Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,742
Club RR Member Number: 83
|
|
|
|
|
Hi guys, trying to recommission my HC Viva for the gathering, have put it mostly back together but the old girl wont start.
Have traced this to lack of spark.
Checked the king lead... no spark there.
12V (well, some volts.... the multimeter broke so used a bulb to test) at the +ve of the coil.
Tried another coil we had..... still no spark.
What am I missing? What else can I check?
Thanks
Mark
|
| |
Last Edit: Aug 16, 2011 18:12:57 GMT by Colonelk
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Points.... put your bulb between coil - and ground, crank the engine. It should flash as the points open and shut. If it doesn't, clean the points until it does, they probably corroded over while the car was standing. Get a new set (and a condenser) later, cleaning will do for now.
|
| |
To get a standard A40 this low, you'd have to dig a hole to put it in |
|
Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,742
Club RR Member Number: 83
|
|
|
|
|
Didn't even think the points might corrode up, that sounds like a great starting point cheers chap :-) the points and condensor were brand new just before being laid up so hopefully they'll survive being cleaned up. Have a spare set thought. I'm still not used to old school electrics heh. I'm used to sticking a paperclip in and being told what the problem is haha.
|
| |
|
|
djefk
Part of things
Posts: 844
|
|
|
|
|
I would bet money on the points being oxidised too
|
| |
|
|
barty
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,088
|
|
|
|
|
cheap enough to replace anyway so even if its not them its a good starting point
|
| |
|
|
icedmunkie
Part of things
All smoke.... No poke
Posts: 150
|
|
|
|
|
if it turns out to be the points ebay search accu spark and get the bits too make it have no points, done it on my Firenza, improves it no end
|
| |
1972 Vauxhall Firenza 1.8 MX5 powered
19something Land Rover Series 2 (in bits and not started)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It'll be the crank sensor.
Only joking!
A quite skim with a file on the surface of the points contacts, but I'd just buy a new points and condensor, mine only lasted 2000 miles from new.
|
| |
|
|
Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,543
|
|
|
|
|
If its sat a while there's a chance it might not like the petrol much either.
|
| |
Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
If its sat a while there's a chance it might not like the petrol much either. If it's anything like the 1256 in my chevanne, it will virtually run on paraffin! |
| |
To get a standard A40 this low, you'd have to dig a hole to put it in |
|
bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
|
|
|
|
|
Try and get a multimeter. A bulb will tell you what you need to know but its much clearer with a voltmeter.
I had a similar issue with my 1300 a while back and tracing through this method got it firing again.
Take the distributor cap off, turn the engine until the points are closed and turn the ignition on (don't crank the engine). Measure the voltage between the following points and the battery -ve post:
(1) The battery +ve terminal
(2) Live feed to the coil
(3) Coil negative terminal (where the wire to the points goes)
(4) The connection to the points (at the distributor end)
(5) The distributor base-plate that the points screw onto
(6) The distributor body
(7) The engine block
Measurements (1) and (2) should be the same as each other. If (2) is more than 0.2 volts below battery voltage then you have a bad connection in the feed to the coil or the ignition switch. Wire a temporary feed direct from the battery +ve to the coil +ve and see if she starts.
Measurements (3) to (7) should all be 0 volts. If the voltage at point (3) is more than about 0.2v then you have a problem between there and earth. The remaining measurements will help pinpoint it - as you go through them, each point that the voltage drops shows that there's too much resistance between that point and the one before it in the sequence.
