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+--- Thread: No spark. (/showthread.php?tid=7710)
No spark. - Ray White - 06-07-2022
I am hoping someone can talk me through a starting problem with my 1930 Swallow saloon.
I charged the battery and went to start my normally reliable Seven engine today and I could not get a spark. I don't know what is wrong but the points on the DS4 distributor got very hot. In fact I burned my finger on them. Could I have a faulty coil? or would it be a condenser? Or something else?
I have a multimeter but I don't know what settings to use to test the coil etc.
Ray.
RE: No spark. - A G Wood - 06-07-2022
Try this, Ray -from the Lucas Training Notes (Fig 71 on):
Apologies for the quality, I no longer have free access to a decent scanner.
CB = coil primary terminal connected to coil
SW = coil primary terminal connected to ignition switch
I haven't edited because some cars have been changed from (+) ve to (-) grounding.
The Wilkson voltmeter in the volt-ammeter sets which was the weapon of choice for this work years ago was usually scaled 0-40 volts, but if you're using a modern DMM 0-20v is fine.
Fig 74 "Volts at CB terminal...." this reading shouldn't exceed 0.2v so you'd want to set your DMM to 0-2v for that test
From what information you have given you may have a short-circuited coil primary winding, or possible excessive points resistance (causing heating due to the voltage drop), but both scenarios are seemingly unrelated to a recent battery charge?!
Unless the car has been standing unused for a while in which case excessive points resistance would be my first check (Fig74)
Good luck!
AGW
RE: No spark. - Ray White - 07-07-2022
Thank you for the information. I tried cleaning the points with a piece of fine abrasive paper but to no avail. I have to suspect the coil for no other reason than it is very old. In fact it may be original to the car being a Remix (short, dumpy style) and has been on the car for the whole of my ownership which is over 40 years.
I will carry out all the tests but I intend to buy a new coil. I have my eye on a new Remax ES1 ignition coil (made in England) from The Green Spark Plug Co.
https://www.gsparkplug.com/remax-es1-ignition-6v-coil-acorn-made-in-england-eqv-lucas-dlb112-la6-ha6.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsuvTmIzl-AIVDpftCh0NsASrEAQYAyABEgLtJvD_BwE
Ray.
RE: No spark. - A G Wood - 07-07-2022
No Worries Ray!
I'm sure the UK forumists will be able to report on your choice/suggest alternatives if necessary.
I have heard of the primary windings shorting against each other (i.e. reducing their resistance and increasing the primary current) but my experience has been failing open circuit, or a shorting to earth via the coil case.
All the best
AGW
RE: No spark. - "Slack Alice" Simon - 07-07-2022
Is the rotor arm turning?
There were problems with dizzy gears wearing.
If the points stay closed because the cam isn't turning they will probably get hot.
RE: No spark. - Ray White - 07-07-2022
I don't know what is happening here. I went to check that the rotor was turning but to my surprise the battery was completely dead this morning...and no, I hadn't left the ignition switched on. I have heard of batteries dropping dead like a stone but never experienced anything like this!
I will order a new battery this morning.
Ray.
RE: No spark. - David Stepney - 07-07-2022
Sounds as is you have a dead short somewhere.
RE: No spark. - joe - 07-07-2022
Is the cutout stuck closed?
RE: No spark. - Steve Jones - 07-07-2022
There's a dead short somewhere. Given that all you've done is charge the battery and it was fine beforehand, start by looking there. It's more likely to be something simple, rather than something obscure and complicated.
Steve
RE: No spark. - andrew34ruby - 07-07-2022
(06-07-2022, 08:24 PM)Ray White Wrote: Could I have a faulty coil? or would it be a condenser? Or something else?
I have a multimeter but I don't know what settings to use to test the coil etc.
Ray.
Ray, to check the resistance of the coil set your meter to the 'ohms' setting and with at least one wire removed from the coil, put the meter across the two connections on the coil. For a 6 volt coil I would expect about 1.5 ohms.