Bill Thom wrote:
Yes, it’s me again, the owner of the least reliable automobile in
North America.
This has been going on since I got the thing at the end of 2005. The
symptoms are always the same:
The car’s been running perfectly for days, weeks, or months. Cold
start, brief run, shut down, 10 minutes later, crank no start.
Frequently letting it sit would do the trick, but not always. Using
the old and scary screwdriver in the coil and/or distributor test
procedure confirms no spark.
I’ve been through three ignition modules and three coils since
February of 2005. I thought I had fixed it once and for all with the
last episode a couple of months ago (the only time it’s happened with
the car in my garage) when I found that the plastic surrounding the
female spade connectors which exit the aft end of the amplifier were
broken and I used shrink wrap to insulate them and made a secure
connection. I’m just back from the supermarket parking lot where I
disassembled the amplifier and confirmed that the connections were
still sound. Still no start.
I’m putting this on the forum once more because I’m out of ideas other
that replacing the entire amplifier, which I understand is pretty
pricey. I’m fresh out of epiphanies, so I’m hoping someone else will
have one and tell me about it.
Sad story - and intrigueing, Bill…
Have to be asked, though; did changing the items mentioned invariable
cure the problem at the time? Not that it entirely eliminates the
‘fiddle factor’ - but you could put in one of the old ones, just for
kicks. And having the old ones you can replace the power module at
leisure and a low cost…
The ignition system is completely self-contained, requiring no external
input apart from power. The spade connector mentioned carries power to
the amp and ground from the coil neg - and is likely ‘unsafe’ as far as
reliability is concerned. And the coil is grounded through it and the
amp body, which must be firmly grounded…
Reliable symptom identification is essential, so for ease of testing
ignition; use a spare spark plug, extra gapped and with an earth
strap/alligator clip. The spare plug is more easily used, and can also
be connected directly to the coil with a spare plug lead - bypassing the
mechanical parts of the dist. It’s also essential to ensure that there
is power to the ignition in crank - routinely with a meter or test lamp,
or by jumpwiring the coil pos to the batt pos. Just changing items is
not really the way to find faults…
‘Usually’ an amplifier and coil give some warning - like an unhappy hot
start, though this is by no means the only are with such symptoms. So it
is essential to ensure the ‘no spark’ situation at all non-starts. Your
consumption of those items are certainly above average, and a suspicion
lingers of something else.
S… may happen with item quality, but alternatively finding why your
engine eats them is improbable. So only identify a real fault, possibly
elsewhere, can give (relative) peace of mind - as may carry spares as
required. You have the practice in changing them - which is scant
consolation…
FRank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)===================================================
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