When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hi Noah, yes please. Any help in being pointed to the right direction would be a plus.
I don’t want to resort in taking this to a mechanic as it will only end up with my wallet being lightened and a heavy heart.
The gas tank is a different story altogether, and most likely if rusted will need a shop.
my brother in law is a car guy, mechanic and bodywork, but prefers North American stuff.
the previous owner seems to have bodged some things. And I look forward to getting this old girl on the road as I have always loved the series 3.
I should’ve gotten the XJ6, but in Toronto they’re either vastly overpriced or a mess or rusted to bits and driven into the ground.
You won't have any regrets about choosing the V12 once you get it running. The area around the coil, throttle capstan, ignition amp and distributor is so crowded and tight it makes it difficult to trace wires or spot any defects. I can tell you how the wires are connected in my running '87 V12. I'm no expert, so I welcome any corrections from others.
I agree with Greg about starting with the ignition amplifier. In Post #17 from Greg, the first photo he included (of your engine) shows the white plug with 4 wires coming out of the ignition amp. Then in Post #8 from Gregory (Sov211), his 3rd photo provides a good shot of these 4 wires (in a very clean engine bay!). As he said, the wire on the far right is the shielded wire and enters the that black plastic connector and then should continue to the wiring loom and to the ECU at the rear of the car. I would just try to verify it's in place and looks undamaged in your engine bay.
The middle two wires of those 4 wire coming out of the amp go to the coil. One is white and one is white with a black tracer, and there is a sheath holding those two wires together for part of the distance between the amp and the coil. There are 4 spades on the coil. Looking at the coil from the left side of the engine bay, the white wire connects to the far left spade (pos) and the white/black wire connects to the far right spade (neg) on my car.
The wire on the far left coming out of the amp: This is white with a blue tracer, and has some sort of white rubbery connector a few inches from the amp. This runs to underneath the top of the throttle capstan and into a sleeve that then runs to the firewall. Per Greg, this one goes to the tachometer. In that same sleeve is a white wire coming out that connects to the 2nd spade from the left on the coil (pos). I've included a photo of that below. You can see the white/blue wiring running into the sleeve and the white wire from the same sleeve going to coil positive.
I would also verify the plug wire from the coil to the center of the distributor is firmly in place.
Greg also mentioned that black plug that goes into the right side of the Ignition Amplifier and the accompanying ground strap connected to the top of the amp. That ground strap appears to be in place on your amp. The two wires from that black plug are red and blue on mine and covered by a black sleeve. They are difficult to follow but should run to the front of the distributor. There is a connector near the distributor you can see in the 2nd photo below. I have my cruise control bellows out of the car at the moment so it's easier to see this connector.
Lastly, you may want to open up the ignition amplifier if you have not done so to check the condition of the innards. Replacing the ignition module inside is a quick and easy job - use Delco 1906 or GM 19180771.
You won't have any regrets about choosing the V12 once you get it running. The area around the coil, throttle capstan, ignition amp and distributor is so crowded and tight it makes it difficult to trace wires or spot any defects. I can tell you how the wires are connected in my running '87 V12. I'm no expert, so I welcome any corrections from others.
I agree with Greg about starting with the ignition amplifier. In Post #17 from Greg, the first photo he included (of your engine) shows the white plug with 4 wires coming out of the ignition amp. Then in Post #8 from Gregory (Sov211), his 3rd photo provides a good shot of these 4 wires (in a very clean engine bay!). As he said, the wire on the far right is the shielded wire and enters the that black plastic connector and then should continue to the wiring loom and to the ECU at the rear of the car. I would just try to verify it's in place and looks undamaged in your engine bay.
The middle two wires of those 4 wire coming out of the amp go to the coil. One is white and one is white with a black tracer, and there is a sheath holding those two wires together for part of the distance between the amp and the coil. There are 4 spades on the coil. Looking at the coil from the left side of the engine bay, the white wire connects to the far left spade (pos) and the white/black wire connects to the far right spade (neg) on my car.
The wire on the far left coming out of the amp: This is white with a blue tracer, and has some sort of white rubbery connector a few inches from the amp. This runs to underneath the top of the throttle capstan and into a sleeve that then runs to the firewall. Per Greg, this one goes to the tachometer. In that same sleeve is a white wire coming out that connects to the 2nd spade from the left on the coil (pos). I've included a photo of that below. You can see the white/blue wiring running into the sleeve and the white wire from the same sleeve going to coil positive.
I would also verify the plug wire from the coil to the center of the distributor is firmly in place.
Greg also mentioned that black plug that goes into the right side of the Ignition Amplifier and the accompanying ground strap connected to the top of the amp. That ground strap appears to be in place on your amp. The two wires from that black plug are red and blue on mine and covered by a black sleeve. They are difficult to follow but should run to the front of the distributor. There is a connector near the distributor you can see in the 2nd photo below. I have my cruise control bellows out of the car at the moment so it's easier to see this connector.
Lastly, you may want to open up the ignition amplifier if you have not done so to check the condition of the innards. Replacing the ignition module inside is a quick and easy job - use Delco 1906 or GM 19180771.
Spoiler
Welcome to the forum! The disc-shaped item you're referring to is likely the ignition amplifier or ignition module, which is crucial for the ignition system. If it’s loose, it could definitely cause starting issues. Ensure it's properly secured and all connections are tight. I had to complete a capstone project, and I wasn’t sure where to start, so I recommend the site called topessaywriting for capstone project writing service. The writer assigned to my project did an excellent job of understanding the requirements and delivering a well-researched, detailed capstone project. The project was well-structured, and the analysis was insightful. The customer support team was also very helpful throughout the process. I would highly recommend this service to anyone needing help with their capstone project.
.
Thanks for the info, I appreciate you for taking the time to write it in brief.
I’m going to start working on it over the next few weeks.
Work life took over….
i did find out that the right side tank leaks and the sender unit doesn’t register much fuel on either tanks. When pushing the button to the left fuel tank it plummets to E even though it’s got at least 5L.
To everyone thank you.
