[Healeys] FW: Healey "Security" Circuit

[BJ8 Healeys]

Jonas, the switch in the trunk connects the white/black wire to ground when
the switch is ON.  At the same time, it also disconnects battery ground from
the chassis and grounds the points side of the ignition coil to prevent it
from generating the voltage required to fire the spark plugs.  Sometimes the
switch in the trunk shorts internally so that the white/black wire is
connected to ground even with the switch in the OFF position.  This will
prevent the car from starting.  If the internal failure also disconnects
battery ground, you will not have any electrical power at all.
To check to see if the switch is preventing ignition, disconnect the wire
from the trunk switch.  To check to see if the switch is disconnecting
battery ground, connect another wire from the battery negative terminal
directly to the chassis.

I had the switch failure problem while at Lake Tahoe for Open Roads 2002,
and I have driven the car with the switch disconnected ever since.

Steve Byers
HBJ8L/36666
BJ8 Registry
Havelock, NC  USA

-----Original Message-----
From: healeys-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of Jonas Payne
Sent: Friday, May 11, 2012 12:40 PM
To: 'healeys at autox.team.net'
Subject: [Healeys] FW: Healey "Security" Circuit

When the switch in the trunk is flipped, is it supposed to be interrupting
the black white ground or is it supposed to be grounding it out?

The power will go to ground via the path of least resistance, so my theory
is that an ignition system (capacitor, spark plug, etc.) has lots of
resistance, so if the switch in the trunk is "on" then the black/white wire
is not grounded.  and when "off" the coil will ground itself out and no
power will be making it to the dist.  Right?

If that's the case, I can isolate this variable in my not working ignition
by disconnecting it in the trunk and making sure it isn't grounded.

The wiring diagram does not indicate which side of the switch the black and
white wire is actually on in the trunk.

If not as described above, is it a "flow" item similar to the ignition light
(charge/discharge) indicator?  And if so, How do I then Isolate it.





Jonas Payne
PBR
Cell:   (702) 358-5084
_______________________________________________