Help / suggestions please

[badger]

Just a quick one... I broke down on way to work this morning and have been towed home and am now waiting lift so thought I'd post details to see what everyone thought before I dive under the bonnet tonight.
Car was runnning fine and suddenly lost all power and coasted to a stop, turning over fine but no spark.
Checked and opened the points gap a little (had recently been replaced and looked like they may have closed a little), checked connections, fuel pump, plugs.
On turning over with dizzy cap removed there appeared to be no spark, fiddled with coil and then there was so thought possibly loose connection. Still nothing. Noticed nut holding connections in dizzy cap was a bit loose, tightened by hand, car started. Turned it off to tighten nut properly which i did, then car not starting again. Re- checked everything fiddled about, scratched my head, battery running low by this point so tried handle. Car started again! put all tools away got ready to go, car stopped and then would not re-start.
Checked spark in dizzy again with ignition on and noticed that the plastic washer on connections had melted and was glowing, smelt of burning too...

Do I have a faulty coil that is intermittent?

Any suggestions gratefully received, I'm off to work now but will read through later before I start looking.

Thanks

[millerman]

Broke down again, tut, tut

[PSL184]

"It's never the coil"
I'd go for condenser failure....

[customjob]

Agreed sounds like the condenser, to me too.

[tomas.geoghegan]

Iv had the same problem once.Changed coil Happy Days.
But agree it could be something else.
Well worth changeing the coil.
allways carry a spare one,
Tom

[fussyoldfart]

Checked spark in dizzy again with ignition on and noticed that the plastic washer on connections had melted and was glowing, smelt of burning too...

Thanks

Melted plastic and hot wires speaks of a dead short to ground somewhere. I'd be re-examining recent work to see what has slipped, probably the connection at the distributor since that's what changed it when you first hand tightened and then (probably) overtightened it. I never use a wrench on the connection to the distributor, hand tight is plenty on that plastic.

[badger]

Well I'm none the wiser but it's running...
Millerman kindly lent me coil, I had new points, condenser, dizzy cap at the ready...
I thought that i'd better start where I left off, checked the connections in the dizzy cap and turned it over - started first time.
Checked for spark in dizzy, all looked ok, couldn't see any arking or sparks across the connections where the plastic washer had melted.
This morning I had a great help from a gentleman from Bristol (didn't get a name so hope you're on here) who has two minors. He said he once had a problem with a coil that was fine when cold but started faulting when it warmed up. With this in mind I went for a drive for 15min, then sat with the car running on the drive, but all ok. Checked dizzy again all seemed ok, no more melting...good but frustrating

I now have all the spares in the car, am thinnking of buying a new coil and replacing the old one (keep it as a spare) in case it's at fault, fit some new points and keep a close eye on everything..

I have my wifes car tomorrow so will check all again tomorrow night and see what happens on Wednesday.
Any further ideas...?

Thanks for all your help so far

[santadawes]

Hi Badger... I had the same thin happen to me on the 1st March on my way to St. fagans. I had a New coil fitted now an extra as spare. Now all is good.
See you around.

[kennatt]

I would keep the new coil as spare and use the known good old one,some of the new coils available are poor quality.

[bmcecosse]

Seriously - it IS 'never' the coil.....although it can be bad connections at the coil. The new points were probably the source of the problem. Put the old/known good coil back on.

[simmitc]

You've mentioned everything else, but rotar arms are also a known cause of problems.

[bmcecosse]

Indeed! I missed that possibility - highly likely in fact.

[chickenjohn]

Intermittent fault triggered by tightening the points/condensor lead nut could point to the low tension lead as being faulty.

Had this go on my traveller about six years ago, faulty connection at one crimped end. This little lead going bad will bring the car to a halt. It is the little lead that goes between points nut and the coil terminal on the outside of the distributor. £5 for a new one with the proper ends.

Worth a try.....and cheaper than a new coil. BTW unlikely to be condensor as one of these going causes the car to stutter intemittently.

[autolycus]

<snip>
On turning over with dizzy cap removed there appeared to be no spark, fiddled with coil and then there was so thought possibly loose connection. Still nothing. Noticed nut holding connections in dizzy cap was a bit loose, tightened by hand, car started.
<snip>
Checked spark in dizzy again with ignition on and noticed that the plastic washer on connections had melted and was glowing, smelt of burning too...

Serious overheating of anything electrical surely needs proper investigating. I've no idea what the OP means by a "nut holding connections in dizzy cap", but if he means the nut holding the points assembly together, is it possible that there's the problem? Is the sequence of insulators, c/b spring, washers, and cable tag correct? With no inadvertant shorts? And the same question about the interface between the distributor and the lead to the coil? Or, as cj suggests, a badly-made connection on the lead?

Kevin

[bmcecosse]

cj above makes a very good point there about the LT wire - well worth checking.

[tomas.geoghegan]

seriously Can be the coil im sorry!!!
Tom

[autolycus]

What coil fault could cause plastic washers melt and glow, and the smell of smoke that the OP reported? I can only think of two possibilities: that the coil primary had shorted between turns; or that it was the wrong coil, far too low resistance, and the increased current had caused the problem.

I've never come across the first one, though it could theoretically happen, and surely, anyone who reads this messageboard would know how vital it is to check any new or suspicious coil's primary resistance, whatever it says on the box?

Kevin

[lambrettalad]

hi fit electronic ignition and get rid of the very poor condensers out there,also point problems no more plus you get at least a recon dizzy as well for around 50 quid ,good luck

[tomas.geoghegan]

Poor condensers poor points been driveng classic cars for years never had any problems?
But must happen i suppose . Carry a spare set of both with you. Very easy To fit and on your way.
As i say electric ignition packs up its trailer home im afraid.
But i do agree with an earlier post saying its really up to personal preference.These Days.
Tom

[lambrettalad]

I had two brand new condensers fail with in a 4/12 period,so thats what made me move from original.just playing the odds,i feel the modern electrics ,which after all are found in millions upon millions of newer cars are more reliable than poorly made retro electrics,made somewhere in the world to probably less stringent standards that we would hope for. This site is full of condenser problems,point closing etc