In November 2011, I had a problem with my van not starting and after posting on the forum, I thought I had solved it by cleaning and remaking connections to the coil. However, it happened again twice recently and I wonder if anyone has any suggestions. My previous post was https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=95240.
When the van won't start, if I disconnect the the black wire that carries 12 volt to the coil terminal 15, I get a reading of zero volts. When I check the black box in the engine bay, terminal T1a, I confirm that I am getting 12 volts from the fusebox. However, this 12 volts doesn't get to the coil. I know that two black wires connect to T1a, a thick black and a thin black. One goes to the coil and one goes to the manifold pre-heat switch. At the coil, there are two black wires on the same spade connect, one from T1a and 1 that goes off down a grey sleeving to near the carb. This sleeve also carries a thick red wire from the relay in the black box in the engine bay which goes to the manifold preheat via a connector. From that connector, a black wire also appears and goes off to the choke - I guess this is the choke heater. Anyway, the thin black that came off from the coil, goes down the grey sleeve and goes via a yellow plug into the carb body - I guess this is the bypass cut off valve. A further black wire come off here and goes to the carb a bit lower down - I guess this is the part load duct heater.
Anyway, if I unplug the manifold heater switch, the bypass cut off valve and the part load duct heater, I get my 12 volts back (which I am measuring between the black wire that would go to terminal 15 on the coil and earth). Even with the 12v back and those above plugs disconnected, the engine still wont start. However, yesterday, whilst jiggling those connectors, I heard the manifold pre-heat relay click and I knew power was back but I don't know why. I am going to get a can of electrical connector cleaner from Halfords and clean all these connectors but could a fault in the manifold switch or bypass cut off or the part load duct heater cause a short that would rob the coil of its 12v? I'm off to Bude in a couple of weeks and would like to think I have solved this!
Thanks for reading this.
Rob