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Series III E Type

Bruce Bowker

Obi Wan
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For whatever it is worth to anyone, I just put in a new ignition upgrade kit replacing the distributor, amplifier, ballast resistor and coil with identical units that use the later HE technology.

The car has not run this well since the day I bought it and maybe not since it was new!!
 

jessebogan

Jedi Knight
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Photos? Info? I am in the middle of installing a Re Opus kit in an XJ12. So far, no sparks. The kit I use comes from New Zeland. So far, the chap that makes it has worked really well with me. I have never seen this car run, so I am working out where the fault is. If the car was not so perfectly original, I would just install a Lucas set up from a mid 80s XJS.
 
OP
Bruce Bowker

Bruce Bowker

Obi Wan
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Sorry no pictures. I really can't add much. We simply replaced the 4 old components with the 4 new and the car ran better than great. There aren't any tricks. Each part went straight in. This car has carbs whereas yours I believe is injected. Seems there is a kit specific for each but not sure if that would make a difference with no spark.

Bruce
 

DrEntropy

Great Pumpkin
Platinum
Country flag
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Jesse, You've got pressure at the rail I assume.

No spark would say trigger issue. What amp is tied into this rig?
 

jessebogan

Jedi Knight
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This is a 74 XJ12L, V12 with 4 strombergs. Whotta oddball, but it is all factory. I am installing a "re opus" kit from New Zeland. It is a new circuit board that replaces the board in the caveman opus box. Uses the same ballast resistor, pick up, ign coil etc.When you order one, you have to tell them how long the wires are, how many etc, so the board is "made to fit the application". I put one in a 76 FI car a couple of years ago, and all was well. In this case, I have never seen the car run. Towed in, some no name coil (that had split open !!), and no spark. New "lucas" coil(made under license...). I have tested it six ways from sunday, and it appears to switch the coil, but still no spark. I took a points distributor, and rigged a circuit to just test the coil, and it has sparks in it.... The guy in NZ sent me a couple of tests I have to run yet, but I had to move the XJ12 out and do some other work. Things are stacked up pretty deep here at the moment. I just sent out a nice 120DHC, I have the XJ12, another similar vintage XJ6, an 89 XJS in for ABS work, a DS 420 l;imo I am in the middle of an engine swap, and some major suspension surgery on a 66 Etype. My plate is overflowing.... Not a bad thing tho.
 

DrEntropy

Great Pumpkin
Platinum
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Not bad at all!

And again: if we were geographically nearer, I'd be over to lend a hand sorting out the load!

With the quad Zed-S induction, you've got an oddball indeed! We had a client with one, very early XJ, he STILL drives it daily AFAIK. We put a Crane XR-700 in it IIRC as he was more interested in reliability than originality.

I'll be interested to learn just what you find as the root cause of the no-run.

Knowing ya, I s'pose you've taken nothing for granted with an engine you've never heard running. :wink:
 
OP
Bruce Bowker

Bruce Bowker

Obi Wan
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Perhaps one of the new components is bad out of the box?

My car also has 4 Strombergs. My kit came from SNG Barratt and installed in no time at all, no adaptions etc with no adjustments afterward.

E Series III had carbs to 1974. Seems the XJ12 should be about the same engine as mine.
 

jessebogan

Jedi Knight
Offline
So, the XJS was like a master tech exam. First, the accumulator ball was bad, pump ran every time you hit the pedal, and light was on. Then the ECU had 3 codes, one of which was a failed self test. Installed a used unit from stock.... Then only 1 code, for RT ft wheel speed sensor. Had one in a parts car. Jacked up the junker, and pulled it off. In the dark... Changed that, road test to clear codes... Light still on, now a code for RT rr sensor. (ECU will only show one code per "system", fix one to advance to the next) Someone had cut and spliced that one up inside the body. Had one on the shelf. Finally light off, and correct operation of system.

I don't believe in throwing parts, each was a documentable failure....I am glad I part out these cars somedays. Customer picked it up, and was delighted, first time in years that the system worked. It is just never simple with these cars...

Dropped the engine in the DS 420 today, now I have to make it run. Hasen't in 15 years. Beautiful car tho... (for a DS 420)

I am outta here!!
 

DrEntropy

Great Pumpkin
Platinum
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We kept similar "collections" for the same reason. "Known good" parts can be a gold mine.

Jesse said:
Someone had cut and spliced that one up inside the body.

THAT'S the stuff to try your patience most times. Some jack-leg hack gets into the thing a decade or two before you and YOU get to suss out what's been made to <span style="font-style: italic">half</span> work. UN-fixing the sins of prior hack jobs can be the biggest time waster.

If we're ever able to sit together an' swap war stories, remind me to relate the tale of the Corinche intermittent wiper control box. :wink:
 
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DrEntropy said:
We kept similar "collections" for the same reason. "Known good" parts can be a gold mine.

Jesse said:
Someone had cut and spliced that one up inside the body.

the tale of the Corinche intermittent wiper control box. :wink:

Uh oh.....Corniche = BIG $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ no matter HOW you slice it! That and :wall: :wall: :wall:
 
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