Coils (or, don't be dumb)
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 12:54 pm
I've started getting our 1500TC moving again. This car always was a something of a bugger to start even when in regular use. I really should have looked at why.... Anyway starting last month:
Week 1:
Empty carbs and fill with fresh fuel. Remove plugs. Fit charged battery & crank until oil pressure. Refit plugs and crank until flat. Connect modern & start. Runs fine, move it fore & aft & that's all I had time for.
Week 2:
Fit battery & crank until flat. Connect modern & start. Move it a bit more but still no time to do more.
Week 3:
Fit battery & crank until flat. Connect modern & start. Move to work location and replace a few brake bits. Started OK to go back to parking spot.
Week 4:
It's been a couple of years since I touched one of our cars so it took a while for the grey cells to start firing. But this week they did and I had a thought. I was almost scuppered though, last week I forgot to put the battery on charge. Instead I'd left connected one that my super-intelligent charger always declares foobar, it had half a charge in it and the red light on the charger again. Still it would do for the next test so I connected it and measured the voltage at the coil - 12V. Disconnect the obvious extra wire on the coil - 6V. Crank it - 9V. Cue mild profanity. Just for the hell of it I reconnected the 12V line and cranked it a bit but was obviously heading nowhere.
Couldn't find a ballasted coil in stock so had to buy one. This morning I fitted that. By now the good battery was charged but just for the hell of it again I turned the key with the not freshly charged, won't take a full charge knackered battery. It started. Easily. Very very bloody easily.
Questions:
1) Why in hell does anyone convert an excellent ballasted system to 12V - it is dumb.
2) Why in hell didn't I sort that out years ago, I must have known it had been downgraded to a 12V coil. It even had the digits of doom written clearly on it - DLB-105.
3) Why don't I listen to my own advice. Back when I wrote that the car was in daily use and a pain to start especially in the winter.
4) Why didn't I try the coil before ordering a britpart yesterday. Actually scratch that, a britpart is worthwhile upgrade on any engine.
Sirry arse.
Week 1:
Empty carbs and fill with fresh fuel. Remove plugs. Fit charged battery & crank until oil pressure. Refit plugs and crank until flat. Connect modern & start. Runs fine, move it fore & aft & that's all I had time for.
Week 2:
Fit battery & crank until flat. Connect modern & start. Move it a bit more but still no time to do more.
Week 3:
Fit battery & crank until flat. Connect modern & start. Move to work location and replace a few brake bits. Started OK to go back to parking spot.
Week 4:
It's been a couple of years since I touched one of our cars so it took a while for the grey cells to start firing. But this week they did and I had a thought. I was almost scuppered though, last week I forgot to put the battery on charge. Instead I'd left connected one that my super-intelligent charger always declares foobar, it had half a charge in it and the red light on the charger again. Still it would do for the next test so I connected it and measured the voltage at the coil - 12V. Disconnect the obvious extra wire on the coil - 6V. Crank it - 9V. Cue mild profanity. Just for the hell of it I reconnected the 12V line and cranked it a bit but was obviously heading nowhere.
Couldn't find a ballasted coil in stock so had to buy one. This morning I fitted that. By now the good battery was charged but just for the hell of it again I turned the key with the not freshly charged, won't take a full charge knackered battery. It started. Easily. Very very bloody easily.
Questions:
1) Why in hell does anyone convert an excellent ballasted system to 12V - it is dumb.
2) Why in hell didn't I sort that out years ago, I must have known it had been downgraded to a 12V coil. It even had the digits of doom written clearly on it - DLB-105.
3) Why don't I listen to my own advice. Back when I wrote that the car was in daily use and a pain to start especially in the winter.
4) Why didn't I try the coil before ordering a britpart yesterday. Actually scratch that, a britpart is worthwhile upgrade on any engine.
Sirry arse.
