sulzerman Posted January 4, 2022 Report Share Posted January 4, 2022 Hi all and happy new year!! Driving along in my 2500 tc saloon yesterday suddenly with no warning, ignition light comes on and engine stops, then starts for a split second then stops again and I coast to a stop. Would not restart, I had a quick look under the bonnet and no obvious faults. Car then restarts and drives normally! Car was only driven for about 1 mile so was still cold. New parts fitted in last six months are HT leads,dist cap, condensor and points (both Lucas NOS) coil and spark plugs. Also fitted with good quality red rotar arm I tried wobbling all wires and connections under the bonnet this morning, and all seemed fine. Anyone got an idea? many thanks Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted January 4, 2022 Report Share Posted January 4, 2022 Is this a manual car? Was it still in gear when the ignition light came on? And when you say the engine "stops", do you mean total loss of power or the gearbox disengaged and it stalled? If the ignition light came on while the engine was being spun by the wheels then my guess is a dodgy contact or connection on the ignition switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 4, 2022 Report Share Posted January 4, 2022 make sure the leads to the coil are correct polarity neg to Dizzy Pos to ign feed as when reversed you get exactly as you describe Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagger Posted January 4, 2022 Report Share Posted January 4, 2022 Do as Pete suggests. If ok, check that the points are not sticking open (if you still have points). Measure voltage at coil terminals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzerman Posted January 4, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2022 Thanks for the help.👍 Battery is definitely good. No splutter engine suddenly stopped dead, it kept rotating with momentum. Ignition light was on by the time it stopped not sure if it was on when it cut out. Will check coil leads tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 5, 2022 Report Share Posted January 5, 2022 well the genny light will come on if the engine has stopped dont feel that is of any significance it just shows the alt/dynamo have a feed and the controls work the red light to show there is no charge if it cranks over ok the battery and its terminal posts are are ok as corrosion of the posts is common after lay ups Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted January 5, 2022 Report Share Posted January 5, 2022 I would have thought if there was a problem with petrol supply the engine would cough & splutter rather than cut out suddenly. My penny is on a sudden loss of electrics, somewhere in the system including ignition switch, coil, distributor. If it is an intermittent fault it will be harder to locate than an actual complete failure, good luck I'm sure you'll crack it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted January 5, 2022 Report Share Posted January 5, 2022 19 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said: well the genny light will come on if the engine has stopped Yes, but it also comes on in the opposite condition - engine still spinning (driven by the wheels) but ignition off. And on a manual, the engine will still be spinning unless you declutch. A misfire (loss of coil lead) will NOT cause the light to come on until you let the engine stop rotating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted January 5, 2022 Report Share Posted January 5, 2022 I thought maybe the tank vent blocked and vacuum build up causing fuel starvation. (Take the petrol cap off and listen for the woosh of air in!) But sudden stop has to be electrical, I suspect something around the coil and it's wiring. Is the dizzy cap on OK? Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 5, 2022 Report Share Posted January 5, 2022 the problem of it runs it stops you get out kick the wheels it starts is a common fault of coils wired back to front its frustrated many over my years in fact last month my son helped a local in canada with a GT6 doing just that the car had been to various experts!! a quick look showed the coil was crossed over rectified and not stopped since he was leader of a local triumph clan he was amazed the old dogs and tricks must have rubbed off etc Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted January 5, 2022 Report Share Posted January 5, 2022 11 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said: you get out kick the wheels I always find kicking the thing most satisfying! Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted January 5, 2022 Report Share Posted January 5, 2022 2 hours ago, dougbgt6 said: I always find kicking the thing most satisfying! Doug Kick mine and the wheels might drop off! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted January 5, 2022 Report Share Posted January 5, 2022 6 minutes ago, Badwolf said: Kick mine and the wheels might drop off! Kick mine and my feet will drop off ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerH Posted January 5, 2022 Report Share Posted January 5, 2022 Hi Paul, NOS capacitor (Condensor) is not always the way to go.. Capacitors like to be used regularly. Another annoying area-On my TR4A 25D dizzy the flexible wire inside that joints the outside world to the points. had become unattached to its tag. The solder had peeled off the tag.It look good but was not. It took me three r fours days travelling across Scotland before I found it. The wire on item 3. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted January 5, 2022 Report Share Posted January 5, 2022 On possible electrical faults, if you have a RVC type tacho (electronic and looks more or less like the attached picture) then they can theoretically fail and short the coil to earth via the tacho rather than the points (I think?). So detaching the tacho feed from the coil, white wire with black trace, and running without it is also worth testing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzerman Posted January 6, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2022 Just checked coil connections and all is correct. Will check points at weekend, I am thinking maybe a ignition switch problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagger Posted January 6, 2022 Report Share Posted January 6, 2022 If you have a meter, connect it between +ve coil connection and battery -ve terminal. With ignition 'ON' there should be a voltage present permanently. If you do not have a meter, use a 12v test lamp. Keep operating the ignition switch ON/OFF to make sure it is not intermittent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzerman Posted January 6, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2022 49 minutes ago, Wagger said: If you have a meter, connect it between +ve coil connection and battery -ve terminal. With ignition 'ON' there should be a voltage present permanently. If you do not have a meter, use a 12v test lamp. Keep operating the ignition switch ON/OFF to make sure it is not intermittent. Thanks, will test this at the weekend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted January 7, 2022 Report Share Posted January 7, 2022 11 hours ago, sulzerman said: I am thinking maybe a ignition switch problem. I had a dodgy ignition switch! I have a ballasted system, at turn on the engine would fire but immediately die. 12 volts at start up was working, but 6 volts normal running wasn't connecting. A failing ignition switch could cause the symptoms you have, Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzerman Posted January 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2022 Had good fiddle this afternoon. Took out ignition switch while test lamp was on coil+ and battery-, all good not even a flicker on the lamp. Checked coil connections + feed to coil spade connection slightly loose. All others good, changed condenser as a precaution. Hopefully will be ok now🤞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daverclasper Posted January 9, 2022 Report Share Posted January 9, 2022 1 hour ago, sulzerman said: Took out ignition switch while test lamp was on coil+ and battery-, all good not even a flicker on the lamp. You could maybe bypass switch with a wire from battery + to coil + (remove switch + from coil), if you still have problems, to see if it behaves?. I think it's ok to do this, stop car by stalling and remove wire, or disconnect battery, to stop coil burning out when finished driving?. Not sure if this a good idea, just something I thought off? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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