Odd Mi Spark Issue

[gti_al 1]

Finally finished off my conversion, but after putting the new clutch cable in the thing won't start. It has been running fine, and was driven a few days ago, but now it is very dead.

 

I've put a plug on the king lead, and it is sparking sometimes. It seems fine for a couple of seconds then dies, and a couple of times it did nothing except one spark as a let go of the key (as it stopped cranking). This seems like classic dodgy CAS symptoms, but i've tried another (that was also working days ago) and nothing changes.

 

Where else should i be looking? Would an ignition amp work occasionally like that, or could it be the coil? I'm no mechanic, but can check the basics. It was doing this the other day, but ran after a while... which makes me think there maybe a dodgy contact or something, but i've been over it carefully.

 

What should i do next?

[gti_al 1]

I've been playing and got spark back at the king lead, but not plugs. WTF is going on?

[DamirGTI 342]

Hi !

 

Try with another ignition amp. , I've had recently very strange current leak from the main coil HT lead and car was running fine for few min. and then it starts to misfire badly , after 5min. of driving it shuts down completely ..

I've try everything : new leads , rotor arm etc... However it was the ignition amp. , the thermal paste behind the amp. was dried out and amp. was overheating and causes this misfire/current leak trouble ... then I've reapply fresh layer of thermal paste at the back of the amp. and it's fine now - no more this problems

 

Ignition amp. can cause very weird problems/symptoms , but the coil also especially when it gets hot ..

 

(also check all connections on the coil , ignition amp. connector , the battery terminals and earth wires from the battery to the chassis/gearbox .. check positives also )

 

hope this helps

 

Regards !

Damir

 

EDIT : (if you wish you can read more about that problem here ...) http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?s...ignition+module

Edited July 15, 2007 by DamirGTI

[gti_al 1]

I had hoped i could rule the amp out now i had solid spark at the coil.

 

I might pull the cap off before i go too much further, but i will put it on the list of things to check. Thanks.

[jackherer 543]

If you're getting a spark from the king lead but not the main leads its got the be the dist cap or rotor arm, they are pretty flaky on the Mi16 so worth a check.

Edited July 15, 2007 by jackherer
typo

[gti_al 1]

If you're getting a spark from the king lead but not the main leads its got the be the dist cap or rotor arm, they are pretty flaky on the Mi16 so worth a check.

 

That was what i thought... Thanks for that. After 18 months in an 8 valve i have forgotten how sensitive these are to ignition problems. And what it is like for a car to start on cold mornings/rev etc.

[jackherer 543]

If you're used to 8Vs make sure you're sitting down when you get a price on a 16v cap+arm............

[gti_al 1]

I started off with an mi, then went to an 8 valve for a bit... Fortunately, having been throught this before, i have a spare cap somewhere. Last time i was paying mechanics to sort it, so i am fairly scared of mi16 ignition issues. Having done the loom myself doesn't fill me with confidence either. It was actually the big brown plug that started problems this time though, so not my fault.

[gti_al 1]

I suspect the plugs must have just been a bit drowned... they looked ok, but after putting the battery on the charger it is going. It is an absolute monster too!!