Schulyer, see my snip and cuts below. Very comprehensive; thanks.
Jeff
One thing, yesterday I reported that all I could get when turning the key was a
click-click. It finally dawned on me this AM that someone in the past had
mentioned rocking the car in gear and/or tapping on the solenoid and starter.
Sure enough, I rocked the car in gear and it cranked over when the key was
turned. It's exhibiting this clicking phenomenon almost 50% of the time right
now. I guess that's a whole other issue....
Subject: Re: Weekend HELP update (Ignitor)
Author: schuyler grace <schuyler@bellsouth.net> at SMTP
Date: 3/30/98 8:56 PM
Jeff,
Sorry to hear about your not so wonderful experience with the Ignitor
installation. As I wrote before, mine went into Malibu Barbie's Dream Car with
no trouble at all, but I had read a few horror stories on the list, before
(hence my preference for the Crane unit until I was talked into the Ignitor
purchase). The installation didn't change the timing one degree, and MBDC runs
better than she ever did, even on fresh points.
So, here are a few things that may help:
1) Your coil can't possibly measure .001 ohms unless it has melted down, and
then, I wouldn't think it would get very hot (after the fact, of course,
because the low resistance wouldn't generate high heat).
> OK, maybe I didn't measure it correctly.
2) I think your coil must be getting hot from trying to crank the engine over
-- that's when the ballast resistor is bypassed. If you crank long enough, it
will get hot enough to leave blisters on your fingers.
> My coil says "external resistor required". I do not see a ballast
resistor, as described by others on this list, anywhere. If it did get
hot from cranking, wouldn't it eventually cool down after it was
running? The car did start and run several different time AFTER I
installed the Ignitor. It only stopped running when the rotor broke in
half. And now it won't re-start.
3) The wire you removed is the old points connection that provides ground to
the coil when the points are closed. The Ignitor takes the place of the points
and performs this function via its own connections, so this isn't your
problem. (Don't throw this wire away -- or fail to keep a good set of points
in the boot -- you'll need it if the Ignitor fails somewhere down the road
(most likely, a long way from home)).
>I've done thank, thank you for enforcing that rule.
4) Are you sure your rotor didn't trash the distributor cap when it (the
rotor) came apart? Also, the glue you used to reassemble the rotor may have
left some remnants inside the cap, which isn't going to help things much.
> The rotor did damage the interior of the cap. At each contact(?)
under the cap, there is plastic chipped off the cap where the rotor
hit it. I have a new cap on order. I would expect it to at least run
rough in this condition, but it won't even start. Maybe I'm minimizing
the job a distributor cap does.
5) Your timing may have changed so much while you were troubleshooting that
the engine won't start. You may need to check the static timing to make sure
it is at least reasonably close.
> Correct; I think if I dig deep enough I may have a static timing
checker (bulb and 2 wires) from the old VW Bug days.
6) Of course, the Ignitor may have expired somewhere along this process, so
I'd replace the points and try starting the car, again. If this is the case,
I'd think your vendor would replace the unit for the sake of maintaining
customer loyalty.
> Putting the points back in is my next course of action.
7) One last thing...I was warned to make sure the points mounting plate was
well grounded or the Ignitor would eventually burn out. This is simple to
check -- just connect your VOM between the plate and the block and battery
negative (two checks). You should read pretty much no resistance.
2 checks? You mean 1) between the plate and the block, and 2) between
the plate and the battery negative?
My money's on the distributor cap, but to clear up the installation process...
>I hope and pray you're right about the cap.
1) Pull the distributor cap, rotor, points, and points-to-distributor wire
2) Install the Ignitor pickup in the distributor using the old points mounting
screw
3) Connect the Ignitor wires to the "+" and "-" terminals on the coil (don't
worry about the ballast resistor unless you are using an unballasted (non
stock) coil or you're already eating points and/or coils (the ballast resistor
is bad), because the Ignitor will work fine on the normal, reduced coil
voltage).
