1500 Coil Replacement

[Tom2000]

Late 1500, need to replace the coil, 6v/12v and ballast - can someone shed some light please?

Much appreciated!

[willcolumbine]

What do you want to know? You can either use a 6v coil and keep the ballast resistor wire or you can replace the ballast wire with plain and use a ballast resistor with a 6v coil or alternatively, you can replace the ballast resistor wire with plain and fit a 12v coil. I went with the last option!

[Tom2000]

So a 12V standard coil with no ballast will do yeh?

[willcolumbine]

Yup - it's all good! I've run my car like that for a couple of years.

I have heard people say that it will be more difficult to start because the starter draws so much current that the coil looses out but I've found it not to make any noticable difference, possibly because I have a nippondenso starter that draws less current.

[Rich_s]

As far as i knew, could be wrong, on the 6volt coils, when the starter is activated the solenoid sends 12volts to the coil until the starter stops so would not have thought having a 12volt coil made any difference to starting, although on mine the terminal corroded through so dont get 12volt on start up, but still starts perfectly ok with a simonbbc ignition module :)

rich

[Tom2000]

Car has been sat for nearly 2 months, battery left in car bu disconnected, went to fire it a few days ago and discovered that there was no spark at the coil, diagnosed faulty so replaced it. I am now getting a spark but it's not firing, battery went dead so have quit for the day and am waiting on the battery to recharge. I also tested - key on the ignition I had 5.5V on coil +/- then 11.4 when turning over - this is alittle low isn't it?

[James]

Do you had any kind of electronic ignition? Some modules don't like low voltage.

[Tom2000]

Nope!

[Dicky Blighter]

Tom if you have changed to a 12 volt coil thenyou need to bypass the ballast resistor so coli get 12 volt all the time - the fact you have 5.5 volts at coil suggests you haven't, voltage is a little low but it does drop when cranking because starter takes so much current.
Easy test to see if it's nything other than coil is connect + terminal of coil direct to battery and leave normal wire off. Also check your battery voltage when charged should be about 12.6volt.
As you say yos are getting a spark though theres probably nothing wrong - is fuel getting through?