Ignition has me stumped

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stable

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So I just bought a new set of points/condenser/coil/leads for the 2 commers with original ignition setups. Both were running badly. The Campercar exploded into life better than ever. The Highwayman however is totally dead. I've checked and rechecked the positive feed and link to points - all good. Checked coil. Even swapped back to old points and condensor... what have I missed? No spark at all.

It was running really badly towards the end - total lack of power and miss firing at low revs and was fairly sure it was an ignition fault. So half of me suspects I've driven home a fault. But having checked through the system I can't pin point the fault. Even the coil feels warm...

What's staring me in the face that I've missed!

Tom
 
Bummer:(
Then I guess it's a process of elimination, first check you are getting 12v to the positive side of the coil, if that's OK then are you getting a spark from the king lead - hold it next to the block while cranking the engine. If that's OK check you haven't lost the carbon brush in the dizzy, and make sure you have the leads connected the right way 1 3 4 2 anti clockwise.
As a last resort I'd swap the coil from the running van, there seems to be a lot of duff new ones out there, and maybe even the complete running dizzy if all else fails
Good luck:)
 
first thing on any old car I buy is put electronic ignition on...£30 odd or £80ish for a full dizzy with coil...can almost rule that out then totally.

follow Panky for now though also check the dizzy bearings...make sure it's not moving and stopping points opening up (have you checked they're opening and closing while cranking with the cap off)?
 
What a difference a cup of tea makes.

Was just he order of the insulator washers on the points post where the condenser/coil wires fasten. DOHW.

I was just muttering what a waste of time electronic ignition was the other day!! Should've kept my mouth shut.

Tom
 
...plug and forget (until it breaks). I do always carry a set of points so guess I don't fully trust a £30 ignition set

:)
 
:)Tea is good. Accuspark 'Stealth' electronic dizzy £60, fitted one to Ted the Traveller and it's been great, will fit a Commer engine too but already get lekky tronic on both my vans:)
 
Bargain Panky - always worth getting the kit with the right coil too Tom - they pull different power and can burn out a standard coil - apparently more expensive 'sports coils' can be even worse for burning out.
 
Dont forget, if your points system is using a ballast resistor, to limit the current, you will need a 'ballast' coil.
 
Noticed the other day that Bonnie is fitted with a ballast resistor coil, she's got an old Lucas electronic ignition system on there so must be part of that.
 
Thanks guys - spark is good now! And she kinda runs :(

Unfortunately now I've had a good chance to look over the engine the heavy breathing and inconsistent running was pointing at something obvious I think. Compression figures aren't looking good, 5 - 6 bar across the 4 cylinders. I'm gonna double check the gauge against another engine as in the past I've had uncalibrated gauge but think I'm clasping at straws. It's breathing so heavily I think the bores/rings must be shot.

Bugger.

Tom
 
Being so low on all cylinders it could well point to the gauge - or even valve seats.
 
If breathing heavy (like mine was) sounds like rings or seats, head off to check the seats, mine still breathed badly after redoing those so I rebuilt it...she was really struggling to run that well even with the SU on, inconsistent tickover, tough to start and v poor fuel economy. New pistons, bored, rings and the difference is startling...instantly fires up on half a turnover even when zero degrees in the garage and runs perfectly...not changed the carb, ignition or anything else. Can get away with doing it cheaper if you remove the unit yourself and strip it down to basics and pick some pistons up - think paid £95 for my set of +40 oversized OEM from Malta. Depends how competent you are I guess. I sort of did a half way house and took the short block to the reconditoners cost £400 for them to strip the short block, clean it, do the core plugs, rebore it and put the short block back together with new bearings in. Remember I provided all the hardware and gaskets (except the bearings). I got a lot of other work on the head and flywheel too such as new valve springs but the block work was the £400. I used Sheffield Engine Services. Of course the other option is buying a new block off Ebay - Low Comp ones are £400-£500 but will need to put your cam in etc. but as mines High Comp engine and they want £720 for those it worked out cheaper for a rebuild.

Or as Panky did and got away with new rings only which worked perfectly - about £40 for those :)
 
I stuck a slog of oil down cylinder 1 + 2 and re tested the highwayman. Same results...

Also checked the gauge on the camper car which would seem to run nicely and came up at about 4.5bar....

The campercar is iron head. The highwayman alloy. What's the compression supposed to be on each??

Defo need to get a decent compression tested asap. But hoping it would seem to be a valve side issue.

Tom
 
Thanks for you findings Jim.

My big problem is I was supposed to have this van on the road in about 5 weeks. I still needs some body work and a full respray. I hadn't bargained on an engine rebuild too :(

Maybe I'll have to pull the engine from the camper car and stick it in the highwayman as a stop gap. Nothings ever easy!

Tom
 
Hmmm...yes sorry wasn't saying it needs it just providing the options and the types of costs involved. Gauge does seem random - think alloy heads are High Compression and (most) Iron heads Low Comp. Think we need the Panky.
Hopefully it's the head making it breathe - cheap and easy fix.
 
Sorry Jim that was supposed to come over as a sincere thanks! Good to have input from those who have been through the same - I do remember you mentioning yours breathing a lot previously.

If I'm getting a lot of breathing from the rocker cover surely that's a sign of valves - rings would not cause breathing up here, coupled with the oil down the bores making no difference to compression...

Tom
 
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