fbekholden.com

Hi all,

Just a newb with the car - a '61 EK ute - it fired up great this morning but after cleaning sparkplug at work at lunch (its almost a weekly task!!) it turns over beautifully but doesn't spark and therefore fire up have checked the spark at the plug but nothing there and I'm not sure what to do next. Its fitted with Petronix ignitor and as I'm on a reeeeaaallly steep learning curve could you possibly post some areas to look at before I ring in some outside help

Cheers Todd

Simple things first.

Best to check the HT leads are all fully home at both the plug and distributor cap ends. Also check that the lead between the coil and the distributor cap is fitted correctly.

After that, check that the wires going to the Petronix unit are properly connected both ends.

Sounds like your rings are shot if you're cleaning the plugs so regularly.

Thx for the reply,

Luckily the car broke down at work and is in a secure spot, luckily I'll be taking the car off the road shortly for the body work that needs to be done so I'll attend to the motor at the same time, its a shame really as it is a very reliable workhorse and normally ticks over every time

Todd

try putting points back in. I had same issue when running the petronix unit fowling plugs. put points back in and ran fine. stu

Thx all for the replies, tried to get spark from the coil by putting sparkplug on the input side of the dizzy and then cranking the motor nothing at all(advice given by a mechanic from Liverpool who has a masturbating dog - so grain of salt maybe required) voltage to the coil but nothing at all, I'm thinking of buying a new coil which @ $40 odd is not a bad solution so if you all think I'm heading in the wrong direction please let me know

Todd

Could still be the points/petronix (actually, it could be a few things).

The points are just a switch that makes and breaks the circuit on the 12V side of the coil allowing it to charge (points closed) and discharge (through the HT lead) when the points open. If the points aren't working, then the coil won't either.

Oh bugger, how do I test the Pertonix ignitor?

Todd

Usually if I've just done a job on a car and it stops working right after, then it's something I've cocked-up whilst doing the work rather than a component failing. Having said that, if the plugs are getting fouled, then something in the ignition might have been on its way out anyway.

First thing you need to establish is if the coil is working (without relying on the points). Before I tell you how, I have to warn you that the spark from the coil carries quite a boot. Be careful!

Step 1. There's a HT lead that goes from the coil to the center of the distributor cap. Remove the distributor cap end of this lead leaving the other end attached to the coil.

Step 2. Pull back the rubber boot to expose the metal contact on the HT lead and position a few millimeters from a clean metal surface. If the lead is too short, use one of your sparkplug HT leads instead.

Step 3. Turn on the ignition. Using a length of wire as a jumper, attach one end to the -ve terminal of the coil, and touch the other end of the wire to the car body to make an earth (this is acting like the points closing). When you release this wire, you should get a spark from the HT lead to whatever bit of the engine or car that it is close to. Be careful to use the correct coil terminal. Don't connect the positive terminal or you'll blow fuses and probably get a good boot!

If no spark - dead coil. If spark - problem is somewhere else like the points, condenser, or wiring.

I have to ask, I hope your using the GT40 and not the GT40R

Yep GT40 is what I'm running in the old girl so I'll be going with that if I need to replace it, by the way didn't change a bloody thing, any ideas as to how to test the points (running Pertronix ignitor) as I'm now running out of ideas. Oh if you haven't guessed I'm an extreme novice when it comes to mechanical/electrical things but am willing to learn


Todd