Club 80-90 Forums

Hi, okay, I've popped over he as my 2.1 DJ problem has got to be electrical.
Its a long story & I've done everything back to front as usual, but here's the bullet points.........
Newly bought bus with Recon 2.1 dj with very poor starting & gutless driving.
Found pipes connected wrong & some parts missing.
Fitted a engine earth cable.
Replaced dizzy for known good, (set timing approx to notch)
Replaced Hall unit for known good,
then noticed coil was incorrect for engine (I didn't realise coils were different) so may have damaged (possible?) good Hall unit.
Replaced coil for known good/correct one.

Symptoms......
Non-starter.
Plug held against engine. Weak, orange spark.
What can cause this?

Don't rule anything out as this bus has a very chequed history. It may even be something as simple as coil connected wrong.

A poorly earthed starter motor will pull the voltage from the coil and produce a weak or intermittent spark.
A badly earthed engine will do the same.

Hmmmm, thanks Kev.
Haven't crawled under to starter (one thing that was working ). But I have fitted a new (used) earth cable (checked resistance)to engine near to water-pump.
Any more thoughts?

Clean up the coil earth? (behind the coil)

OK all I have left is
Battery voltage low
Spark plug dirty, broken, or maladjusted
Spark plug cap or high tension wiring trouble
Spark plug cap shorted or not in good contact
Spark plug incorrect
ECU
Ignition coil ..and, or cap

This has happened twice in my ownership of cars first was an earth fault, second was an ECU fault.
all are to do with interruption with the HT circuit

New battery,
New plugs,
Known (when last used) good leads & dizzy,
Known (when last used) good coil,
Known (when last used) good ECU,

My question is what/how does Hall unit work? Can good Hall unit be broken by incorrect coil? If hall unit broke- would that cause weak/orange spark?
Also can coil connections being wrong cause this?
Coil earth? Is that through body & clamp?

yes the coil earth is usually attached to the body nearby

No, I meant does it earth through the body/clamp of the coil?

Got a Bentley, so I have to go through the testing, great book but it doesn't seem to have a trouble-shooting bit on ignition.

KarlT wrote: No, I meant does it earth through the body/clamp of the coil?

no
it earths from the coil connector

Okay, had a good look around today.
Still not clear on the loom/coil wiring. Can't find a nice clear plan of the layout.
Under coil I found a gruby earth point. Cleaned it up. Nothing direct from coil. It looked like 4 from the rear lights & one came from the Black connector box. Is this the coil earth?

yes..