ISPKI Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Hello Hybridz! I was trying to get my 77 280z to start after being down for about a month. I was getting fuel but no spark (tested by removing plug and grounding it). The engine did cough once or twice as though it got a little spark in a cylinder but nothing consistent. I tested the coil by pulling the high tension wire out of the distributor and holding it close to the cap plug. I got no spark out of that either which leads me to believe that the coil is bad? This is a Pertronix Flamethrower II that I purchased new when I got the car. I tested the + and - with a multimeter for resistance (it is supposed to be 0.6ohm) and I got about 1.1-1.2. This suggests to me that the coil is somehow bad despite being fairly new. Something to keep in mind is that I have the E12-80 ignition unit and distributor installed in my car and I did have this thing running before I did the header/exhaust work on it - although it was running horribly. With the E12-80 ignition system, I removed the Ballast resistor and the transistor ignition unit but I did not replace the coil. Is it possible that the coil has been damaged by the increased voltage running through the system with the new ignition system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISPKI Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 (edited) I installed a new coil to see if I could get spark. I received no spark. I tested the terminals on the coil with the coil installed and the key turned to "on" and got no voltage. I went back and tested at the distribution block (where the fusible links were) and I have voltage. So, I have a burned out or damaged something between the fusible links and the coil. I believe that leaves only two possible culprits? The ECU and the Ignition switch? Seems the two wires that I am interested in are the "Black with White stripe" wire that supplies power directly to the coil. and the "Blue with Red stripe" wire that...goes somewhere. I am somewhat confused with the Blue and red stripe wire as I cant seem to figure out what it's purpose is. As far as I can tell in the diagrams, that wire went to the ballast resistor and is connected to the transistor ignition unit which my vehicle no longer has. Someone stop me when I trip over myself please and thank you. Edited October 9, 2013 by ISPKI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISPKI Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 (edited) Found a ring terminal for the "Black with white stripe" wire was broken and being held together by insulation. Soldiered on a new terminal and I now have 12V on the + post of the coil with the switch turned to "on". Still doesnt want to start though... Well, Here is where I am at the moment. I am sort of at a brick wall. I have tested everything between the battery and the ignition switch and I have power through all of it. I have power going out from the switch to the coil but I have no spark at the plugs. I think the only thing in the system left for me to test is the E12-80 ignition box. This thing was working fine when I took the car down to do the exhaust work. I have not changed anything with the distributor or matchbox but it does not seem to be functioning. Ignition module passed step 5 page EL-25 in the S130 FSM. Got 12.3v with key turned to ON although all that is really testing is that the wire from the coil to the module is in one piece... Will have to wait for another person before I can move down the list. Edited October 9, 2013 by ISPKI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 The distributors that use the "matchbox" modules tend to break the circular magnet under the pickup coil. One possibility. Test all of the distributor parts and check the gap between reluctor and pickup points. There's a whole series of tests in the Electrical chapter of the ZX FSM's, Ignition system section. 1980 would be a good one. http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperZ Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I bet your coil is good. 1.1-1.2 is what you would see out of any normal multimeter measuring 0.6 ohms because of lead resistance. Calibrate your leads to 0, then subtract the result. I bet you are seeing 0.5 ohms lead resistance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISPKI Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 The distributors that use the "matchbox" modules tend to break the circular magnet under the pickup coil. One possibility. Test all of the distributor parts and check the gap between reluctor and pickup points. There's a whole series of tests in the Electrical chapter of the ZX FSM's, Ignition system section. 1980 would be a good one. http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/ When you say circular magnet, thats the ring that the red and green wires are connected to? I have the FSM from Xenon and it is so blurry that I can barely make out what it says. SleeperZ: The leads were coming up with 0.1 ohms so even with the calibration - the coil was still failing. I picked up a new coil anyways for 25$. The pickup coil, stator, and reluctor are all dirt cheap from rockauto and they only have a couple left. I may just order them to be on the safe side. I did not get a chance to measure gaps (I dont have a caliper yet) but the stator and reluctor have rust all over them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperZ Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 If a coil goes bad, it either shorts internally and the resistance drops, or it opens up completely and the resistance is unmeasurable. I am sure your coil is NOT defective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISPKI Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Well it failed testing per the pertronix website and the FSM. If it is still good then I have myself a spare coil just in case! I did find the issue, broken ring terminals connecting the coil to the ICM on the distributor. Cut them off and crimped on new terminals and I now get spark and some ignition! However, it seems as though there is either no fuel or very little fuel getting into the engine. I am getting about half a second of ignition when I first turn the key but then it goes away until I shut the key off. I sprayed some starter fluid into the intake while starting the car and it started right up and ran for a few seconds. I have a pressure gauge in the fuel line between the fuel filter and the start of the hard rail. The filter is reading pressure in the 35-38 range but it is behaving like the fuel is getting clogged somewhere in the rail. If there was a clog before the pressure regulator, then the pressure gauge should read whatever the pump can put out, which should be much higher than 35-38 (I thought my pump is about double that). So, it seems logical that either the injectors are not firing (which would mean the only fuel getting into the engine would be from the cold start injector - sort of makes sense) or there is a blockage somewhere else in the rail between the regulator and the injectors. Guess its back to the FSM with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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