Subject: Re: Battery drain - Ignitor
Author: Bob Lang <LANG@ISIS.MIT.EDU> at SMTP
Date: 4/1/98 11:57 AM
On Wed, 1 Apr 1998 jbonina@nectech.com wrote:
> As I wait for my new dist. cap to arrive I have time to ponder the
> hookup of the Ignitor system.
You ordered a cap _and_ a rotor, right???
> Yes. Actually 3 rotors; other people have broken them installing the Ignitor.
There only $3 /ea. One to break, one to install, one for the glovebox.
For the uninformed: swap these in pairs. I have heard stories of folks
that used caps and rotors from different sources and had problems... I
have never had these problems, but I have heard.
Actually, Lucas cap, Lucas rotor.
Besides, you re-glued your rotor together... that's reason enough to
replace it!!!
> After I installed the system, I noticed the car cranked noticeably
> slower almost immediately (same hour/day). After I ran the red Ignitor
> lead to the positive side of the coil and tried to start the car it
> wouldn't. I realized that I had pulled the wire going from the harness
> to the + coil in order to hook up the Ignitor. So, having a
> double-spaded connector on the + side of the coil, I left the Ignitor
> on one spade and put the original wire from the harness on the other.
>
> Is this possibly drawing current constantly, hence the slow cranking
> AND the hot coil?
The starter draws _lots_ of amps. Unless you have a dead short somewhere
else, and that would be accompanied by lots of hot wires and possibly
smoke and flames, then probably not... so, it is possible that you can
eliminate the idea that something else is drawing enough current to slow
down your starter.
Now, if there is constant current going to the coil, you must have wired
something wrong. The coil should only get voltage when the key is at the
"on" position. There is an "accessory" position on your ignition switch,
in that position, there should be no current going to the coil.
> To test the voltage going to the coil do I put a meter on the + side
and - side then turn the key to accessory,the to "on"?
Perhaps you have a dead/dying battery.
Get a battery tester thingie from you local discount auto parts place. I
mean the kind that checks the electrolyte in the battery, not a voltmeter.
If the battery reads marginal, perhaps you have a bad cell or other
problem. Note: bad grounds can cause symptoms that appear to be like low
voltage problems... is your battery securely connected to ground at the
engine block?
A hydrometer? I will get one. Regarding the ground, I did remove the
ground from the battery, the block and the sheet metal just under the
battery. I spray the braided coil with some battery terminal cleaner
and wash it off with water, shook it dry, and "painted" it with
terminal protector (looks like a transparent red paint). I also
cleaned the battery terminal and the other 2 points where it is bolted
with sandpaper until the areas were bare, clean metal.(PS, that when I
found the 'lifting eye' I asked about previously). I re-installed the
ground cable and sprayed the contact points with the terminal
protector mention earlier.
Did you test your system for short circuits, as suggested in the past?
You should. This will eliminate that as a source of your slow cranking.
Also, if your starter is old, perhaps it is degrading from the excess
strain that you are putting on it by cranking it over and over.
> I really have no idea where/how to begin testing for shorts.
The coil shold not be hot, it might be warm, but not hot. Especially if
your engine is not running!
> Electrically challenged,
> Jeff
> Bob, thanks for your help. I'll be sure to get back to you with and
update when the cap and rotor gets installed. I'm still steaming that
I missed 3 days of record highs and didn't get out on the road.
regards,
rml
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