Had another mess about with the van tonight, I'm not getting a spark so I'm either way out on the dizzy or the coil possibly goosed? I set the dizzy as per the Haynes manual so wouldn't think it was too far out but someone said it could be 180°out? Is this right?
So on further away than ever now! I have just fitted a new starter motor as it wasn't even trying to start, it's clicking now where it wasn' before but when you turn the key it's burning the green cable from the coil that connects to the points and condenser which it was doing before! Must be getting a dead short though something? Any ideas? I'm losing interest!
If your CB cable is smoldering, it can only be because there's a 12V supply attached to the coil end of it...somehow...
Either the CB lead is on the same side as the +12V coil supply (as we discussed before), or - if it's correctly wired - the primary of the coil has a short. Only thing I can think of. In normal operation, the CBs short the coil -ve to ground, but the coil primary is acting as a load, so limits the current. Get your meter out and check the (primary) coil resistance from the coil +ve to coil -ve. Should be about 3 - 3.5 ohms.
Thanks I will check tomorrow, I'm sure last time I tested it it showed 3 but I will check again! Could the dizzy be at fault to cause the burning?
Hard to see how. Worst fault would be something shorting the supply to earth...but the contact breakers do that anyway!
Pull them both off and see if the engine misbehaves. While they’re dangling, check whether either of them (black in particular) has 12V on them.
One or both of those will be the problem; there should only be the green on the neg side of the coil. Black should be positive 12v and would cause a short when the points close. The grey with green or 0range stripe might be for the oil pressure switch. As snotty says remove both the odd cables from the coil, leave just the green.
This. Only exception is if you've got a rev counter, which'll give you an extra cable on the coil -ve. If not, there should only be the green wire to the breakers. One (or both) of your extra cables are providing a direct 12V source.
I have just had a wick go on the van and yes the 12 supply was on the wrong side off the Coil! Baffled how that happened but there you go... anyway, swapped that over and connected everything back up an tried the key, all good no burning wire! But I still have nothing but a click from the starter motor when I go to start it up! Any more ideas welcome!
