Car not starting

[Dotty traveller]

Hi everyone. Need some help doris the woody hasn't been run for a couple of months. Disconnected coil (electronic ignition) Disconnected dynamo removed them from car to fit a screw on filter.reassembled reconnect coil etc refilled with fresh oil.went to start car to check oil etc.turns over great but won't start I think coil is correctly wired,any tips please.

[simmitc]

First test: remove the HT lead (thick) from the centre terminal on the distributor cap and wedge it about 1/4 inch from a good earth point. Leave the other end connected to the coil. Turn the engine using the key whilst observing the end of the HT lead. Is there a good spark?

Report back and we'll work on from there.

[svenedin]

With electronic ignition the coil must absolutely be correctly wired. Depending on the particular system a reverse polarity mistake may have fried it. Try Simon’s test. Just a thought, if you are original positive earth (which I am) the earth connection to coil is particularly fussy with electronic ignition and in my case is earthed to a dynamo bolt (which you removed and refitted).

If it is one of the module in distributor type electronic ignition systems (Hall effect sensor) then look up the wiring instructions to check it is correct. Without knowing your car’s polarity or the particular system it is impossible to assist further.

Stephen

[myoldjalopy]

Yes, do the HT lead test first. At the moment we can't know whether the problem is due to not being run for a couple of months or the coil/dynamo connections. You would expect a Minor to fire up after a couple of months lay-up but that might depend on where it lives and its general condition. I'm sure you would have noticed if the petrol pump wasn't ticking when you turned the ignition on. It will surely be something simple to fix once identified.

[svenedin]

Yes, do the HT lead test first. At the moment we can't know whether the problem is due to not being run for a couple of months or the coil/dynamo connections. You would expect a Minor to fire up after a couple of months lay-up but that might depend on where it lives and its general condition. I'm sure you would have noticed if the petrol pump wasn't ticking when you turned the ignition on. It will surely be something simple to fix once identified.

Absolutely. Minors will fire into life despite a snooze for a few months (or years). I suspect it’s mis-wired. Electronic ignition makes it slightly more tricky.

[Dotty traveller]

Thanks for replying, car is neg earth coil has from dizzy one black wire one red.and one black/white from harness

[Dotty traveller]

It has the accuspark ignition

[Dotty traveller]

OK so no spark at coil,plus fitted new screw on oil filter where the mounting fits to the engine there is a gap above the gasket oil pumps out when key turned.

[Dotty traveller]

Are there different screw on filter mounts??

[simmitc]

Dotty, can you start a separate thread about the oil filter housing, and include a photo; it's not relevant to the no spark issue and will only confuse things - but it does need sorting! Thanks.

As to the no spark, that will be why the car does not start, so let's work on that.

With a negative earth car, you should have a white lead coming from the harness to the +ve or IGN terminal on the coil, The white/black lead would go to the distributor when using points - it would appear on the LT terminal on the side of the distributor. The coil end would go to the -ve or CB terminal.

With electronic ignition, each system is different, so you need to check the instructions; but I expect that the white/black lead is not used and the leads from the electronic unit will go red to +ve coil and black to -ve coil, BUT CHECK INSTRUCTIONS FIRST.

Check all your wiring, re-run the spark test and report back.

[svenedin]

Sorry. Can’t help anyone who changes to the devil. Negative earth!!! I’d help you with the CORRECT positive earth,

[svenedin]

Sorry. Can’t help anyone who changes to the devil. Negative earth!!! I’d help you with the CORRECT positive earth, I cannot understand a thing once it has meddled with and is completely unoriginal

[geoberni]

With electronic ignition, each system is different, so you need to check the instructions; but I expect that the white/black lead is not used and the leads from the electronic unit will go red to +ve coil and black to -ve coil, BUT CHECK INSTRUCTIONS FIRST.

I agree with a small caveat.

It has the accuspark ignition

The Accuspark for some reason comes with a quite long Red lead, but the Black is only about 1/4 of the length...

Short Black.JPG (20.03 KiB) Viewed 971 times

I suspect the installation on Dotty might be like my car. The Red goes to the Coil Positive, along with the feed from the Ign Sw.
The Black is joined to the White/Black and goes to the Coil Negative. It's how the Accuspark supplied diagram shows it in their instructions.

Accuspark.JPG (28.7 KiB) Viewed 971 times

[geoberni]

Sorry. Can’t help anyone who changes to the devil. Negative earth!!! I’d help you with the CORRECT positive earth, I cannot understand a thing once it has meddled with and is completely unoriginal

You're not even managing to use the quote function correctly, no wonder you can't cope with Negative Earth.......

As I understand the reasons behind it becoming the Industry standard in the middle of the last century, I'm more than happy to have it changed.
No doubt the reason the Minor never changed in the late 60s was that they were expecting it to stop production at any time, so didn't wish to make the switch just for a year or two, unlike the Mini which was expected to have a long life so was switched, I believe with the introduction of the Mk 3 in 1969.

[svenedin]

Hilarious. Definitely no switch to negative earth. Look up the Lucas “Prince of Darkness” reasons before you gleefully take the [Don't swear or you will be banned - Admin]. I will never change to the satanic negative earth. No radio, no ancillaries of any sort. The car was made positive earth. Changing it is completely wrong. I couldn’t give a toss what the “industry” did or did not do

[geoberni]

Hilarious. Definitely no switch to negative earth. Look up the Lucas “Prince of Darkness” reasons before you gleefully take the [Don't swear or you will be banned - Admin]. I will never change to the satanic negative earth. No radio, no ancillaries of any sort. The car was made positive earth. Changing it is completely wrong. I couldn’t give a toss what the “industry” did or did not do

I am fully aware of the irrelevant gags about Lucas in the early years of the automotive industry....
Surprising how a company as bad as the jokes make out dominated the UK automotive and aircraft industries for some 50-60 years. I guess they must've done something right.
Perhaps you should read this before spouting about 'Prince of Darkness' and upsetting the Forum Swearing Filter
https://mossmotoring.com/prince-darkness-joseph-lucas/
But I won't engage on this further, as this discussion is about Dotty Traveller's problems, not your personal issues.

[Bill_qaz]

Sorry. Can’t help anyone who changes to the devil. Negative earth!!! I’d help you with the CORRECT positive earth, I cannot understand a thing once it has meddled with and is completely unoriginal

That's a strange attitude to take with a fellow owner asking for help, better no comment if not helpful. Each person's car is personal and not everybody worships originality. Is fitting harder valve seats in your cylinder head (as per your post) not deviation from originality?
Too each their own, live and let live

[Dotty traveller]

Wow just asked for help not a dressing down from a quite rude member,if its not relevant please keep to yourself..I'm new to all this so I'm grateful for any help.

[Bill_qaz]

Wow just asked for help not a dressing down from a quite rude member,if its not relevant please keep to yourself..I'm new to all this so I'm grateful for any help.

Well said

[simmitc]

Hear, Hear