1.6 Won't Start... Help!

[Rob Thomson 6]

My newly acquired 1992 1.6 GTi has decided it doesn't want to start. It was fine when I last drove it on Saturday night, but now it's just cranking and not firing.

 

It's been a while since I've had a Jetronic car (and I'm starting to remember why!) so please bear with me... The tacho twitches when it cranks, and I can feel the fuel pump running too. So I think that means the dizzy's getting power, and the signal from the dizzy is operating the tachyometric relay... right? Or does the fuel pump run when the engine cranks... that rings a bell from somewhere?

 

I've got an Mi16 coil and ignition amp sitting here. Are they compatible? Can I stick them on for a try?

 

What else could it be?

[smighall 1]

Have you checked if you're getting a spark?

[Rob Thomson 6]

Just off to do that now I've persuaded my housemate to get off his arse and give me a hand!

[Rob Thomson 6]

There's a spark, but it looks quite orange to me. I haven't got a lot of experience with these things, but I think it should be brighter. Off to change the coil and amp...

 

On a positive note, the injectors are running.

[luggy 13]

I had a similar problem about 12 months ago, spark was weak and every now and again she sounded like she was going to fire, Plugs and leads, dizzy and rotor were known good thought it was the coil, cleaned the male connection on the the coil with some wd40 and emery paper, fired up straight away.

[Rob Thomson 6]

I had a similar problem about 12 months ago, spark was weak and every now and again she sounded like she was going to fire, Plugs and leads, dizzy and rotor were known good thought it was the coil, cleaned the male connection on the the coil with some wd40 and emery paper, fired up straight away.

Snap. HT connection on the coil was a big pile of corroded s*it. Put the Mi16 coil on to save me three seconds of cleaning and it fired up first turn of the key.

 

Off out for a test...

 

Many thanks for the help.