Rich_s Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 over last 3 days have had 3 weird issues, first one was while slowing down to pull into a car park the ignition briefly cut out but came straight back, then today while sat in traffic it cut out, turned key and restarted, then 30 seconds later about to pull out and dies again, everything else still working, but tacho reading zero and engine not running, this time it would not restart, but after about 2mins of cranking on and off it fires and been fine all way to work and abck (17miles each way).so am guessing the only thing to kill the tacho that quick and kill engine is the coil, it does look very old and probably the original! so i thought i would just get a new ballast coil, but thought would check the old one, seems i am getting 12 volts on both terminals???? i thought it was a 6v ballast system? so first question is does this sound wrong, secondly surely i shouldnt get 12v on the negative side with ignition on but engine not running, and thirdly if i drop in a 12v coil should it work?thanksrich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_s Posted November 26, 2014 Author Share Posted November 26, 2014 .... and as the current coil has no markings at all on it, is there any way to tell what voltage it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkuser Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Sounds more like a loose connection in the ignition circuit or contact problems in the ignition switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piman Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Hello Rich, the reason you get 12v on both terminals is the points are open. Unless the points are closed there will be no current flow and no voltage drop. Measure the resistance of the coil between +ve and -ve, a ballast coil is about 1.5 ohms, double it for a 12v coil.Have look for some poor connections, not forgetting the small wire inside the distributor which earths the base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_s Posted November 26, 2014 Author Share Posted November 26, 2014 Hi,ok ta, that explains the voltage at both posts, i have an electronic module instead of points but shouldnt make a difference.have tried that and came back at 3.1ohms across the +ve / -ve and 4.6k ohms from post to central point, so seems it is a 12v coil with a 12 volt feed but wiring all seems std so no idea how its get 12volts..... the terminals are alittle corroded but nothing major, will try a spare 12v coil i have and see if problem comes back.thanksrich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMPUS Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 What i've heard a lot that it needs to be a non-ballast system for the electronic ignition... So it seems you have a 12v system (mine has been converted years ago) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougBGT6 Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I've recently been looking into this. You CAN have electronic ignition on a ballasted system. The electronics is normally wired to the coil. OK for a 12V system but on a ballasted system 12V at start up, (supplied by the ignition) and 6V while running. So to use 12V electronics don't feed it from the coil, feed it directly from the ignition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_s Posted November 27, 2014 Author Share Posted November 27, 2014 Doug thats exactly how my system runs, the module takes power from a feed in the dashboard as presumed my coil was 6v, as it turns out though it looks like my ballast wire dont work and is feeding the coil 12v and the coil itself is also a 12v coil. the joy of old cars with past owners messing with them :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_s Posted December 5, 2014 Author Share Posted December 5, 2014 Well new coil been on for a week and though all was going well and problem sorted...... nope, once yesterday and twice today it has gone again, seems to go for about 2-3 seconds then comes back, but tonight i noticed that the indicators also go off, lights and radio stay on and not sure about heater, tacho goes as well but too quick for fuel/temp gauge to alter, so now looks like its a fuse problem so will be checking it out 2moro and hoping i can find the cause.....rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougBGT6 Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Strangely I've had that! Well not so strange, the fuse box is a rubbish design. :-/ The clips at either end of the fuse are not one piece, each end has isolated upper and a lower parts. So you have four "spigots" which are only connected together when the fuse is inserted. You can get all sorts of weird effects when only 3 "spigots" connect. But maybe you know this already. ;D I have a new modern fuse box in my garage ready to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_s Posted December 5, 2014 Author Share Posted December 5, 2014 i had a similar problem about 2 years ago, but it was with rear lights and dash lights, had to flick switch on and off a while until they came on but once on were fine, then one day i took the fuse box apart, cleaned all terminals and no problems since.....until now :D but now i think about it abut a year before the lights problem i had one where no ignition spark after had been near the glove box, which turned out to be fuse box as well.....so guess what ill be doing in the morning heheheheheheh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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