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  1. #1
    Bodger

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    ignition problems

    Hi all.
    I am having some troubles starting my mk1 escort. During the rebuild I've installed an eletronic ignition kit. The engine (1300 xflow) takes a lot of time to start when cold. I normaly have to crank it several times until it starts. the idle is really rought and when I try to disconect each spark plug wire at a time there is little diference (expecially on the 1š cylinder) to the idle.
    I tried to reinstall the points. But now I am really puzled about the wiring.

    I don't seem to have any ballast because I have 12v at the coil. But when I crank the engine I only have about 9.5/10v (wich I assum makes it harder to start). Today with the points set I noticed that I have 12v when the points are open when 5v whem closed. Is this all normal?
    I have one black and yellow wire conected to the starter solenoid and one wire (also black and yellow) to the coil.

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    Re: ignition problems

    Fit the (new) points-set after you use a bit of fine sandingpaper to the contacts.
    These are a bit oxidized so that will need removing before use.
    Use a length of electrical wire to connect the coil- to earth and switch on ignition.
    You should get +12V with no ballastwire or +9V with ballast on the coil+ and 0V on the coil-.
    Remove wire and fit wire from points to coil- and do the same test, but make sure the points are closed.
    Also use a new condensor as with a broken one the engine will probably not fire.

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    Bodger

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    Re: ignition problems

    thank you. I will try that.
    By the way, what is the normal resistance in ohms on the primary coil? I have about 1.3 ohms. Is this coil for ballast or not?

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    Re: ignition problems

    Yes.

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    Bodger

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    Re: ignition problems

    Quote Originally Posted by Miniliteman View Post
    Yes.
    I assume you mean it is a ballast system.

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    Re: ignition problems

    Correct.

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    World Champion Decade Plus User alladdin's Avatar

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    ignition problems

    Out of curiosity what is a non ballast primary resistance ?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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    Bodger

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    Re: ignition problems

    Quote Originally Posted by alladdin View Post
    Out of curiosity what is a non ballast primary resistance ?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    From what I read somewere, it is around 3 ohms I think.
    But I'm not 100% sure

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    Re: ignition problems

    Yes around 3 Ohms.

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    Re: ignition problems

    Like you Said, I conected a Wire to the negative side of the coil to the ground and with the ignition on, and the positive probe of the voltmeter on the positive side of the coil, and the other probe to ground I have 5 volts...??
    I tried with two diferent coils but still I only have 5 volts

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    Re: ignition problems

    Where do you take the ground from?
    Same test but also measure voltage between coil+ and battery+ and between coil- and battery- (directly on battery).

    (didn't graham do a how-to for this recently?)

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    Bodger

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    Re: ignition problems

    I used the negative side of the battery as ground

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    Re: ignition problems

    Quote Originally Posted by Miniliteman View Post
    Where do you take the ground from?
    Same test but also measure voltage between coil+ and battery+ and between coil- and battery- (directly on battery).

    (didn't graham do a how-to for this recently?)
    I did that today.
    one probe on the coil + and the other on the battery+ and I have 7 volts. With one probe on the coil- and the other on the battery - I have close to 0v.
    I also noticed today that I have electrical continuity between the black and yellow cable to the ground. I checked that on the terminal that conects to the coil and on the wire that cames from the bulkhead.

    I am really confused, because this now is beyond my electrical knowlege...
    Last edited by carmos; 25-07-2018 at 19:40.

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    Re: ignition problems

    The 7 volts should be no more than 3 volts.
    So I guess you have a high-resistance connection between battery+ to coil+.
    Could be battery-connection, connection to key-switch or a ballast-cable which is on the way out.
    For very little time (seconds) you could try a direct connection between battery+ and coil+ then start.
    To stop the engine you would have to remove that cable.

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    Bodger

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    Re: ignition problems

    If I conect a direct wire from the bulkhead connection to the coil + side and with the coil - side connected to ground I have 12v at the coil+. I tried connecting a diferent loom that I have from the bulkead conection to the coil but I still have 5v at coil+ (and 7v when measuring from batery+ to coil+).
    I also noticed that I donīt have any ballast, only a pink wire wich I think is a resistor wire, that goes bellow the radiator.

    If I am using an eletronic ignition (wich is not compatible with ballast type ignition) I think I have to cutt that resistor wire and put a normal wire there??

    Also, do you think that maybe the battery is not the correct one? (I have a 330 A and 45Ah battery)

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    Bodger

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    Re: ignition problems

    just a question: How thick does the wire that goes to the coil has to be?
    I followed all the wires I tried to hot wired in diferent places but still I can only get abou 10.9 volts with no ballast wire and 5.5 volts with the ballast
    There is a resistance of 330 ohms between the positive side of the battery and the connector to the coil+ side. I think that's the problem but cannot find where it is!!

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    Re: ignition problems

    For wire to coil 1.5 mm2 is good enough.
    You must have a bad (solder-) connection somewhere in the loom.
    Battery size doesn't matter.
    There is a how-to-remove resistor wire thread (in how to fit electronic ignition thread) for mk2 Escort.

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  19. #18
    Bodger

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    Re: ignition problems

    I am not really getting it... I followed all the wires, all the connectors, tried to hot wire the coil from differentt places . Can't get 12v there ulnless I connect a cable directly from the battery, and even then it has to be a short wire! And even If I connect the the coil directly to the battery using the ballast wire I only have 5.5 volts instead of 9 (tried with 2 different wires).

    just to make sure I'am doing right:
    I have to measure the tension with the coil all connected (primary side) and put one probe of the voltmeter on the positive terminal of the coil and the other probe on battery-

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    Re: ignition problems

    Is the battery ok?

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    Bodger

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    Re: ignition problems

    The battery has around 12.7 volts. I tried with other battery, similar results.
    I have 2 coils with 1.3 ohms, in those I can get 11.5 volts with no ballast and 5.6 with ballast wire, and another coil for an eletronic ignition wich has 0.9 ohms and is non ballast I only can get 10.5 volts with no ballast.

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