Posted: May-06-2008 06:01PM

That's not the wire/ground I'm focusing on.  The breaker plate is a moving bearing.  On the 23D and 25D distributors there's a wire INSIDE that goes from the breaker plate to the dizzy housing that is a dedicated ground for the points.  You really don't want current passing through a bearing... it's bad practice.  You may have continuity when using the multimeter but without the internal ground wire you may not be able to pass the coil current.  I don't know if the 45 series and later dizzys had this wire but I assume they had to.  Look inside the dizzy for a cloth covered wire from the breaker plate to the shell.  Also tell us which dizzy you have.  Presumably someone else can confirm if the 45 and later dizzys have this dedicated internal ground wire.

Did you try refitting the points yet?

Doug L.

Posted: May-06-2008 05:53PM

Have continuity from plate/ground wire to bolt on firewall.

 SteveD

Posted: May-05-2008 04:19AM

Hugh, that's very curious.  I would not expect the starter to operate with a damaged ground (excluding the current passing through choke and throttle cables). 

Along the lines of a ground issue... steved409 didn't mention which dizzy this Ignitor-II is in.  The original Ignitor module gets its ground connection through the breaker plate, presumably Ignitor-II does also.  Therefore... the Lucas fabric covered flex wire has to be in place between the breaker plate and the dizzy housing.  If that wire is broken the ground path is through the breaker plate bearing which may give intermittent problems.  Steved409, have you confirmed the ground wire inside the dizzy is in place and intact end to end?

Doug L.

Posted: May-04-2008 08:46PM

"Retired:  No Job, No Money, No Wife!  Will travel anywhere for Minis"

hockey91dad@hotmail.com

Posted: May-04-2008 04:45PM

Doug L.

Posted: May-03-2008 04:41PM

Doug L.

Posted: May-03-2008 09:37AM

To answer one question---the only tach I've had on this beast is a cheapy K-mart job.  Seemed to work ok.

 Tried the light bulb test just now.  Other than a slight dim when the starter was engaged I saw no change in the brightness of the light.  No flicker at all, that I could see.  Going to assume the module is bad and work from there.  Thanks

Posted: May-01-2008 05:23PM

It's easy enough to put a set of points back in.  If it fires up, the Pertronix is likely the problem.  Of course it could be a ground issue or something else "around" the Pertronix, but my money is on the unit expiring...but then I'm bit biased because I've had two go belly up (though they were both Pertronix I, before the II was available).

Let us know if any of the tests suggested work to identify the problem and what it turns out to be.

BTW ... this is no spark from the coil wire itself or from a plug wire?  Coil spark but no plug spark would suggest cap and/or rotor, not the Pertronix.

SE7EN

Posted: May-01-2008 02:33PM

You wouldn't happen to have a SMITHS "RVI" (as indicated on the face in small letters) TACH would you?

As opposed to the more common RVC tach.....the RVI goes in series with the coil and if it goes, your car won't fire....

Yes, I am reaching here, but Doug covered it sooo well above, that's the only other thing I could think of w/o having more info !

Luck !

       ~ 30 minutes in a Mini is more therapeutic than 3 sessions @ the shrink. ~

For Sale or Trade: 1961 Land Rover Series II 88" -$5k or a Mini

     Mike  NB, Canada   

Posted: May-01-2008 01:08PM Edited:  May-01-2008 01:10PM

You said "pertronix II".  As I understand it, that model does not support "zero speed firing" (unlike the original Ignitor module) which means it does not simply act like a set of points.  The only way I know of to test something like that would be to crank the engine with a volt meter (preferably analog with a needle) connected between coil (-) and ground.  If the module is firing, the voltage will swing between ground and battery voltage each time the module fires.  An analog meter may capture the voltage swings while a digital meter may miss them.  (EDIT:  I suppose a small test lamp connected between coil (-) and ground would also be used as it would flash pulses as the module fires).  The other obvious way to check this would be to re-fit the points and see if the engine can be started.

During your troubleshooting be sure to disconnect any tach you have fitted.  If there is a failure (short) with the tachometer or its wiring, that may be holding the coil (-) terminal low all the time and this will act like a kill switch preventing the coil from firing. 

Doug L.

Posted: May-01-2008 11:13AM

  Last fall my engine in the '89 quit running in such a manner that I thought it was fuel related.  Running along at hwy speed and engine started stalling, pulled to side of road and engine got better, drive a little engine started stalling--did this several times until it stopped completely.  Turns out flow of pump looks good with about 5 # pressure, so I checked for spark and found none.   I installed a Pertronix II kit several thousand miles ago and had no problems with it.  But now I have voltage to the coil and have substituted a known good coil for the one in my car and still no spark.   How do I check the Pertronix to see if it is my problem?

 I've been waiting over a week for an answer from Pertronix.

Thanks