Beeper 85 Posted November 6, 2023 At the start of this year I promised myself that I WOULD get my Mk3 back (75 1.6 Xl facelift) on the road again by the time summer arrived. Maybe get to a show or two but....... As usual real life stuff gets in the way coupled with a severe case of "icba". What's icba? I cannot be @rsed! FFWD to today and I go to the lockup with two batteries and a gallon of V-Power (9 quid for a gallon of petrol!!!!). I fit my Cortina battery and crank it over, spray some easy start down the carb,...........nothing! I put my new Toyota battery on which I bought last year but never fitted it to my car. Same thing again. Crank crank crank. Easy start, crank crank, cap of petrol down the carb, crank crank....... I stand there scratching my head. Then I fit my cheap little strobe light. Crank Crank Crank, no light which = no spark. It was running last year. So, as it was chucking it down with rain I decided to give up and come home. Any ideas? Could the points be stuck shut (I didn't bother looking) Or should I just sell it, as I haven't actually driven it on the road since 2015! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C0RKTINA 108 Posted November 6, 2023 (edited) well if no spark is your problem, it's fairly easy. I'd start at the plugs and clean and adjust them, then the points the same. (25 thou for plugs 15 thou for points iirc) CHeck out the distirb cap for damp and cracks. Clean rotor arm contacts with a bit of fine emery. Then try again...if no luck, ask Craig... (it's what I'd do, but I'm no mechanic...strictly amateur) I'd also check the alternator plug...i've found the engine needs a bit of oomph from the Alt to get it going. Edited November 6, 2023 by norton Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beeper 85 Posted November 6, 2023 Thanks for your reply. Yeah, all the basic stuff as per C+G part one. The trouble is, I'm getting too old, fat and lazy. I'll have to get my finger out though. As I said, it's not been driven since it's final MOT in about 2015 IIRC. I'd like to get a few months of cruising out of it before I decide to let it go though. Hopefully the lottery jackpot will arrive and my classic motoring woes will be over. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Mack 341 Posted November 6, 2023 With ign ON I'd be for checking you have a feed to the POS side of the coil, you can do this with a test light or multi-meter. Expect maybe 8-9 volts, if nothing then you need to find out why. If you have voltage then disconnect NEG wire from coil and check for voltage here, if yes then the coil primary windings are intact. If you then put a plug on the king lead and earth it to engine and then use an earthed wire and briefly "flash" it on the NEG terminal of the coil you should get a spark at the plug if the coil is good. If you're getting a spark here then the problem lies with points/condenser/rotor arm or cap. As it's sat for a while I'd be for fitting new points and condenser anyway....worth doing, and check the dizzy base plate is earthed correctly. Before you know it your C+G part1 memories will come flooding back ! @norton ...... the alternator only works after the engine has started 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C0RKTINA 108 Posted November 7, 2023 14 hours ago, John Mack said: @norton ...... the alternator only works after the engine has started yes I know, but once it fires it will certainly help an ailing battery. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beeper 85 Posted November 24, 2023 (edited) On 11/6/2023 at 3:35 PM, norton said: Clean rotor arm contacts with a bit of fine emery. Noooooo! Clean your rotor arm on a tyre sidewall. Rub it in direction of rotation so as not to pull the brass away from the plastic body. Edited November 24, 2023 by Beeper Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Neil. 118 Posted November 24, 2023 I'd start with new distributor cap, leads. points & condenser & then plugs Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
