Club 80-90 Forums

My 84 1.9 DG WBX with not fire. It turns over fine. There is no power getting to the coil. I have tried putting a live straight to the coil but still nothing happens. I replaced a new Ignition Amp on today and still no luck. Any ideas?

Now I’m definitely no expert. In fact I’m a complete novice so I hope someone with a wealth of knowledge comes along shortly to tell me if I’m talking nonsense...... I have a Diesel engine so this might not be the same but the stop solenoid was not getting the correct current sometimes so if I was clawing it over and it wasn’t starting I would hold a cable on the + of the battery and touch the solenoid a couple of times. You would hear it click and it would fire up no bother.

Don’t know if that will be any help what so ever but you never know
Rob

You are referring to the ignition coil? Have you measured the voltage to the positive of the coil with ignition on and with the direct connection.

Battery, coil, leads, dizzy, rotor arm, damp, etc, etc, it is a case of checking all possibilities.

I still use the old fashioned method of removing a plug lead and connecting it to an old spark plug and, with gloves on, hold the metal body of the spark plug to the engine block while someone cranks the engine. If the coil, battery and ignition is ok you should see a good spark.

AngeloEvs wrote:You are referring to the ignition coil? Have you measured the voltage to the positive of the coil with ignition on and with the direct connection.

Battery, coil, leads, dizzy, rotor arm, damp, etc, etc, it is a case of checking all possibilities.

I still use the old fashioned method of removing a plug lead and connecting it to an old spark plug and, with gloves on, hold the metal body of the spark plug to the engine block while someone cranks the engine. If the coil, battery and ignition is ok you should see a good spark.

Yes the ignition coil.

I have new plugs, leads, dizzy, rotor arm, ignition amp.

Tested the for spark the old fashioned way as you said already.

I seem to be getting no power to the ignition coil. I put a live straight to the coil today and that did not work.

No voltage at the coil even with a direct connection, did you confirm this with a multimeter and have you measured the coil resistance?

I had the same issue and it turned out to be an old 1980's alarm immobiliser fitted behind the headlamp grille that I didn't know was there. The wiring had corroded causing the 12V supply from the ignition switch to the coil to be broken. I fitted a new wire from the ignition switch to the coil and the problem was solved. If the engine still will not start with a completely separate supply from the battery, confirmed as being 12V, then there is another issue somewhere. The failure of the 12v to the coil would be coincidental. Do you have an electric fuel pump and if so, is it working? Do you get a spark when 12V is fed to the coil? is the automatic choke working properly?

I managed to spend some time on the van today. I had a good look behind the fuses with a torch and I could see two wires that's had very bad connections. One was a red wire and the other a black/yellow. I tidied these up and now the van starts perfectly

good to hear you found the issue, thanks for letting everyone know