[Mgs] Coil failure

[Stuart MacMillan]

We are all showing our age with this one.  I actually have seen modern "coil
packs" fail due to cracking, but that was a manufacturing defect.  But the
old fashioned "coil in a can" was pretty bomb proof.  And it usually was a
go or no go thing, or had obvious leaks or broken terminals.  Mine was a
Lucas Sport Coil (I know, I know, I should have known!)  installed about 20
years ago, but not actually driven more than 20,000 miles.   Worked fine
cold, and the hotter it got, the more likely it was to just stop working
until it cooled down.   A bad internal wire obviously. 

 

So, I actually have been trying to fix two major intermittent problems that
would strand me without warning for the past three years-the coil and the
gas tank, which made driving the car a complete crapshoot!  (My wife will
never drive it again.)

 

Stuart,

Waiting to hear about his gas tank.

 

  _____  

From: Paul Hunt [mailto:paul.hunt1 at blueyonder.co.uk] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 12:51 AM
To: Stuart MacMillan
Cc: mgs at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Mgs] Coil failure

 

It happens, but only after many years.  Originally the spades were riveted
to the coil and over time these work loose and start giving an intermittent
contact.  This (as well as other causes) makes the tach swing wildly as the
engine misfires or drops to zero instantly if it cuts right out.  Later
coils have studs and nuts which overcomes the problem.  Broken turns is also
possible but I think this is more rare, as long as you are using the correct
resistance coil for your wiring.

 

PaulH.

----- Original Message ----- 

>  Coils never fail, do they?   I've never seen this in my 45 years of
messing with
> cars.