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Trying to start for first time after 14 years...


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Hey guys!

 

Well i am finally getting around to working on the 1980 Brat i rescued awhile back. So far i have drained the gas tank and added new gas, the old gas wasn't bad really just yellow in color. Did a new fuel filter, added a working fuel pump off of the donor, put in a battery and connected the terminals.

 

First sound was a buzzer like when you first put the key in the ignition, then all the lights on the dash came on, i heard the fuel pump kick on to feed the carb and the fuel filter is full of has, upon cranking it just cranks, fuel goes into the carb but there is no spark at all. I replaced the coil from the donor car, didn't fix nothing. I replaced the voltage regulator from donor, no change. There are two wires coming off of the distributor a black and a white/black if i remember right, the white/black has 12vdc. They both go to the coil, one to pos + and one to - Neg. I ordered a new voltage regulator just so i know it's new but my question to you all is...

 

Where does the spark originate? Inside of the distributor? Should there be a pulse? I am going to keep at it but maybe one of you seasoned guys can chime in?

 

By the way its the starter on top 1.6 liter.

 

THANKS A MILLION!

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If you put a test light across the positive and negative terminals of the coil, you should get a pulse.  The distributor should supply a pulsed ground, either directly (via points), or through an ignition module.  If you have a signal with the test light, pop the coil wire of the disty, and check for spark on it.  If you don't have it there, but the coil is getting a signal, then it is either the coil or the wire.  You can use an ohmmeter to check the wire and the coil.

 

Edit:  Basically, you want to isolate whether the problem is in the primary (battery voltage) side,or the secondary (high voltage) side.

Edited by Dj7291993
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If those two things sticking up are spade terminals, I'd guess that is is the pickup, but I'm not sure.  It looks different than NAPA's listing for a pickup.  Sorry, I'm not very familiar with the stuff before gen 3.

 

What do you mean by not doing anything?  Also, you you check for pulse at the coil?  If you don't have a test light, you can use a bulb (like an 1156) and some wire.

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module alright, but must be from an EA81 ? Whole dizzy might be EA81. Depends, maybe markets were different around the world, but early EA81 got points, then across to this module. To see module in EA71 is odd, maybe a normal upgrade. Maybe post up numbers cast/ engraved in the side of the dizzy body to have others compare. These modules are about 40 bucks on ebay and pretty common cause of no spark - maybe why it parked 14 years ago

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Thanks for all the help everyone, this car was actually originally parked because it was supposed to get a new interior...that's it. I am going to get a new module and give it a shot. I took the distributor apart from the 79' parts car and the insides are completely different and the wires go to a transistor module and not the coil directly.

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most likely the pick up. they are basically an enclosed point system replacement that send a magnetic pulse to the coil. works very similar to points except no contacts to clean. if this dont do the trick make sure you have power to the distributor by using a test light. check the ignition system is connected correctly. if it has a white ceramic resistor on the coil you should have full power to the coil while cranking via the starter position before the resistor and reduced power after start up after the resistor. if one of the positions is compromised in your ignition switch it will either start and die after you let off the switch or crank forever and magically start after you let go. given it has not been started for years you may not experience any start up at all. you can also find the hot wire to the distributor and coil and connect directly to the battery to bypass a possibly faulty ignition switch. check that the engine is properly grounded and distributor is tight. the negative battery terminal should have a large ground to the engine and a smaller ground to the fender well or body. hope all is well.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Well gents today i fired it up and thought i would post what i came up with.

 

I installed new the following:

 

Coil

Voltage Regulator

Ignition Module (inside of disty)

Battery

Disty Cap

Rotor

Spark Plug Wires (NGK)

 

I tried the test for a pulse across the coils + and - with a tail light bulb. Sure enough it pulsed while cranking. So i unplugged a plug that came right off the battery + and had two wires that went to the engine, one went to a thing right on the front right of the carb. I unplugged it, checked voltage and plugged back in...CLICK the part i just described on the carb clicked. Never heard it before. So i cranked it and it coughed and started then died. So i went for more gas and second attempt it started right up and idled at about 2500.

 

I took that part out of the carb and it is a solenoid? With a sharp pointy metal tube that is freely moving on the inside. I have no idea what it is. Haha

 

Anyone?

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  • 2 weeks later...

usually these solenoids are part of the idle circuit. get a normal running one and disconnect the 12V pos supply and the engine idle will drop off, and stall. A pollution control ? stops engine properly when you cut ignition switch...so this solenoid is powered up in the IGN ON circuit with coil and fuel pump sort of thing

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I took that part out of the carb and it is a solenoid? With a sharp pointy metal tube that is freely moving on the inside. I have no idea what it is. Haha

 

Anyone?

 

That is the anti-diesel solenoid.It cuts fuel to the idle circuit to prevent run on,

If it is faulty,you can gut it w/no ill effect in most cases.

Might as well keep the Hitachi.

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