I hate ignitions systems! Ideas?

[SSGDirk]

Okay I'm back from Iraq and working on my 72 GT. I'm trying to get it running, but don't know a thing about ignition systems. I bought new plugs, wires, and coil, still can't get any spark. I pulled the distributer cap and everything "looks" clean and in order. I cleaned off the part that rotates, what ever irt is called" just to be sure. I even bypassed the wires to the coil and ran straight off the the battery to make sure there are no wire issues. Still no darn spark.

What else should I check or replace? Man this is really getting frustrating, which is the opposite of why I bought the car. So if any one can help I will be in your debt. Thanks.

[baz]

are the points inside the dizzy opening and closing as you turn the engine ? if not set right you will not get a spark and they can close over time if the set screw is loose even just a tad

welcome back btw hope you had a nice time

[DennisGardiner]

Does your Opel still have the original, 'points & condenser', or...
has it been replaced by an after-market ignition system??

If, you still have the points and condenser system, then you will need to verify that the points are opening and closing, and if so, then check the
gap (and/or dwell).

Once this is correct you should have spark.

If you have an electronic ignition, then we'll have to talk further.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by SSGDirk Okay I'm back from Iraq and working on my 72 GT. I'm trying to get it running, but don't know a thing about ignition systems. I bought new plugs, wires, and coil, still can't get any spark. I pulled the distributer cap and everything "looks" clean and in order. I cleaned off the part that rotates, what ever irt is called" just to be sure. I even bypassed the wires to the coil and ran straight off the the battery to make sure there are no wire issues. Still no darn spark. What else should I check or replace? Man this is really getting frustrating, which is the opposite of why I bought the car. So if any one can help I will be in your debt. Thanks.

First, THANK YOU for your service!!! . . . from a fellow Nam Era Navy vet.

I take it you still have points [mechanical switch controlled by the cam directly under the rotor you mentioned]? . . . the first thing to do in that case is to borrow wife's/girlfriend's emory board and clean the points contacts . . . open/separate contacts and push emory board in between them, rubbing back and forth.

On cars sitting for a long time, points will develop film over time keeping them from closing so that coil never has complete electrical path to ground and doesn't "charge" to produce hi-voltage for plug ignition!

[SSGDirk]

Okay I will go check. The car has been sitting for 12 years. Opening and closing, heck if I know. But I will run out and check. BRB.

[SSGDirk]

Okay, It has a points system I think. It has an arm that is opening and closing as it spins. I used the emery board and cleaned them off, still no spark. Any one live in the San Antonio area? I will pay some one to help me with it, I'm almost to the point where I am gonna blow it up.
Any other Ideas?

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by SSGDirk I even bypassed the wires to the coil and ran straight off the the battery to make sure there are no wire issues. Still no darn spark.

Not sure what you 'bypassed', but the condensor wire (from the distributor) should be on the negative side of the coil. If you went directly to 12v+ then the car won't run!

[SSGDirk]

The wires to the col was missing, So with a multi meter I tested the available wires and get 12 volts from one wire and nothing from the other. One would guess Hot and ground. Except I get no continuity from the ground to the chassis. And the hot wire loses all voltage when the engine is cranking. Come on Bob, give me some help before another Opel ends up a bunch of flying metal when I set off the C-4. I will try and figure out which wire runs to the condenser and set that up as the ground.

[First opel 1981]

Check out the map and send him a message.

It shows he has been active on the site recently.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by RallyBob Not sure what you 'bypassed', but the condensor wire (from the distributor) should be on the negative side of the coil. If you went directly to 12v+ then the car won't run!

. . . quick things to look for on the coil itself, green wire goes to "-" terminal, typically round "bullet" plug, while a pair of wires, crimped in a single female "spade" connector (flat blade), connect to the "+" side of the coil.

. . . as far as "cleaning" the points contacts with the emory board, the film is not the easiest to remove sufficiently from those contacts, especially after sitting so long! So, try cleaning them a bit longer and perhaps put a bit of pressure on the outside of the contacts while you're rubbing the emory board between them, OK!!

[markandson]

Originally Posted by tekenaar . . . quick things to look for on the coil itself, green wire goes to "-" terminal, typically round "bullet" plug, while a pair of wires, crimped in a single female "spade" connector (flat blade), connect to the "+" side of the coil. . . . as far as "cleaning" the points contacts with the emory board, the film is not the easiest to remove sufficiently from those contacts, especially after sitting so long! So, try cleaning them a bit longer and perhaps put a bit of pressure on the outside of the contacts while you're rubbing the emory board between them, OK!!

It is also important to clean the point surfaces after you emery board them. sometimes the grit from the emery board will remain on the points and they still will not make electrical contact. Use a clean cloth and wipe them down after doing the emery board trick. Another thing that can cause no spark is a shorted condenser. It is the small metal canister that has one wire running from it. It is screwed to the outside of the distributor.

[tekenaar]

. . . here's a pictorial of dizzy and coil hookups! . . . the ones you need are left column, top two "pic diagrams" . . .

