Urgent Help Needed!

[Deus Ex]

well, one side of the ballast resistor runs away on the other side of the car to where i cant see it. The other point used to go right to the MSD, then the MSD would go to the Coil.

So does the point that used to go to the MSD now need to go to the Positive (+) part of the coil?

Would this be causing it not to spark? I just cant figure out why it has power but wont spark ><

[AlexinPerth]

What are the voltages on the + and - side of the coil?

If they're both at ~12v, then all you need is the points to earth out the - side of the coil, and bolts of lightning will ensue.

Alex.

[Deus Ex]

thanks! thats exactly what i needed to hear.

Ill check the points

Alex your a life saver

[gti6]

dude I'm no expert but based on other setups I've seen I don't think you need to run a ballast resistor with an MSD, fairly sure they're designed to run on the full 12v. Perhaps this caused the problem?

[Glenno]

Ballast resistor is a common old factory hatchet job to increase the life of the ignition coils and I think points by limiting current to the coil.

[gti6]

ah righto, I always thought it was to my ignition ecu.. cheers.

[edo]

My
Spark
Died

[JamesB]

Ballast resistor is a common old factory hatchet job to increase the life of the ignition coils and I think points by limiting current to the coil.

Whether or not you run a ballast resistor depends on the coil used. For example, the Bosch "R" series coils (designed for use with a ballast resistor) have a lower impedance to the "non R" series coils. Without a ballast resistor, the R series coils may fail prematurely. They are specifically designed to provide a better spark when the resistor is bypassed while the engine is being cranked over and the battery voltage may be reduced.

[JamesB]

thanks! thats exactly what i needed to hear.

Ill check the points

Alex your a life saver

Do you still have the condenser across the points? The body of the condenser is usually bolted to the coil mounting bracket and there will normally be a single wire coming out of the condenser that connects directly to the coil -ve terminal?

[Deus Ex]

Do you still have the condenser across the points? The body of the condenser is usually bolted to the coil mounting bracket and there will normally be a single wire coming out of the condenser that connects directly to the coil -ve terminal?

Yup thats still sitting there snugly.

If the points dont fix it i know of a Electronic Dizzy thats pretty cheap.

But all the same my mate cant keep driving me to work and back.

Let hope its the point.

P.s Edo

ha....ha

[AlexinPerth]

You can also check that the points function electrically by disconnecting the wire to the - side of the coil, and using an ohmmeter between the points connection and ground.

Turning the engine over (by hand) should result in the ohmmeter showing no connection when the points are open, and a closed circuit when they are shut.

If this isn't happening, then you won't get spark.

Alex.

[JamesB]

You can also check that the points function electrically by disconnecting the wire to the - side of the coil, and using an ohmmeter between the points connection and ground.

Turning the engine over (by hand) should result in the ohmmeter showing no connection when the points are open, and a closed circuit when they are shut.

If this isn't happening, then you won't get spark.

Alex.

... and while you're at it, disconnect the points, and make and break an earth connection to the coil's -ve terminal and see if the coil will produce a spark when the earth connection is broken. If it doesn't, and you have power going to the +ve terminal of the coil, then your coil is stuffed.

[Lobster]

Call a tow truck.

[Deus Ex]

I did call a tow truck its at a mates place now.

Ok turns out i blew the coil by hooking it right up to the battery instead of the ignition via the ballast resistor.

So i had 12V going in, and 12V at the Dizzy, but nothing coming to the main lead into the Dizzy.

Points don't look too bad, ill clean a little bit of build up off them but im thinking if the car died on the spot after being turned off, its more likely something just failed, and i dont see all the points doing that at once. But who knows, well see once i put the new coil on and hook it up properly

[AlexinPerth]

It might have been the coil that failed originally.

Alex.