Divits@aol.com wrote:
> Here's what's happening. I took the TR250 out last night and everything was
> going great. Then I got on the Highway and really got on it and when I was in
> third the car kinda hiccuped (just once) and went fine there after. Then when
> I got to the end of the Exit ramp at the stop sign she just died! I tried to
> restart her but it just wouldn't fire...the motor was turning and all but it
> just wouldn't fire. I opened the hood and checked the wires on the coil and
> the connections are all nice and clean. I then tried to start the motor again
> and vroom it started right up! Then about 20 minutes later it did it again. I
> opened the hood wiggled the wires on the coil and it fired right up again!?!?
Yes, sounds like you have a bad wire on the coil. I doubt the coil is bad,
since it'll fail from heat (or just fail) and wiggling things won't help. Some
will work fine when cold but when the resistance goes up with the under
bonnet temperature, they kick out. If your coil is fairly new suspect the
wires and connectors.
One thing that happens is that the little wires break internally. A strand or
two will break so it might work sometimes but not other times. My break
was 1" from the connector, can't spot that visually. Also the connections
can look good, but if the little wire is brittle there might be a broken strand
there too, and again as it gets hot and resistance increases, the ignition
will fail. Another option is that the connector to ground is bad (on a TR4
the ground wire connects to the bolt that mounts the coil bracket to the
block. That bolt goes all the way through, so oil can seep out and you
might lose ground. Also that connector could be brittle/broken as well.
I had a string of problems with these little wires in the course of three
months and with everything new it's no trouble. I was lucky to have my
first coil ground connector problem while leaving a picnic with Dave
Massey, Dan Masters, Brad Kahler and Bud Rolafson -- I'd recommend
getting some of those guys over to your place as it didn't take long to
troubleshoot this one. ;-)
You should replace all the little wires, including the little wire to ground.
Use all new high quality connectors and probably just a properly crimped
connection. The list might argue about whether solder or mechanical
connections or both are best, but since solder makes these wires brittle
and embrittled wires is my top problem with my ignition system, I'd go
with a nicely crimped connector.
Finally, since you asked, if you're going to replace all those little wires
anyway this might be a great time to switch to a Pertronix Ignitor. You
can likely keep your current coil, and it's an easy stock-looking install,
but this would be a convenient time to do it. The only downside would
be that you wouldn't absolutely confirm what your problem was. You'll
always wonder which wire it was. ;-) I also plan to relocate my coil to
the inner wheel well at some point; you might as well do this now. The
heat from the block surely must shorten the lifespan of our coils -- I've
seen this relocation on several rallye prepped TR's. Just be sure to
block off the bracket mounting holes, remember they go all the way
through.
--
Steven Newell
Littleton, CO
/// triumphs@autox.team.net mailing list
/// or try http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
/// Archives at http://www.team.net/archive
|