No spark- well not where it counts

[AndyC]

I was driving in slow moving traffic today, no issues until I stopped and went to pull away again and the car died. It wasn't a hesitation that turned to a stall, it just died. It then refused to re-start, no ignition in the cylinders at all.
Having recently re-fuelled from a very low fuel level (I put 55l in) I wondered if it was dirt in the fuel line. I also wondered about knocking a terminal off the pump or flow-lock valve, I'd had a flat tyre so had been moving the boot floor about within the last 10-15 miles.
Having had the breakdown firm arrive (he couldn't detect the SU fuel pump whirring!!!!!!) I had another look around things myself but gave up and had it recovered home.

Now at home, there's fuel flowing to the carbs, I know because I unscrewed the top of one and turned the ignition on and fuel came out at a fair rate, so I turned to the spark part of the reaction.

No spark. Checked from the coil out and all was fine (spark plug in coil lead). I've looked at the (less than 4 months old) dissy cap and rotor arm, no visible issues. The plug leads didn't all get checked but I put one straight into the coil and it gave a strong spark at the plug.

The rotor arm is fixed as it should be (it's not spinning freely), the cap has no visible cracks. When turning the engine over outside in the dark there was no visible spark anywhere.


The only suggestion that makes sense is that the spark is earthing via the rivet in the rotor arm to the dissy shaft. I have new rotor arm and cap to fit tomorrow but has anybody got any other suggestions?



Andy

And I know why it's just happened, the car obviously heard me discussing the fact I want to move the Silver Excel home to start work on that, with a view to selling the red one I was driving today.

[alanmoss]

Have you checked the cable from the distributor to the ignition amplifier?

[amarshall]

Remarkably similar symptoms to those I saw when my AB14 failed earlier this year. The spark from the coil looked OK, but wasn't strong enough.

[AndyC]

The spark was good at the coil. Not a weak yellow it was a bright white/blue so that ruled out anything before the dissy cap.

I've now been outside and put the new rotor arm on and I have a spark at the plugs (well I have the indicator tools in line and I can see a spark and the engine fired although didn't start (no choke and it's cold out there).

No visible damage to the rotor arm, but next week I'll have to pop and see Matt Debbage and get a couple (or more, red Excel, Gold Excel, Silver Excel soon to be started on) of rotor arms without the rivet, that will make it less likely for the spark to earth via that route.

[robertverhey]

Don't know if this thread will help you

http://www.lotusexcel.net/phpbb/viewtop ... 9&start=30

Eventually soluion was to pour neat petrol into the spark plug holes (about 40ml in each), quickly replace plugs and crank it over, when thankfully it came back to life. But a week of frustration preceded that, if you read the thread from the start

Robert

[Harro]

Very similar to what happened to me about a month ago. Pulled the car out of my garage to wash it before putting it away for winter, started fine and ran ok. When it came to put it back in it wouldn't start. The engine would turn over but wouldn't fire up.

After checking the site for ideas I checked and changed all sorts, fuel filter, coil, earthing points. To no avail, still wouldn't start. One thing I didn't think about changing where the spark plugs, they where only a year old with about 3K miles use. I'd checked the gaps and given them a clean so assumed they where ok. When I changed them for an older set it started on the turn of the key. So I guess 1 or more of them are duff. They are the same make as the set I changed them for a year ago, NGK.

Didn't mind changing & checking stuff, bit of preventative maintenance, fuel filter did need changing it was filthy.