plus.

If while reviewing the dash mounted switch option you say "Hey... my door and ignition lock keys won't match", that's true. However, it is also very common to leave Spitfire doors unlocked. I first saw this practice while I was a teenager and it applied to virtually all British convertibles. The argument goes that "if a thief wants to get into you Spitfire/MGB/Midget/Sprite they will just cut the convertible top if the doors are locked". The thief is going to get in anyway if they want something in your car and it's cheaper to let them in then to buy a new top. Anyway, don't weigh different and non-matching keys too much in your decision.

EDIT: I totally neglected the other possibility. If the PO only cut the bolts and your column lock castings are still in one piece, you can remove what's left of the tamper resistant screws and replace them with 5/16-18 socket head bolts (you can find what you need at the home center). You don't have to have the tamper proof screws and fortunately BL used "regular" pitch fasteners for these parts.
 
So i ordered a new fuel pump and it came today. Removed the old one only to find out that the rocker arm is not there. So i guess its in the oil pan. So my question is, Would it of gone into the oil pan or could it be stuck somewhere and would i have hurt the engine while cranking it over checking the spark and would i have to get it out asap if it fell into the pan or could i hear her run first?
 
Look in hole with small light and see if you can see it. See if you can see any damage. Might be safer to pull pan and look. If arm came off in block, I cannot see it running long enough to do damage, unless it was cranked with starter until it jammed. I do not remember if you were able to turn block by hand with plugs out.
 
I was able to turn it by hand as well as crank it over to check spark etc. I did look in the hole with a flashlight and couldn't see it or any damage
 
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