Have I fried my electric Igniton

i Tried starting my engine with the dizzy wires connected to the coil the wrong way round and now I have swapped them back I realise I can’t get a spark but I also can not get one from the coil centre lead ether or is it something worse. the coil is new because I though that was the problem. I tried the method in the screen shots to test the coil but I know it’s fine as it is brand new but there’s nothing. I just wondered if I could get a spark from the coil though my electric ignition is fried or if getting new ignition would sort everything

 

Sorry to say Sam but whenever i read about electronic ignition , it always mention if you wire up wrong way round you will kill it . but that doesnt mean yours is dead, perhaps someone with more knowledge will be here soon

 

You won’t have damaged the coil (they will actually work(-ish) connected backwards), but it’s likely you’ve killed the ignition module.

 

Okay cheers I’ll get a new module do you know why I wouldn’t get a spark from the coil? Or will it be because the electronic module is fried

 

The spark is generated when the points (mechanical) open or the electronic module switches off - if the unit is fried then no spark

 

Oh okay cheers just by the look of the picture I thought you could get a spark from the centre coil lead without the dizzy attached at all must have been confused
Thanks for all the help

 

If you’re testing with the coil in place, you won’t get anything because the ignition module isn’t switching any current through it. The modules basically replace the contact breakers - a glorified switch - with a power transistor that does the same thing. Connecting them backwards commonly blows the transistor, as it’s trying to switch a zero-ohm load.

I think your coil should be fine. It’s difficult to damage them.

 

@cunny44 beat me to it

 

You can, if you connect the coil +ve supply and dab the “-ve” breaker side to earth. You should get a spark from the centre contact when you “unearth” it.

 

Oh okay so I wouldn’t get a spark just following the pictures with a fried ignition ?

 

The pictures imply that you’re turning the engine over to switch current through the coil, which won’t happen if you’ve blown the module up. Change the module, or...put your old contact breakers back in temporarily. It should spring to life.

 

Ahh great just what I want to hear
That’s what’s been mind boggling me I thought because I wasn’t getting a spark from the coil that was broken and replacing it and still not getting a spark made me think it was something deeper

 

It would be hard to do anything to an ignition coil that would damage it - you’re in the clear

 

Great
Would this be okay to put in my distributor it says it’s a conversion kit but mine was originally fitted with an electric module with no points it also has the advance

 

Possibly, although Accusparks have a mixed reputation.

What do you mean by advance? The distributor should have mechanical advance (using internal springs) and ideally a vacuum advance can on the side. Timing advance really has nothing to do with the ignition module.

 

Oh right yeah it has a vaccine advance can on the side

 

And should have springs under the internal plate (which you prob can’t see). Worth a punt on the Accuspark, I reckon...

 

Okay cool I’ll get it ordered an see what happens

 

Just check that the screw that goes into the distributor beside the black box part of the electronic module assembly doesnt jam the aluminium base plate of the module. Mine was about 0.5mm too long. Add washers on the outside to make a gap.
And dont forget the thermal paste.
Also setting static timing is pretty well impossible( ok you can waggle the distributor with the engine set to 7 degrees BTDC) need to use a remote start wire or a friend to crank the engine tweaking the distributor position until the engine fires and runs, and then set the timing at idle. This is because the module shuts off the current in the coil if the engine is not rotating.

 

i would have personally replaced like for like