No spark!!! Help...

[tonylanciabeta]

Sent: 23/06/2008 12:13

Hi there guys.
I have an '82 Beta coupe that I started restoring a few years ago.
I rebuilt the motor about 3 years ago and the car has been running like a dream until last weekend.
The car refuses to start, i have checked the electronics as I have replacements for all the ignition bits (dizzy, coil, electrics box, dizzy cap, rotor)
The problem I am having is that there is an extremely weak spark, not enough to fire a timing light or ignite the fuel mix.
I stripped and cleaned the carb before starting on the other bits.  I have now replaced all the bits listed above but am still having no luck.
Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks
Roland.



From: hutch6610   Sent: 23/06/2008 15:40
You have an 82 car - carburettor.
So you should have a Bosch system right?
Black box on the strut tower?
If so check you have a live to the coil first - multimeter or test light.
Bypass the ceramic resistor if fitted (bolted next to the coil) - this is the usual cause of what you describe - spark, but weak.
You will have to get a new resistor eventually but you can run like this for the time being.
Also check the ignition module is getting a good earth - gets this from the plate it sits on and a wire where it bolts to the plate.
Absolutely positive the new components are all "A - OK"?



From: 1nutty10   Sent: 24/06/2008 11:59
Hi there.
Dunno if you got my reply yesterday.
All the parts are definitely a-ok and in working order.
I have also bypassed the resistor and double earthed the electronics box but still get a really weak spark.
The weird bit is that the car was running sweetly and then just stopped running and hasn't started since...
Any other thoughts?



From: ThreePlusOnePlusThree   Sent: 24/06/2008 17:14
It may be a good idea to check all the earth connections in the engine bay. I had a volumex that just stopped one day as I was driving along and I had to be towed home. I finally traced it to an earth cluster below the rear of the O/S headlights. Once the panel, the terminals and the cluster were cleaned up it fired up on the turn of the key.


 

From: hutch6610   Sent: 24/06/2008 17:31

Roland sounds like you have pretty much covered your *rse!
When you say weak spark - from where do you mean.
From the spark plug end or from the coil end.
Remove the HT lead from the distributor cap (middle one) hold it with something like a pair of well insulated pliers about half inch away from a descent earth on the car (well away from the ignition amplifier) and get someone to turn the engine over.
Don't try this if you have a pace maker or a dodgy heart - don't want to kill you.
If you have a good strong spark then either the rotor is faulty or the cap is - does happen from time to time.
Positive your distributor is working because you are getting a spark.
If you have a weak spark from the HT lead i can only say its the coil or the leads.

Oh yes, definately did not get a reply yesterday.