On Mon, 8 Mar 1999, Tom McLaughlin wrote:
> Listers,
> I posted a few weeks ago about my car running fine and then I let it
> sit for a couple of weeks because of bad weather. When I went to
> start it, it would crank, but would not turn over. It is getting gas,
> but no spark. I replaced the plugs, coil, plug wires (including king
> wire), rotor, disti cap, and checked all of the wiring probably 100
> times. Most of these should have been replaced anyway. The rotor
> does rotate when I crank, the coil is getting voltage with the
> ignition switch on.
>
> I'm to the point where I think I should replace the electronic
> ignition module. It has a Pirana module that looks in pretty bad
> shape. The plastic case comes apart easily and it looks like the PO
> used some silicon or something to get it to stay together.
>
I had this exact problem... my Pirhana failed suddenly while driving on an
autocross course, though. Since it worked until you parked it, I kind of
doubt the thing is actually dead. You may be able to cure it the way we
did. (I had 60 miles to drive home, so I was grateful that it was
simple!)
There's a plug from the Pirhana wiring harness to the box itself... it's
screwed on, but you *can* take it apart. Do so and clean up the corrosion
on all the contacts with a bit of emery board/paper. You may be able to
get by with just unplugging it and plugging it back in a few times.
I took it off after that, because I understood points and not the unit at
the time. By the time I learned enough electronics to feel comfortable
with it, I had misplaced my interrupter rotor.
Points aren't wonderful either, if you let them sit. When I got my engine
back in my car after 20 months, the points were so glazed up they didn't
conduct at all No continuity, no interruption on the primary, no high
voltage out the secondary on the coil. Oh well.
--
John M. Trindle | johnt@tsquare.com | Tidewater Sports Car Club
'73 MGB DSP | '69 Spitfire H Stock | '88 RX-7 C Stock
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