20yo no start

[Markus11]

Hi there, the father in law bought back his minor of 30 years ago (hasn't started in 20) hes replaced the dizzy to a new electronic one, all new plugs and leads and new coil. I set the static timing to tdc on compression cyl 1 and installed the dizzy with rotar arm pointing to cyl 1.

A new battery has been installed and he fitted new battery clamps too, curremtly its set to neg earth tho he can't remember if it was positive earth or negative earth before he started stripping It

He has the 12v ignition feed to the + on coil. And red wire from the new dizzy to + on coil. Black wire from dizzy to negative of coil along with the original neg wire to coil. But still no spark?

Anyone any ideas to give me peace for a week or two? lol

[simmitc]

Electronic distributors are usually polarity sensitive, regardless of wire colour, so check the instructions that came with yours. If the polarity is wrong, then it might have been fried.

A lot of swapped components. Why? What was wrong (if anything) with the originals?


Electronic units do have their place and can be very reliable, but fault finding is easier with standard points. I would put the original bits back and get it running first, then swap to an electronic unit from the Distributor Doctor, if you want to.

[les]

That makes sense, return to a standard set up, doing that might even solve the issue. Either way, once running, then is the time to add non standard parts, if you feel the need.

[Markus11]

Yeah that was my thinking at least then you have a starting point, thing is hes no idea if it was neg or positive ground as don't think there was a battery in it when he bought it back. And can't remember what battery clamp he cut of where.
Being a young lad iv never even heard of a positive ground.

[Bill_qaz]

As an observation you have no vacuum advance pipe fitted to the distributor, not a no spark issue but air leak when trying to start.

[les]

Minors were positive earth originally, although many get changed to negative.

[Markus11]

As an observation you have no vacuum advance pipe fitted to the distributor, not a no spark issue but air leak when trying to start.

That was just a random photo he took, been connected once I set the static timing.
Got it firing there fitting the old points dizzy back.

[Markus11]

Minors were positive earth originally, although many get changed to negative.

See this is where he has me pickled. There was no battery fitted in the car, the original battery clamps (no battery) were installed with the + going to ground.

He said he was near sure it was changed by touching leads together 30 years back and that the battery terminals sat to the back/bulkhead) pos on left and neg pole on right of battery.

He fitted the - clamp to where the original + clamp was and connected chassis ground then to the neg pole of new battery. So atm its set up as neg ground.

Weather thats right or not I've no idea. The new distributor he got was for neg ground. Fitted back the old distributor and it fired up straight away

Would it still run if indeed it is supposed to be pos ground? I guess not?

[Bill_qaz]

Now it running check its charging, then if so, the dynamo has likely been flashed to make it negative earth, so you now have it set as was.

[Markus11]

Now it running check its charging, then if so, the dynamo has likely been flashed to make it negative earth, so you now have it set as was.

Super, she's back under the cover now so will do that tomorrow.
Does it matter what side of the coil the wiring runs too? Eg ignition feed to coil+ and distributor wire to coil -?
As it runs fine both ways.

[simmitc]

It will work with the coil connections back to front, but will be better the correct way round.

[Markus11]

So ignition feed to coil + and dizzy to coil - or does that depend on positive or negative ground?

[myoldjalopy]

So ignition feed to coil + and dizzy to coil - or does that depend on positive or negative ground?

Yes. If the car is set up negative earth then the -ive coil terminal is connected to the dizzy.

[Markus11]

Spot on mate thanks, I'll be a moggy master by the time this restoration project is finished (after pickling your brains ofcoarse)
I'm a heavy diesel tech myself so shouldn't experience too much bother once I get to know how what works. (Points and positive earth are well before my time of mechanics.

Thanks again everyone