Triumph Repair: Ignition, jim hope, winding wire

Question
QUESTION: Hi Jim,
Hope you got my last mail about how we put the body back on the frame and how easy it was.
The car is painted (Brooklands Green) and all electrics working except the ignition. Some times it will start and sometimes not. So we have on/off sparks at the plugs. I have looked through some of your answers but do not seem able to pin point the problem.
HT lead off distributor and near ground. When you pull off a drive resistor connection there is a spark.
Voltage to the coil (6) except when cranking (11). The other clue is that when it does run the rev counter is not working.
Is it the coil? Or is it the notorious Lucas 45DE4 distributor.
Thanks
Roger
(Chris is in Africa at present)

ANSWER: Roger,

How about a little more information?

When the car starts, does it stay running?  Or does it stall out?

And when it doesn't start, if you retry it does it start?  Or do you need to let the car sit for a while?

And one thing to try if it's running but the tach isn't moving:   tap the glass lens on the tach gently and see if that brings it to life.

That it starts and runs sometimes says that you've got the 3 essentials:  Gas, Fire (spark) and timing.   When it doesn't start it could be any of the three, or maybe a combination.

If it won't start and is stubborn you might try a can of starting fluid (starting Ether).   If it tries to catch then, it's a fuel delivery issue.   Or potentially the timing is waaaay off.

The 45DE4 distributor has gotten a bad reputation over the years.   Then again, if it's original it's 30+ years old and if it's been replaced over the years, it would have been with a unit made in the late '70s anyway.   I'm not sure I'm ready to point a finger at it yet.. but if you can "borrow" a known good distributor from a friend or local club member it might help in the diagnosis.   

Usually a coil is either good or bad.   It is possible for there to be a winding wire broken inside making intermittent contact, but that's a rare occurrence.  It's more likely the connections at the coil could be loose.   Worth cleaning the connectors on the coil and recrimping the wire connectors a bit.

If you can, try to double check the connections and tinker a bit with the distributor.    Then get back to me.


Cheers,

Jim

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: OK Connections to the coil all sparkling
Fuel supply ok
Today it will not start. Plug removed-no spark on cranking. I have noticed over severl days that sometimes there will be a spark and then it starts. Next time I try-no spark and no starting.
Must be that Lucas distributor. I can try to borrow another. What should I replace it with. All the ones advertised seem to need a 12 volt coil so the resistor has to be by passed?
Its not the timing cos when it runs it runs and I have not dismantled the timing mechanisms in any way.
Thanks again
Roger

Answer
Roger,

To be honest, when the Lucas unit failed on my '78 I just borrowed the Delco points distributor from my '73 project car.  Points may be low tech, but they're easy to troubleshoot ;)

Otherwise, yes you'll need to follow the installation instructions on any of the aftermarket electronic units.  If they use a 12v coil then you'll need to bypass the ballast resistor.  And use the appropriate coil.

Usually the parts vendor can supply instructions, or at least talk you through the process for whichever unit you wind up with.


Cheers,

Jim