Dizzy melt down & no spark .

[itchyfeet]

Not sure why mine had an earth going from the coil to the body.

never going to work with that wire connected but it could not have been there before when it was working

I may as well put the coil on when it arrives and try it , just in case it was a faulty one or I damaged it somehow.

if the coil is unused you may be able to negotiate a refund, try your existing coil first, the one reccomended by the seller of the dizzy.

[bigherb]

Hi guys
Haven't got a circuit tester probe thing but I can pick one up, I've got a multi meter ?

Get one then, they are one of the best diagnostic tools.

To check the ignition
Check you have.
Black cable from ignition switch connected to + terminal on coil.
Red or purple cable from distributor connected to + terminal on coil
Black cable from distributor connected to – terminal on coil.
Leave any other cables disconnected.

Connected fly lead from 12v tester to a good clean metal earth.

1 Switch on ignition, touch 12v probe to + terminal on coil, bulb should light.
2 Get someone to try to start engine, bulb should still be illuminated. If bulb goes off then you have a faulty ignition switch.
3 Remove the black cable from the – terminal of the coil, switch the ignition on, touch the 12V probe to the – terminal, the bulb should light if the bulb does not light then the coil primary circuit is faulty.
4 Reconnect the black cable to the coil – terminal.
5 Touch the probe on the – terminal of the coil, get someone to try to start the engine, the bulb should flash on and off, it should be distinct on/off pulses not just varying in brightness.
If the bulb stays illuminated you have a faulty distributor or a break in the black cable to the distributor.
If the light goes off or very dim the distributor is faulty.
By faulty distributor I mean the transistorized ignition in the distributor.

And double check to make sure the distributor is turning when you try to start the engine, and no harm in double checking everything.

A little video of what you should get it is on my training rig but the principle is the same.
Click to play

[Richiee722]

Great Big Herb !
Thankyou for the test procedure , soon as my circuit tester arrives
I'll test it all and post an update .
Thanks too, itchy
Cheers
Richard

[Richiee722]

Great Big Herb !
Thankyou for the test procedure , soon as my circuit tester arrives
I'll test it all and post an update .
Thanks too, itchy
Cheers
Richard

[itchyfeet]

If the new dizzy is really dead I have an dizzy with a working two vac unit not sure what it's off code 070905205

[bigherb]

If the new dizzy is really dead I have an dizzy with a working two vac unit not sure what it's off code 070905205

That distributor is off a CT engine, different mechanical advance curve but the vacuum advance is similar.
CU engine distributor is 071 905 205

[Richiee722]

hi again
Right , test light arrived and carried out the outlined procedure.
It would point to the " transistorised ignition " in the distributor as all is good until point 5 of your test with the wires reconnected , I touch the - terminal and get no light at all ( when cranking or not ).
The distributor is only about 3 weeks old.
Does that mean the whole thing is knackered or just the module thing ?
While on the subject of knackered, if I suck on the vacuum unit pipe the plates move but if i stick my tongue over the hole the vacuum leaks back and the plates move back and I can continualy suck on the pipe etc
Should that happen or is that knackered too ( also obviously new ).
Sorry for the 20 questions

[bigherb]

I touch the - terminal and get no light at all ( when cranking or not ).
The distributor is only about 3 weeks old.
Does that mean the whole thing is knackered or just the module thing ?

Yes it means the transistor ignition is faulty or the black wire between the distributor and the coil has a short to earth just check it has not been trapped or chaffed anywhere.

While on the subject of knackered, if I suck on the vacuum unit pipe the plates move but if i stick my tongue over the hole the vacuum leaks back and the plates move back and I can continualy suck on the pipe etc

The diaphram in the vac unit should hold the vacuum and not be able to pass air.

[Richiee722]

my new module arrived and the replacement vacuum unit.
All fitted with no problems and fired up straight away.
I've been driving it a few days now, haven't covered a great deal of miles but is running great and all appears to have been resolved.
Thanks for all the pointers