QuestionQUESTION: Hello Howard, I borrowed a Snap-On inline spark plug tester to test my plugs. I cranked the car over each plug in turn and did not get a flash/blink on the tester. I did notice as I turned the ignition key towards off, I did get a flash on the tester for each individual lead when they were connected. Could that idicate a short in the ignition switch or is that normal. I have only about 150km on plugs, new this summer. I removed plugs and cleaned and gapped them to .030" manual does say .025". I was told that if you gap a little more to .030 they will be less prone to fowl up. Anyhow re-installed still no start. I bought some new plugs and gapped and installed them still no joy. I am wonder if the battery is too low in charge although it does crank the engine and I have been boosting with my other. I have remove the battery tonight and put on trickle charge. Any ideas??? The light flash on the spark plug inline test is puzzling???
I look forward to your reply.
Cheers,
Martin
ANSWER: Hi Martin,
Look at the air gap in your distributor to see that it is correct. Most electronic ignition systems use a .015 in. air gap and if all the wires are connected correctly it sounds like a failed electronic ignition system when you can only get one spark when the ignition is switched off.
The original system was Opus-Lucas which is most likely long gone as most failed early in the car's life.
Howard
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hello Howard, still plugging away on the 1977 Midget 1500. As mentioned, have put new plugs, checked the ignition leads for spark by inserting a screwdriver in each lead, no joy, checked spark plugs for spark by removing from engine and putting in lead and crank engine, still no joy. Soo scratching my head now. I have not physical checked the timing but do not think it is out of timing, because when it last ran a few weeks ago it did backfire or run rough. If the timing was off, would you be able to get a spark from the plugs as mentioned above, whether the timing is on or off. The distributor is the original, so not sure what you advise now. WHich after market distributor or attachment to the existing distributor would you recommend.
Cheers,
Martin
ANSWER: Spark can me great and timing so far off it won't run so you can't leave stones unturned. An old mechanics trick is to remove all of the plugs and put them on each wire and lay them on metal on the engine. Put your thumb in #1 plug hole and have someone spin the starter and watch #1 plug spark. As #1 piston comes up on the compression stroke it will blow your thumb off of the plug hole and make a "Pop" sound. The "Pop" will seem like it is causing the #1 spark if the timing is close. If the "click" of the spark is before or after the "Pop" it will appear as "Click-Pop" or "Pop-click" which will probably not start. Check each cylinder to see if you have the firing order correct.
Did you do a compression test? and did you spray a fuel into the intake like WD-40 when trying to start? If an engine has compression, fire and fuel it has to run.
Compression must be 125 or better, fire must be thick blue and at about the correct time and fuel must be a combustible fuel and available to the combustion chamber. If you have all three the engine must run.
Let me know which you are skipping.
Howard
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: hello Howard, should the distributor be the source of the problem no spark, what would you recommend a Pertonix add on to existing distributor, apparently there is only two wires, don't know much about that part.
Cheers,
Martin
AnswerIf you have no spark you need to check power to the coil and see if it is the appropriate coil for what ever system you have on the car. A coil is easy to make a preliminary test of. Just power up the (+) post and with the coil high tension wire connected to a spark plug, just scratch the (-) post of the coil with a ground. If you get a thick blue spark than the coil is at lease operational.
I don't know your "Pertronix" system but if it just has two wires they most likely just go to the two posts on the coil but I don't know enough to tell you which wire goes where, so you should try to find them on the net to ask or find someone who sells the unit.
