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<p>Here's what I surmised: Her alternator had failed/was failing
and, of course, the battery was drained by powering the ECU, FI,
gauges, lights, etc. When I jumped her car, it started
immediately and ran fine until I disconnected the jumpstarter (one
of the combination jumpstarter/air compressor/inverter things),
then it barely ran and the (digital) gauges were very dim. This
may be an issue only with an alternator since, I believe, they
require some excitation of the rotor to produce current, whereas
with a generator I think there is enough residual magnetism in the
field coils to produce some output (possibly why they need to be
'polarized' when a car's ground is switched). Electrical gurus,
please correct me if I'm wrong.</p>
<p>People always want to blame the coil, possibly because it's about
the easiest thing in the engine bay to change out. My BJ8's coil
is the original AFAIK, and has nearly 200K miles on it and has
been flawless (but I carry a spare, just in case). Have heard of
problems with newer coils, esp. the 'Lucas Sport' variety, and
have it on good authority--tech support at Moss--that the newer
ones are Chinese crap* so if he's got one of those a new coil
might be worth a shot. As someone here, or on the Forum
mentioned, the aftermarket parts business for older cars is now a
'cottage industry,' without the QA effort that the OEMs practiced
(or should have, at least).</p>
<p>Also consider the (distributor) rotor but, in my experience they
fail outright and dramatically (engine stops cold and won't
restart, period).</p>
<p>Bob<br>
</p>
<p>* same source told me people are buying original, empty Lucas
boxes and putting aftermarket crap parts in them. Beware.<br>
</p>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 4/11/2017 1:12 AM, Simon Lachlan
wrote:<br>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Thanks
for all the replies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Now,
I had thought that we were facing two separate issues:-<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">The
battery was flat because of frequent short trips and then a
series of attempts to start a recalcitrant engine.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">The
engine was “making a weird noise” and generally misbehaving
which led to more attempts to start and a flatter and
flatter battery……the one thing leading to the other.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Are
you guys suggesting that the battery – still under guarantee
– and/or the generator could cause the engine to stutter,
under rev and go gutless? ie that, let’s say, a fluctuating
output from the generator could cause fluctuations in the
ignition circuit? That would be contrary to what I’d expect.
Generators fail………the lights go dim but the engine, if it
dies at all, does so unspasmodically? (If that’s even a
word!). In my experience, it’s more a question of the
battery being flat as a pancake when you next try to start
the car. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">And,
of course, we haven’t heard if the charging light has come
on. What about that, PH?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">As
I said, I was thinking about timing. Are those bolts on the
distributor clamp tight enough?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Anyhow,
I would really appreciate some more guru time on this one.
Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Simon<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext"
lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext"
lang="EN-US"> Healeys
[<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:healeys-bounces@autox.team.net">mailto:healeys-bounces@autox.team.net</a>] <b>On Behalf Of
</b>Bob Spidell<br>
<b>Sent:</b> 11 April 2017 01:06<br>
<b>To:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:healeys@autox.team.net">healeys@autox.team.net</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Healeys] "Engine making a weird
noise"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p>I helped a friend jumpstart her Toyota (Corolla, I think;
maybe a Camry--who cares ;). A jump started the car
immediately, but it barely ran; couldn't even light the dash
gauges. The alternator was shot; ergo, could be the dynamo on
your nephew's car.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Bob<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">On 4/10/2017 1:41 PM, Simon Lachlan
wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal">Hi,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Advice from the experts required please:-<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(No just the experts. We can all have a
go.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, I got this, below, from my nephew
just now:-<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">QUOTE:-<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hi Uncle Simon!<br>
……………. I went to work with the healey on Saturday. All went
well in the morning but on the way back the engine stopped
just after the gate... And it would not start: as if the
battery was flat: not much happening when trying to start
it! I spent 30 min checking the distributor, wires, etc. all
seemed normal.<br>
I called the assistance. They came with a battery booster
which got the car started immediately. After 15min of
driving I found myself in a traffic jam. The car kept on
wanting to stop. I tried keeping the revs up but it did not
work well: the engine was making a weird noise, the car had
very little power and the revs did not want to go high: 4500
maximum. I don't see what that engine problem has got to do
with the battery?<br>
And I can't explain how the new battery can be flat!?<br>
The engine stopped in front of my garage. It would not
start. I pushed the car in it. And left. I was a bit fed up
with it so did not go back. I might do in a few days...<br>
Any ideas about the problem!?<br>
PH <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">UNQUOTE<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Well, the battery may be new, but I
suspect it’s used quite frequently and doesn’t get time to
get charged.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Main problem is the lack of power and
other related issues. Car is a BJ8 with a very recently
fitted Pertronix EI and coil.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’m thinking coil or coil connections or
timing. The car’s in a basement in Paris; I’m in Devon, UK
which makes life tricky.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Any thoughts would be much appreciated.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Simon<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
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<pre><o:p> </o:p></pre>
<pre><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:Healeys@autox.team.net">Healeys@autox.team.net</a><o:p></o:p></pre>
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<pre><o:p> </o:p></pre>
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