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Still no spark

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M

Mack

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I am working may way through the trouble shooting chart for no spark. I have 12 volts at the coil so I am to beleave I am good from the key to the coil? next step is to see if there is any spark out of the coil, I've read that if I hold the HT center lead to the coil about 1/4" away I should see spark. Here's the problem, I usualy work on the car alone, no one to crank the engine while I look, next I am leary of holding onto the HT lead. Here's my question, maybe obvious maybe not. Could I just hook my timing light pick-up to the coil HT lead while I crank the motor over? I can squeeze ther trigger and turn the key at the same time and not worry about that possible shock, I get that same feeling doing that as when I used to shut down a gas motor with a grounding tab! Not so good. Thanks for the help. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gifMACK
 
What year is this car? Is it a B?

Just trying to get some background... and yes, if you put the timing light on the coil wire with all connected as should be, you will see a trigger pulse X4 per RPM.
 
Don't worry about holding the HT....i've done it many times, never been shocked(due to that particular action /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif )....If your questioning the coil sometimes it's good to have a spare you can try
 
Timeing lite trick seems like a winner to me.
 
You betcha, Jack. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
Before you go nuts, look at the thin wire that goes into the dizzy. A little gap in the insulation will put you on
the side of the road. Been there, done that. Bob
 
I just used the timing light trick and it works great. I used number 1 spark plug wire and pointed the gun at me and turned the motor over. I have a Sun timinggun that lights up without a trigger. You may want to hold the trigger back with a rubber band so it is on all the time.
 
Early BMC cars had a cylindrical starter solenoid with a manual push button on it. With those you could switch on the ignition and push the solenoid button while under the bonnet so you could watch the plug. Since you probably don't have that solenoid, you may want to make up a remote starter switch, it's easy. You need a length of something like lamp cord. Put insulated alligator clips on both leads at one end. On the other end put a momentary contact, push button switch (normally open). Connect the alligator clips between the small ignition switch spade lug on the solenoid (typically a white wire with red tracer) and (EDIT) the battery side (big terminal) of the solenoid. Your solenoid will kick in as long as you hold the push button down.

Don't like holding spark plugs? I made a test plug for this purpose. Basically it's a used, clean spark plug with two alligator clips. One clip holds the plug's threads. The second clip is screwed to the first clip and can be clamped to a bare earthing point on the car or engine block. It's a very handy tool.

Did you download the document off my storage space? If not, grab a copy of:
https://home.mindspring.com/~purlawson/files/LucasPointsIgnitions.pdf
It should help you trace where you're loosing spark.

EDIT: Sorry... I had the wrong connections for the remote start push button.
 
Doug L. Wrote:
[ QUOTE ]
Early BMC cars had a cylindrical starter solenoid with a manual push button on it. With those you could switch on the ignition and push the solenoid button while under the bonnet so you could watch the plug.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's why I asked what year car he had, Doug. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Take the distributor cap off and flick open the points with
an insulated screwdriver.
Easy and no moving parts!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Take the distributor cap off and flick open the points with
an insulated screwdriver.
Easy and no moving parts!

[/ QUOTE ]
I like it!!!(how did I never think of that)

BTW solid copper (zero resistance) plug wires won't trip some timing light pickups. (had to switch to Magnacore so I could use my Mac light)
 
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