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Long story short I’m trying to get my late grandads mk2 to go and it’s got no spark
I get 12v to both sides of the coil while the ignition is on (red and orange dash lights on) and also while cranking
????if I get 12v to the coil, should all my no spark problems be with the distributor?????
so, new points, clean the HT lead contacts and it should give out a spark?
I hope this is the case as I would rather deal with distributor problems than problems between the coil and the ignition switch because there’s a lot of old wires and dreaded Lucas branded boxes
the distributer is in an awful place on these for probably the most common failure point, I took a few pictures while trying to get the points off to try and find a new set
does anybody where where to get correct points and a cap? There’s no telling if it’s even the original distributer
also anybody know the correct points gap with piston 1 at TDC, i assume the radiator end piston is 1? There’s no markings on the cap
Cap code number Rotor arm code number Points, probably new since it’s time stood in the garage for the last 10 years, but can’t guarantee they are not at fault or not gapped right
With the ignition on try opening/shorting the points, if you get a spark the coil is working, next spin the engine on the starter with the cap off and you should get the same spark at the points. If not investigate, they may just need cleaning. The solenoid has a press button on it so you can turn the engine over from under the bonnet.
Number 1 cylinder on these is the one at the back of the engine which is different to normal convention and catches people out.
Points gap is 14 to 16 thou.
Yes, that is the original distributor. Rotor turns counter clock wise looking at the top of the rotor. (there's an arrow on your rotor indicating this)
Firing order is 1 5 3 6 2 4, with number one at the back of the engine as Homer pointed out.
If you have timing light, you will find that it won't reach if you connect it to the number one spark plug lead at the back of the engine, using number 6 cylinder to time the engine will work.
Once you do Homer's tests, you will find why there is no spark, but from what I can tell from the photos, you still have the aluminum Lucus coil, that is most likely your problem.
Also, a common mistake to look for is the missing or perished plastic insulator inside the distributor when mounting the points with the small nut where the condenser is connected to.
I've also seen guys mount the condenser pig tail wire on the wrong side of the plastic insulator, so a situation like this will cause instant points failure from arcing.
Points gap is 14 to 16 thou.
Yes, that is the original distributor. Rotor turns counter clock wise looking at the top of the rotor. (there's an arrow on your rotor indicating this)
Firing order is 1 5 3 6 2 4, with number one at the back of the engine as Homer pointed out.
If you have timing light, you will find that it won't reach if you connect it to the number one spark plug lead at the back of the engine, using number 6 cylinder to time the engine will work.
Once you do Homer's tests, you will find why there is no spark, but from what I can tell from the photos, you still have the aluminum Lucus coil, that is most likely your problem.
Also, a common mistake to look for is the missing or perished plastic insulator inside the distributor when mounting the points with the small nut where the condenser is connected to.
I've also seen guys mount the condenser pig tail wire on the wrong side of the plastic insulator, so a situation like this will cause instant points failure from arcing.
I don't think you can time it using cylinder 6 rather than 1 as the spark will be 180 degrees out?
I don't think you can time it using cylinder 6 rather than 1 as the spark will be 180 degrees out?
No it won't be because the distributor turns half the speed of the crank, so the timing marks will show up when there is spark on number 6, and number 6 will be on compression.
So yes, 180 degrees as far as the distributor is concerned, but not the crank, the crank has already made a 360 degree revolution to the same timing marks, the only difference is, that it's firing on number 6 and the rotor is pointing to that cylinder, and the engine can be timed using number 6.
So perfectly acceptable to use number 6 to time the engine for ignition.
Technically if Jaguar put a full set of timing marks all the way around on the damper (or fly wheel) one could use any cylinder to set the ignition timing as long as THAT cylinder was on COMPRESSION.
What can happen is people assume that when a given cylinder is at TDC (top dead centre) that is when there should be spark, but not necessarily, a cylinder at TDC can be on exhaust too, so you don't want to have spark when the engine is in that cycle, so in that case the distributor is 180 degrees out.
You may remedy this by rotating the distributor 180 degrees or simply changing the wires so said cylinder gets the spark on compression.
This will work so long as the firing remains the same.
No it won't be because the distributor turns half the speed of the crank, so the timing marks will show up when there is spark on number 6, and number 6 will be on compression.
So yes, 180 degrees as far as the distributor is concerned, but not the crank, the crank has already made a 360 degree revolution to the same timing marks, the only difference is, that it's firing on number 6 and the rotor is pointing to that cylinder, and the engine can be timed using number 6.
So perfectly acceptable to use number 6 to time the engine for ignition.
Technically if Jaguar put a full set of timing marks all the way around on the damper (or fly wheel) one could use any cylinder to set the ignition timing as long as THAT cylinder was on COMPRESSION.
What can happen is people assume that when a given cylinder is at TDC (top dead centre) that is when there should be spark, but not necessarily, a cylinder at TDC can be on exhaust too, so you don't want to have spark when the engine is in that cycle, so in that case the distributor is 180 degrees out.
You may remedy this by rotating the distributor 180 degrees or simply changing the wires so said cylinder gets the spark on compression.
This will work so long as the firing remains the same.
Hi Geoff, I apologise your quite right, I hadn't though about this properly.
12-27-2019, 06:34 AM
No spark, power to coil (pictures)
