Morris Minor Owners Club

Finally got around to fitting the magnetronic ignition module I've had for almost a year and... it doesn't work. There is no spark.

I'm not sure if I've fitted it right though. The instructions say that the bottom of the 'disc' that goes in the dizzy should be about 1.5mm from the module itself, but even when it's pushed fully on I reckon the gap is about twice that. The rotor arm also doesn't seem to be a particularly snug fit when the disc is mounted beneath it.

I think I wired it up correctly, according to what I could see in the instructions (one wire to each terminal on the coil) - is this correct?

Any advice welcome!

one wire to each terminal on the coil

Yes, but the right way round and it's for negative earth only. Is you car negative earth?

My car is negative earth, and I looked at a wiring diagram to make sure I had connected it the right way round (the ignition wiring in mine hadn't been changed during the conversion).

Is there any way to test the module itself to see if it's faulty?

Dont know the answer but if the instructions say there should be a 1.5mm gap and youve got double that then theres a problem without a doubt.
If it were me I'd be on the phone to the supplier and tell them whats what , it's possible you may have got a wrongly labelled part?

" the ignition wiring in mine hadn't been changed during the conversion). "
Conversion from positive to negative earth ?? The coil wires should have been swapped around when the car was converted to negative earth. However - this is unlikely to be the problem here. Are these really the ONLY connections associated with the Magnetronic - does the existing wire that runs from the dizzy to coil CB terminal remain in place ?

What are the markings on the coil, and which of the standard wires are connected to which terminal?

To check to see if it's the gap, rather than the connections, try taking off the rotor arm and magnetic disc and waving the magnet to and fro right on top of the module (ignition switched on). I think you can see where the 4 magnets are around the disc.

Right, I've tried again and still no joy.

According to the wiring diagram that came with the module I am pretty sure I have wired it up correctly. With the points system in place the coil has a white wire connected to the positive side and a white/black wire connected to the negative side, which goes to the side of the dizzy. When the magnetronic is in place the white wire is retained on the pos side but the white/black one is disconnected (on both ends). The red wire from the magnetronic goes to the positive side of the coil and the black one goes to the negative side. I have checked the crimping on the connectors and that looks all fine.

I refitted the disc and the gap is still fractionally too large but only by a mm at the most - I wouldn't have thought this would have made too much of a difference to be honest.

I'm beginning to wonder if the module itself is faulty - is there any way to test it with a multimeter? If it is then I may have a bit of trouble as I bought it a long time ago but have only just got round to fitting it; I'm not sure if the supplier would take it back.

I don't know the Magnetronic unit, but assume it is similar to the Aldon Ignitor (Pertronix)? This needed about 15° change to the static timing - does the Magnetronic? Are you getting a plug spark?

Is the 'earth' link connected between the base plate and the dizzy body?

Have you checked for 12v at the +ve coil terminal? To check for continuity, disconnect the Magnetronic black wire from the coil and connect a low wattage 12v bulb between the -ve coil terminal and the body. Turn on ignition and it should glow. If not, either dodgy connections or coil.

Then connect the bulb between the -ve coil terminal and the black Magnetronic wire. Turn on the ignition, crank the engine and the bulb should glow at some time or maybe on and off (doesn't work with high wattage bulbs). If it does glow then the circuit is complete. If not check all the connections!

Next, reconnect the black wire and connect the same low wattage bulb between the -ve coil terminal and earth (body). Now in parallel with the black wire. Turn on ignition and crank the engine. Does the bulb go on and off? Or only on or only off? If the bulb goes on and off the module would 'appear' to be working.

Hopefully at this point the engine will start!!

Wiring in one of these was covered in the tech tips section of Minor Matters a little while back. I don't have any issues with me but I'm sure it was the one with the bonnet of the Minor and St Pauls Dome in the background on the front cover.

here ya go chris think this is it,

ALTERNATIVELY, JUST REMOVE THE COIL AND ADD REDBULL AS I HAVE WORKS A TREAT.