lil-nicky

Ok people hold those thoughts - your losing me. I'll take pictures of everything and post for you to dissect. I'll apologise again for not understanding electrics. I just can't get my head round ohms, volts, amps, resistance etc.

Ok, bear with me and I'll check on Sunday. Does the white pink wire need to be any special wire or can I swap it out for a new piece?

1/ Yes. There is a white / pink wire that goes from the ignition to the coil positive. 2/ I've taken the accuspark off atm and have a new set of points in. 3/ It's 12volts at the cap. LN

I'm certain it'll be something simple. I'd probably have it cracked by now but I'm working away atm, only back in Sunday's. I did test the output a couple of weeks back and it was throwing out 12v to the dist cap while turning the ignition key. Is that correct or should the voltage be higher by that point? Ln

Hmmm, I don't think I'm quite stupid enough to stick a lead in my gob and crank the engine, I can understand the very basics. That said I just can't get my head around this particular problem. Apologies if this make me sound like I'm not listening but like I said way back - electrics just isn't my strong point. LN

I've wired the accuspark as the instructions for a ballast system - the diagram shows the negative from the accuspark to the negative on the coil. The positive goes to the wire from the ignition to the coil, prior to the ballast resistor. Its now not there though so shouldn't be the problem? Re the 12 volts at the cap, I did think it should be higher. What should I be expecting? If I've got it right then to test the coil and the points I taken the HT lead off the dist cap and stick a plug in the end, then touch it to the engine block. Spark means good coil/ points, no spark means bad? Your right with new isn't always ok and I agree, I've checked and the old leads give no change. LN

Hola! I've plumbed in the ballast resistor today and checked all my connections etc and... no joy. Still nothing. Just absolutley no power past the distributor cap. The cap is new as is the rotar arm and I've swapped to new points until I can get her running but still no success. So my next thought is to strip out the 40 year old wiring for the part of the car and replace it. Any thoughts? Anyone know where I can buy the correct wire from to replace the old stuff? LN

Yep - All good to get to the bottom of it this weekend. Probably Sunday so I'll let you know how I get on...

Thankyou all - I've already done the checks for a spark against the block etc and theres nothing. I'm going back to basics until I figure out the problem so I've ordered new points and a ballast resistor. I'll swap out the accuspark and see how that goes. Then I'll try the resistor. The coil was as listed for the car from SC Parts - 12v ballasted 1.4 ohms. Means nothing to me so I had to go with what was listed for the car. Oh and just in case it is the accuspark I've contacted the supplier and they've put a replacement in the post today. Cross your fingures for the weekend....

Hi, This is my first post so please bear with me! I have a 1971 Spitfire Mk IV that I'm slowly but surely restoring. Bodywork is done and up until about November last year the engine was running relatively smoothly. Then it stopped. Dead. Wouldn't turn over - nothing. Now I've come back to the car after a break and decided I need to get her started before doing anything else. She hasn't seen the road since 1994 so everything is being replaced anyway but I really want to get to the bottom of the starting issue. So far I've replaced the following and I now have an engine that will turn over but no spark: New Plugs New HT Leads New New Dizzy Cap New Accuspark electronic ignition New Coil New Starter motor solenoid Recon Starter Motor Replaced wire from coil to ignition New ignition barrel Nearly new battery New rotar arm. Now I'm getting 12 volts to the distributor cap when I turn the ignition, but nothing past there. I struggle with the dark art of electrics at the best of times but this has me totally lost!! I've tried searching the forum and found a couple of posts but tbh they could be written in dutch! Ohms, Volts, ballast thingies are a mystery to me but I refuse to give up and will sort this myself! So basically, if anyone could be kind enough to take the time to consider the problem, offer any solutions and perhaps provide a brief glossary for dummies I'd be forever in your debt!!