SIIA distributor; I really need help...

[Jeff Aronson]

Can you just test the "ground" wire that comes out of the distributor back to the coil and see if you have a circuit?

You may have a grounding problem inside the distributor itself, possibly grounding out at the points plate. By any chance, do you have access to an old Lucas distributor? Almost all of them in the Land Rover, Rover car, MG, Triumph, Sunbeam/Rootes lineups would work for this test. I'd sure be interested in dropping one in to see if you get a spark at the plugs. That would help you isolate the problem.

Jeff

While you're at it, do you have the two coil wires hooked up correctly?

[S11A]

I replaced the wire and it's still not getting any juice out of the coil.

I would suggest it is time to get a cheap multi-meter from Radio Shack or other store. If no juice is coming out of the coil, measure what is going in (voltage and amperage). Maybe it is just not getting enough?

And while the odds might be enormous against this, it might be possible that you have a bad replacement coil in addition to the previous one(s) you have tried. Where did you get the coil? What brand?

[gim]

This is stupid. I'm going to lose my mind over this. Everything on this truck is hooked up correctly, all the components are new, continuity all over the place, dizzy's fine, cap's fine, points breaking contact, power to points, distributor grounded, new condensor, new main coil lead, new connectors to the wiring harnass, 12 volts all the way to the points (I bought a multimeter)

BUT FOR THE LIFE OF ME I CAN'T GET A *&#ING SPARK FROM THE COIL!!!!!!

Can someone please help help help? I appreciate everyone's advice, but nothing seems to be working....

I'm on the verge of picking up a baseball bat right now and going to town on this rover.

[gim]

Let me add this: I was trying to see if by some chance I was getting spark from the plugs, so I pulled one, stuck it in the wire, grounded it and turned the engine over. Nothing happened. No spark, nothing. However, when I took the plug off the ground, the engine was still turning, and the plug shocked me for a split second. What in the hell was that? I can't get a spark from the coil, but suddenly the plug had a quick shock? Am I going crazy?

[yorker]

Gim- where are you located?

have you tried a spare coil by any chance?

[gim]

Gim- where are you located?

have you tried a spare coil by any chance?

Yes I've tried three different coils. I'm in orlando, Fl (sadly).

[Jeff Aronson]

Your last post really makes me wonder about the innards and/or setup of your distributor. The shock you received implies that a charge was "held" and not delivered.

I would question the distributor first. The Land Rover Series I manual has a diagnostic section that reads "if engine will not fire" one option is "defective coil or distributor." The manual says to remove the lead from the distributor center terminal and hold it 1/4 inch from a metal part of the engine while the engine is started. If the spark jumps regularly, the coil and distributor are functioning properly.

A fault in the low tension wiring is indicated when no spark occure between the contacts (points) when separated quickly with the ignition on.

You've replaced the coil three times and with the correct, Land Rover coil and a new wire between the coil and the distributor. But you've not replaced the distributor. A new or used Land Rover [or MG/Troumph Lucas] distributor dropped in would certainly identify the problem for you. I once had a Triumph Spitfire that would not run despite having lots of new parts on the top of the distributor, but not inside, underneath the contact plate. You can have short inside the distributor - I did.

Jeff

[leedr]

here ya go

take out plugs keep wires on. ground so you can see or hear snap. have wife or husky friend hand crank the motor. with all the bits exposed follow the spark. check wire to terminal connection on all ends. dont forget to keep key on. I suspect the condenser or loose wire. good luck...call that mech. at the gas station...case of beer ect. ect....

[leedr]

now I remember..I had a crack in the distributor...so when offf everything worked,, put cap on spark gets shorted...yep...thats what happen to me...hair line crack...use silicone for temp fix to see if it was the culprate...

[Les Parker]

Bad "leads'

I believe all is now sorted.
If I recall correctly, it turned out to be an open circuit on the new contact set.
Hope the guy is back on the road again......

[Saxondog]

What part of Orlando. I'm out in Lake County, might could come look if you still need it.

[gim]

I believe all is now sorted.
If I recall correctly, it turned out to be an open circuit on the new contact set.
Hope the guy is back on the road again......

Me? No, I'm not on the road, I'm still working on it. I decided to order a Land Rover coil because everything seems to point to the coil, even though I replaced it 3 times. I've been really busy lately, but I'm gonna keep plugging at it. We'll see.


I'm in Chuluota actually, a little past Geneva, if you know where that is. I wouldn't want to bother you so much to make you drive all the way out here though. However if the coil doesn't do the trick, I may take you up on that offer. Thanks.

[Bostonian1976]

you don't need to replace the coil 3 times - something else is up

[thixon]

you don't need to replace the coil 3 times - something else is up

Agreed. Quit with the coils already. A coil is a coil (for the most part). It sounds like a distributor (bottom end) problem. You're shorting somewhere. If you have a buddy with a spare lying around, borrow it and swap it out just to see if it will work.

[gim]

Replacing the coil so many times seems excessive, I know, but every time I had reasons to believe they were bad, and it's just something I don't have to worry about now. But here's the thing: what could be happening in the distributor that would prevent the coil from firing? It's grounded properly, the points have power, the condenser is new, as are all the components... everything seems to be in order just as it's supposed to be. It's really frustrating.

If it were shorting somewhere, the points would not show 12 volts on the multimeter, but they do. I can't see that it's shorting anywhere.