[Healeys] Wiring up electronic ignition

[Bob Spidell]

Another point: 

Don't leave your ignition switch on for too long while you're trying to diagnose the problem--you could fry the electronic switcher. 

bs 

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Bob Spidell - San Jose, CA 




You didn't say what type of electronic ignition you have. I'm only familiar with Pertronix; I'm going to assume what you have is similar. 

A points setup switches current to ground, hence "a b/w wire from the distributor and a b/w wire from the battery/earth (which are joined together) attached to the +ve terminal of the coil" (the lead to the distributor goes to ground through the points, the one to the master switch shorts it out so the car can't start). A Pertronix--if your ignition is different this may not apply--switches current through the coil, hence "a black wire from the electronic ignition attached to the wire from the ignition switch and the wire from the fuses (joined together)" and "a black/white wire from the electronic ignition attached to the -ve terminal of the coil." Sounds like you're missing a path to ground, since "the wire from the battery/earth and the loose original wire from the distributor (no longer attached) attached to the +ve terminal of the coil." 

Try running a lead from the +ve terminal of the coil to ground (any screw into the chassis should work). On my Pertronix setup I used the b/w wire to the master switch for a ground, but moved it to the other terminal on the switch. The way your car is currently wired the b/w wire will be an open circuit when the master switch is "ON," so it won't provide a ground for the electronic switching unit (it would provide a path to ground with the master switch in the "OFF" position, but your starter wouldn't crank). 


bs 

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Bob Spidell - San Jose, CA