Reversed polarity

[Maidstonerob]

High guys

The welding guy stuck my battery back in the wrong way round and like an idiot I didnt check and went to connect it. Got a lovely spark from the pos terminal direct to earth as you would expect and removed it quickly.

Ignition was not switched on but now it seems my voltmeter is off the scale hen engines running and its running far more lumpy on warm up than normalhave to keep on very high choke or it tries to die. Is it possible i have also messed up the lumenition ignition system and what else could be knackered?

[tamtrucks]

you could go back to basic,and take off the lumenition ignition system and go on points+coil and see if it still does the same

[soe8m]

You can get back to basic and try another engine first. Or, just measure the volts output. If it's running on 7 or 17 volts you have to replace the alternator and probably when all is 13volts again the ignition will work ok again.

Jeroen

[Maidstonerob]

You can get back to basic and try another engine first. Or, just measure the volts output. If it's running on 7 or 17 volts you have to replace the alternator and probably when all is 13volts again the ignition will work ok again.

Jeroen

Hi

I measured the volts at the battery with engine running and was getting 14.5 steady regardless of revs

[soe8m]

magnetronic or optronic?

[Maidstonerob]

magnetronic or optronic?

Its Optronic

[Jon Tilson]

The only thing you could have damaged is the diode pack in the alternator.
I would try it with a different alternator but if you are reading 14.5V when its running it doesnt
sound like much is wrong.

Old lumenitions dont like a dodgy supply voltage and it must be from a nominal 12V source, NOT from the ballasted coil
if you still run one.


Jonners

[soe8m]

You can measure the current trough the coil. Disconnect the purple neg coil wire and put an amp meter between the purple wire and coil neg. This should be engine running about 4-5 amps. If more or less the coil is probably damaged. It is advisable to put a fuse between any points replacement electronic ignition systems and neg coil. This way it never has to switch a too high current by a faulty or wrong coil. The fuse just blows. Only the 123 ignition can switch about 13 amps and is coil safe.

I alway's use a bosch red coil for a ballasted system without resistor on an 123. Very high current so a very high spark all the time. BUT, only a Bosch ballasted coil can manage. A Lucas will fry itself as not designed to use without. Bosch is in coils superior to all other makes. Don't expect a lucas super power sport 15hp+ coil to be of a good quality compared with bosch.

Jeroen

[73sprint]

I am running a 123 dizzy via a 12v coil fed from the switched side of the fuse box. Is this OK ? Never had any problems , ballast is obviously disconnected .

[soe8m]

That is ok. An 123 works ok from 6v till 18v so no worries. You can use a red Bosch ballasted coil for more benefit. An 123 can switch coils till 1,0 Ohm. A red Bosch is 1,2 Ohm and a non ballasted 3,5 Ohm.

Jeroen

[Maidstonerob]

The only thing you could have damaged is the diode pack in the alternator.
I would try it with a different alternator but if you are reading 14.5V when its running it doesnt
sound like much is wrong.

Old lumenitions dont like a dodgy supply voltage and it must be from a nominal 12V source, NOT from the ballasted coil
if you still run one.


Jonners

How can i tell what sort of coil i have? Short of it being shiny and gold? Sorry guys but a coils a coil to me!

Would like to make sure the elecky ignition is connected properly will trace where the supply volts are coming .

Car seems to be running better again now had it running for an hour and it seems to have settled down probably just muck from the tank where it was emptied and removed/refitted and refilled.

Even the voltmeter has calmed down a bit however compared to the other gauges the face is hotter.

[Jon Tilson]

Measure the volts at the coil plus.

Ballasted it will be six.

Non ballasted it will be full battery -nominal 12.

Jonners

[soe8m]

Measure the volts at the coil plus.

Ballasted it will be six.

Non ballasted it will be full battery -nominal 12.

Jonners

No, measure between the coil pos and neg. 1,2 Ohm or 3,5 Ohm. Then you know what coil you have.

Jeroen

[Jon Tilson]

True, but that doesnt tell him how its wired up....

Only how it should be wired up....

Jonners