Also measure the voltage directly across the coil terminals. That will give the total voltage drop between the battery and coil and the coil and earth. If that's more than about 0.5 volts below the battery voltage then you won't have enough spark to fire.
|
| |
Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44
1974 VW Beetle 1303s
1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV
1988 VW LT45 Beavertail
1998 Volvo V70 2.5
1959 Fordson Dexta
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Try and get a multimeter. A bulb will tell you what you need to know but its much clearer with a voltmeter. I disagree. Although a voltmeter is a useful tool a bulb is a great way of knowing you have both voltage and current. Just measuring volts can lead you on a merry dance, especially if you are not used to car electrics. |
| |
To get a standard A40 this low, you'd have to dig a hole to put it in |
|
Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,742
Club RR Member Number: 83
|
|
Aug 10, 2011 10:39:11 GMT
|
I was thinking petrol until we discovered no spark  Going to the barn tonight so hopefully we shall get her running |
| |
|
|
Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,742
Club RR Member Number: 83
|
|
Aug 11, 2011 19:44:54 GMT
|
|
Hi guys, as predicted some tinkering with the points and she fired right up :-) but now a new problem! No oil pressure :-( tried taking the filter off and priming the pump a little but still no joy on the pressure :-( any ideas ? Or is it sump off time?
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 11, 2011 19:56:29 GMT
|
(1) The battery +ve terminal (2) Live feed to the coil Measurements (1) and (2) should be the same as each other. If (2) is more than 0.2 volts below battery voltage then you have a bad connection in the feed to the coil or the ignition switch. you really need to stop giving out advice as fact. i belive the viva, like quite a few other cars with points ignition has a resitor in the ignition system so runs at a low voltage in normal operation and only runs 12volts when cranking. edited to be less rude. |
| |
Last Edit: Aug 11, 2011 21:43:32 GMT by Al Ramone
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 11, 2011 20:10:20 GMT
|
No oil pressure? Light won't go out, or actual no pressure? Pull the wire off the pressure switch to check that it goes out - if not you have a wiring problem. Remove switch from engine, crank over (with coil disconnected) and look for oil emerging from the hole. If all seems well put switch back, start engine, look in rocker box for circulation of oil there. Replace the switch.... OR no oil from hole... Actual no oil pressure - check first that the sump hasn't been bent  It's fairly easy to do this with a jack and totally block the pickup pipe. Pumps are normally pretty robust on these, but sump off isn't a major drama. |
| |
To get a standard A40 this low, you'd have to dig a hole to put it in |
|
Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,742
Club RR Member Number: 83
|
|
Aug 11, 2011 20:27:05 GMT
|
|
Did all your tests scary, defo no oil pressure, and the sump is undented. Seems odd to just not work though :-( guess I best start investigating with the sump off then!
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 11, 2011 20:47:50 GMT
|
Is the oil pump driven off the dizzy? Not a clue if it is connected or whatever, hopefully someone who knows the engine will help! Would be great to see the Viva at the gathering  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 11, 2011 22:34:23 GMT
|
|
the viva ohv eng has an offset oil pump drive which was prone to snaping ,remove the dizzy the shaft looks like a screw driver blade but offset.
look down the hole & you should see the circular drive shaft of the oil pump with a corresponding offset slot if part of this is missing then this is reason for no oil pressure vauxhall finelly altered the drive to being central in the late 70's.
replaceing the pump is an eng out job.
|
| |
theres more to life than mpg & to much power is just enough.
|
|
Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,742
Club RR Member Number: 83
|
|
Aug 11, 2011 23:38:49 GMT
|
|
Hmmm, that sounds likely, but I thought the oil pump was gear driven and the slot you speak of just drives the dizzy? (Just trying to work it out in my head)
|
| |
|
|
djefk
Part of things
Posts: 844
|
|
Aug 12, 2011 13:53:08 GMT
|
|
Yes that's right it wouldn't affect the operation of the pump would it Craig (Shef Cort Centre it is Craig isn't it) ??
At the massive risk of being patronising, are you sure there's actually oil in the sump? :-)
There's a small chance there could be an air lock in the system - Try loosening the oil filter housing so the O ring in the block is not sealing, then turn the engine over, if no oil streams out (put a bowl underneath!) then you have a pump problem and the engine does indeed need to come out IMO.
|
| |
Last Edit: Aug 12, 2011 13:55:57 GMT by djefk
|
|
|
|
It's fairly easy to do this with a jack and totally block the pickup pipe. Pumps are normally pretty robust on these, but sump off isn't a major drama.
