Help with points style ignition 73 corona

[VendableFall]

Hey guys, long time lurker here, just wondering if i could get any suggestions as what to do next in the quest to get my old RT81 1973 corona running, thanks in advance for anyone who reads this thread and put in any ideas :-)

i bought the corona late last year, the thing would start with a spray of "start ya bastard" for a while and run pretty rough, me and my mate thought it was a fueling issue, so i replaced the carby with a new one from china, replace the fuel pump, put some new gas in the beast (the old stuff was stale) and could get it started (very hard start tho) but it wouldn't idle very well, so i replaced took the opportunity to set the timing (it was way out) it still would only keep going at a high idle (about 1200-1500 im guessing as i had no tacho) so i replaced the ignition coil, dizzy cap and set the points gap, hurray! it ran, started easily, and would idle at about 800 :-)

now i left the car alone for a few days sorting out where to get my roadyworthy done, when i got back it wouldn't start... i think i left it in the car in the on position (something i now know is a big no no) so i thought i must have burnt out the ignition coil, got a new one along with a new resistor block, and the car will not start! (well after an excessive about of turning over it will start) but then it runs for about a minute or so, the revs drop and it dies, and is impossible to start again for a few hours.

so i thought there must be something awry in the ignition system, so i bought a multi meter to try and test the various components, i have little to no idea how to test the thing and dont know what i should be looking for, any ideas?

i havnt actualyl done a compression test on the thing, but i can if u think that i might have a bad engine, alot of my friends dont think that would be in tho.. any ideas?

[Dazza]

Check the points again. they could be burnt and either need cleaning or replacing. Replace the condenser while you are at it because the condenser can cause hard starting and will cause the points to burn out quickly if it is faulty.

[VendableFall]

Hey should of mentioned I replaced the condenser before trying the second coil (it's the little silver cylinder that earths the coil?)

I'll get some new points from repco ordered today, thanks

[schnitzel]

Hey should of mentioned I replaced the condenser before trying the second coil (it's the little silver cylinder that earths the coil?)

I'll get some new points from repco ordered today, thanks

the one on the coil is a suppressor, the condensor is on the side of the distributor and looks the same ( but there not) would also receheck your points as you will most likely have burnt them out.

[ctrain]

check if that coil is compatible with the ballast resistor, some coils dont need the resistor, it should say on the coil if it needs it or not

[allencr]

Does it or does it not spark????
Coil wire, large fat wire going from the coil to the dist. cap, throw a large fat blue-yellow spark to any ground for at least 8mm with a sharp snap/crack sound when cranking or moving the points open?

[ta22fan]

Start with allencr's suggestion. Stick a large phillips-head screw-driver into one of the spark-plug connectors (#1`is usually easiest), hold the metal shaft around 5mm or so from a well earthed metal surface (the valve cover is usually Ok), and have someone crank the motor. Take care not to touch the metal shaft of the screw-driver, or you'll cop a couple of hundred tho volts down your arm! You should see a nice strong spark. If spark is very weak (or nothing at all), then start fault-finding your ignition system. However, from the general description of your fault - I'm thinking maybe fuel related rather than ignition.

Weak spark; Check points gap; check that coil is a 1.5 ohm unit (for use with ballast) - this as per ctrain's note; replace HT leads (old leads can develop high internal resistance -particularly when cold/damp). Check dizzy cap - in particular the spring-loaded connector for the rotor in the centre of the cap. Check dizzy rotor is fitted correctly.

Spark Ok: Are you sure the timing is about right? Loosen the dizzy locking bolt, have someone crank the motor and give the dizzy a small twist in each direction to see if this helps the engine catch.

If spark seems Ok, timing is about right and you've not mixed up your firing order somehow (easy enough to do, and often overlooked), then I'd start looking at the carby,

HTH - Paul

[VendableFall]

hey guys, thanks for the feedback, checked the dizzy cap & rotor both seem okay, pulled the points, badly pitted, replaced with new ones, new condenser, it starts now!

BUT it wont run for long, ive set the idle at about 1400rpm, she starts and runs good for a few mins, but then the revs start to drop, and it sounds like and efi car thats rev hunting, kinda drops a bit, picks up then drops some more, picks up a bit, but ultimatley stalls out, and pulling the accel cable when its dying dosnt help much, this would lead me to think ingition coil? would that be correct? as i have been through three coils, is there any way to check if a coil is good with a multimeter? i have a multimeter but am not to good at using it :-)

also when idling at 1400, if i go full throttle it splutters and dies, if i slowly increase the revs it goes with it, but anything sudden will make it splutter, i dont know what this means but it might help in diagnosing...

i havnt checked the spark, so ill do that tomorrow

[ta22fan]

Sounds more like a fuel issue to me. Try replacing your fuel filter as a next step. Unlikely to be the coil if the car starts and runs Ok for a short period. But you can check primary and secondary resistance with your multi-meter if you like. Instructions on how to do this here:

http://autorepair.about.com/od/troub...l-test-ohm.htm

You'll need to know the specs for the standard coil for your car for the test results to mean anything much.

[VendableFall]

The fuel filter looks brand new, i will check it tonight tho, thanks for the link, all the guides i found were obviously written by sparky's and i couldn't understand the terminology, that one looks allot more user friendly.

so if it is a fuel issue, do you think it would be lack of fuel? or over fueling?

/edit Ive done a bit of google fu, and installing the filter backwards can cause this, (as it was installed byt eh previous owner, ill check this when i get home), the ppl online think fueling issue as well, since Ive got a new pump, im thinking clogged fuel line or filter?

[ta22fan]

Just sounds like fuel starvation to me from what you've described. Start her up with air-cleaner removed, and then when the revs start to drop - spray some fuel directly down the carby with a trigger pump. One squirt every few seconds should keep her going. If that works - 99% sure you've got a fuel supply problem somewhere (lines, filter, pump, carby).

[VendableFall]

Thanks mate will try tonight, instead of fuel, would squirting some "start yah bastard" spray work as a substitute? as i have it on hand

[ta22fan]

Should be Ok - aim is to see if the motor runs with an alternate fuel supply.

[Dazza]

It does sound like it is not getting enough fuel at idle but it could be a vacuum leak somewhere too. try adjusting the idle mixture screw. Anticlockwise will richen it up. If you cant get it to run right by adjusting the mixture screw then you must have a vacuum leak somewhere. Check to see if manifold bolts are loose or manifold gasket is leaking. It could even be a stuck PCV valve.

[VendableFall]

remember the car is not idling, its reving at about 1400rpm so is not on the idle circuit, i was under the impression the idle mixture screw only affected the car when it was running on the idle circuit?

/edit i set it to 1400rpm idle in the hopes of keeping it alive long enough to warm it up, check timing etc and then i was going to decrease the idle speed to the recommended 800-900 rpm, but i cant get that far