If my coil reads "use external resistor" doesn't that mean using an
unballasted coil? I guess I really need someone experienced to look
under my hood for a ballast resistor.
4) Replace the rotor, making sure it is fully seated on the distributor shaft
(sorry, had to add that one), and replace the distributor cap.
5) Start your LBC and go! Oh, yea...enjoy the lack of nostalgia over not
having to constantly change/set your points, again.
Good luck! This is one product I can wholeheartedly endorse (so far).
-Schuyler
jbonina@nectech.com wrote:
> To all those who made a valiant effort to catch me before I left the
> office, I thank you very much. Especially Bob Lang,Tom O'malley and
> Trevor Boicey.
>
> Here's what happened with my Ignitor installation (newbies, pay
> attention). I did this without the benefit of the list.
>
> I read, re-read and re-read the directions. Regarding the resistance
> of the coil, I did place a multimeter across the coil (+ & -
> terminals) and it read 6 ohms. I figured I was safe. I did not measure
> the voltage as Tom O'malley suggested (no offense Tom, I didn't get to
> read your e-mail till this AM).
>
> I removed the cap. Pull off the rotor, unscrewed and removed the
> condensor and points. I then removed the wire that was screwed down to
> a plate on the distributor near the points and subsequently passed
> through the white plastic grommet and was attached to the positive
> side of the coil (I think). I screwed the Ignitor down using the
> condensor screw and screw hole. I slid the Ignitor magnetic donut over
> the cam. I then place the cap back on carefully ensuring the new
> grommet was help in place properly by the cap. I put the red wire to
> the + side of the coil, the black to the - side. Turned the key,
> crank, no start. Pulled off the cap - NOW, I installed the rotor
> (oops). Turned the key again, crank no start. Hmmmm... Oops again. The
> wire I removed from the + side of the coil in order to put the Ignitor
> red wire on was just dangling. I put this wire (I assume it went to
> the key?) on the + side of the coil also. Turned the key alot of
> cranking and then started. Yahoo! Hold, there's more.
>
>
> The car died. Pulled the cap. I broke the rotor,must not have been
> seated properly. S**t! Sunday AM. What's the chance of finding a
> rotor??? Well, the answer is ZERO! Epoxied the rotor back together. It
> works! Check the timing. Doesn't even read on the scale...way off.
> Adjust it to 4 degrees BTDC. Purring like a kitten (somewhat). However
> still cranks kind of hard. Let it idle for about 5 minutes before
> taking her for a test drive. As I was pulling out of the driveway, it
> started to sputter. I didn't;t get 200 feet from the house and it
> died. Pulled the cap....the rotor broke again. I'm getting frustrated.
>
> To make a long story longer - I found a rotor at a British car
> restorer in Oxford (don't get excited, not England) Mass. late Sunday.
>
> This AM I went out to the car, installed the rotor and watched it turn
> as I cranked the engine. It wasn't hitting anything. I re-installed
> the cap and turned the key. Click-click. Hmmm...the flashers were
> working. Couldn't be the battery. Tried again...now nothing, not even
> click-click. ARGHHHHHHH! The end.
>
> Well, it's going to break another record high in Mass today and I'm
> driving a hardtop. I've got the charger on the battery and will go
> home at lunch to see if it helped. What is going on?
>
> A couple of notes" I noticed with the Ignitor, the coil was hot. I
> could hold it, but another couple of degrees more and it would have
> been too hot to hold. Also, the car had a hard time cranking after the
> install. I checked the voltage of the battery and it looks like only
> 11 volts.
>
> I'm looking (read pleading) for suggestions. Why is the coil hot? Why
> does there seem to be a battery drain?
>
> Bob L. would you mind a phone call this AM at your listed #?
>
>
> Thanks all,
> Jeff
>
> '73 TR6 - currently resting
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
--
Schuyler E. Grace
schuyler@bellsouth.net
schuyler.grace@atl.frb.org
http://members.tripod.com/~schuyler/
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