86 XJ6 no start issue
 

My friend has a 1986 XJ6 that ran fine before being parked for about a month. He has power to both sides of the coil but no spark from the coil. I suggested that he change out the coil but that did not help.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

RE: 86 XJ6 no start issue
 

Look on the right side of the engine, find the distributor. Entering the body of the distributor at about 5 o'clock are the two wires that connect the distributor pickup to the ignition amplifier. Theinsulation will look intact, but often the wire strands are broken by the normal movement of the pickup mounting plate as the vacuum advance operates.

If you have someone crank the engine and reach down and gently bend the wires, usually toward the distributor body, you might be pleasantly surprised.

RE: 86 XJ6 no start issue
 

Thanks, I will suregive that a try when I'm with the car tomorrow.

Is it common to have the ignition amplifier go outwith the cars age?

RE: 86 XJ6 no start issue
 

No, the XJ6 Series III amplifiers rarely fail. Since you've tested the coil (by substitution), and you havevoltage through the coil ballast resistor,the next likely candidate is the distributor pickup. If my trick doesn't make spark, test the pickup for continuity and you're likely to find it is open circuit.

RE: 86 XJ6 no start issue
 

Ok...here is where we are at. We checked the wires for continuity at the distributor pickup, checked out good.

Just for fun we put a light tester on the out put from the ignition amp box while turning the key over...we got nothing.

Safe to say the ignition amplifier has failed?

Thanks