QuestionWhile hitting about 3000 rpm, I felt some bucking and loss of power. Thought it was fuel issue but then replaced the coil and that worked. Ran fine for a few trips around the block but when I brough it up to a higher speed the same thing happened and I have no ignition. Could something be overloading the coil like voltage regulator or ballast? How do I know I have everything connected correctly to the coil?
AnswerBob,
Is the car fitted with the original Lucas electronic ignition, or a points type distributor or aftermarket ignition setup?
Is it a 6V or 12V coil fitted? And is the ballast resistor still fitted?
How do you "know" you have no ignition? Does the car work again after a cooling off period?
Do the symptoms occur in every gear, or just 3rd or 4th gear?
With these cars it's essential to have a good repair manual. I prefer the Robert Bentley series of manuals, although in a pinch even the Haynes has good information.
According the the wiring chart you should have a white/pink and white/yellow lead on the (+) side of the coil and a white/black and white/slate lead on the (-) side.
Try to find a back country road with no traffic and do a test. Carry a spark plug wrench with you. Run the car until it starts to cut out again. Shut off the ignition and coast to a stop. Once it's cooled down a bit, check the spark plugs.
If the insulators are bright white, it's a fuel starvation issue.
Cheers,
Jim