[SSGDirk]

Okay I hooked the wires up as you stated. The two wires went to the positive, and the ground has the wire going to the distributer. The Autoparts store had it listed as needing an internal resistance coil, so thats what I got, is this wrong? The pic says I need an external resistance coil, I have one of them too.

[markandson]

Originally Posted by tekenaar . . . here's a pictorial of dizzy and coil hookups! . . . the ones you need are left column, top two "pic diagrams" . . .

Otto,
I never saw that post before but one thing that should be noted is that your descriptions at the bottom say first ROW, second, ROW......I think it should really be first COLUMN etc.. Not trying to be picky just don't want any confusion thrown in.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by markandson Otto, I never saw that post before but one thing that should be noted is that your descriptions at the bottom say first ROW, second, ROW......I think it should really be first COLUMN etc.. Not trying to be picky just don't want any confusion thrown in.

. . . DOH!!

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by SSGDirk Okay I hooked the wires up as you stated. The two wires went to the positive, and the ground has the wire going to the distributer. The Autoparts store had it listed as needing an internal resistance coil, so thats what I got, is this wrong? The pic says I need an external resistance coil, I have one of them too.

. . . left column, all pics show external resistance coils (resistance wire in case of Opels), as in stock Opel usage! Most auto parts stores don't have a clue on anything Opel related!

[SSGDirk]

Okay, but if I bought an iternal resisted coil, I need to wire it differently right? If Opel has an external resister what is the ohms rating on it? I have an external resisted coil, but needs .8 ohms resistance.

[First opel 1981]

You have an ohmmeter to check continuity?

If so, remove the distributor wire from the coil and disconnect the condensor from its ground.
Rotate the engine so the points are open.
Check continuity from the negative distributor wire (the one that attaches to the negative side of the coil) to the ground. There should be no continuity.
If that test fails then your points are fried and need to be replaced.

If the test passed then rotate the points to the closed position and check continuity. If there is conductivity then the points are working correctly. Again, if the test fails then you have bad points.



What were the results of the points test?

[markandson]

Originally Posted by SSGDirk Okay, but if I bought an iternal resisted coil, I need to wire it differently right? If Opel has an external resister what is the ohms rating on it? I have an external resisted coil, but needs .8 ohms resistance.

I don't know its value but the Opel external resistance is supplied by a resistance wire not an actual resistor. The resistance wire comes from the fuse box and the insulation is sort of clear looking like some speaker wire you may have seen. To use an internal resistance coil the wire would have to be replaced with a standard copper conductor. That would be the only difference. The problem with this set up is that you would not get the "hot spark" starting condition that the system was originally designed for. When cranking the original setup supplies 12 volts to the plus side of the coil and then when you let go of the key and it goes into the run position the resistor wire comes into play and you get reduced running voltage to the coil.

[SSGDirk]

Okay I think I found the problem. I'm not getting any volotage to the + terminal on the coil with the key in the run position. If I run a new wire from the ignition to the coil, in theory it should get spark right? With my internal resisted coil I should get spark right?

[First opel 1981]

Originally Posted by SSGDirk Okay I think I found the problem. I'm not getting any volotage to the + terminal on the coil with the key in the run position. If I run a new wire from the ignition to the coil, in theory it should get spark right? With my internal resisted coil I should get spark right?

Did you check the fuses?

[markandson]

One other thing you should check. You mentioned that you cleaned the top of the rotor but what about the spring loaded contact that is up inside the distributor cap that sits on top of the rotor. Make sure that is clean also and that it moves freely when you push on it with your finger. Don't use the emery board on it though, just clean it with some rubbing alcohol if you have it or if not just use a clean dry cloth and wipe it until nothing black comes off on the rag. The top of the rotor should be shiny copper color, it it is not then you can use a standard pink pencil eraser and clean it up also.

[SSGDirk]

I checked the fuses and from what I could tell they looked okay. I had a rat's nest in the engine compartment. They ate the old plug wires and no telling what else. Should my idea of running a new wire work? Meanwhile I will check the continuity of all my fuses If any fail, I will replace it.

[First opel 1981]

Originally Posted by SSGDirk I checked the fuses and from what I could tell they looked okay. I had a rat's nest in the engine compartment. They ate the old plug wires and no telling what else. Should my idea of running a new wire work? Meanwhile I will check the continuity of all my fuses If any fail, I will replace it.

With rat chewed wires and an internal resistance coil, running a new wire, if only for testing purposes, won't hurt.

I'm thinking the rat chewed wires are a likely culprit.

[markandson]

Originally Posted by SSGDirk I checked the fuses and from what I could tell they looked okay. I had a rat's nest in the engine compartment. They ate the old plug wires and no telling what else. Should my idea of running a new wire work? Meanwhile I will check the continuity of all my fuses If any fail, I will replace it.

As long as you get 12 volts to the + side of the coil and the points are set properly and your condenser is not shorted and the stuff I mentioned above is all OK then you should get spark. You can't leave the 12 volts as a permanent solution if you are using the stock Opel coil with external resistance cause it will burn out the coil to run it on 12 volts all the time. How are you setting your point gap?