I finally got my starter relay hooked up, it cranks but no spark. i checked with 12v light tester at the coil its getting power to the coil, so i thought maybe the coil was bad i happen to notice that its the same coil pack as my chevy(which works) still no spark. i remembered they had to unhook the tranny cable (the person i got the car from lost the keys) hooked the tranny cable back on still no spark. I checked the wires at the distributer one of the two got chewed off, i took cap off and pulled the wires out and soldered them back together put it all back together, no spark. What else could it be? i happen to read a little about this problem and i should check the "amplifier". whats the procedure of check the amplifier???

Thanks in advance
Josh

 

Josh what year nd spec (e.g. US spec)?

 

Yeah, gotta know which ignition system is involved! Stiky keybor or I it m fi is morning!

Carl

 

oh sorry its a 1986 jaguar xj6 series 3

 

Good voltage to coil + must be assured in crank and run positions of the ignition key.

The distributor has a gate system to send a signal to the amplifier. Therefore, the inside of the distributor must be clean and dry with no shorted or busted wires. Now, the distributor sends a signal to the amplifier. it does the same make and break that points and condensor did, but does so electronicaly. Again, clean tight continuous connector & wire. Now place a light in series at the - post of the coil. Crank the engine, the light should blink on and off. if no light or so blink, there is an amplifer or wire or distributor. Sub in a known good amplifier unless you have access to a means of testing yours. The one I described is somewhat indicative but not completely conclusive.

Now, if these things work, go to the HT. Start inside the distributor. Contacts on the rotor and cap? Slight burns are normal. too much and the spark will not jump the gap as intended. Now, there is a carbon button in the center of the cap. It will slide up and down. It must be free or in the down position, If not, the HT from the coil will not jump the gap and travel along the rotor to be sent to the plugs.

Or:

Remove the king lead from the center of the Distributor. Hold it about 1/8' to 1/4" away from iron. Crank the engine. Nice fat blue spark? If not, something of the above is the issue. No wimpy yellows, it will not fire the engine.

Clean, dry,tighten and lube the primary connections. That fixes a lot. Now corrosion gets intot eh HT connectors easily. Open each and clean them. I have awire bent in my tool box. The end is bent back upon itself. I wrap a bit of emery there and swap the towers with it.

Gotta have spark. If you do and it is at the right time, then move on to fuel.

Carl

 

hey thanks, I cleaned the rotor and it fired up, but here is another thing I'm a bit confused about after I started the engine I noticed it was starting to overheat so I shut if off and poured coolant in about 20 minutes later I tried to start it again wouldn't even crank what would cause that?

I decided to bypass the starter relay and after a few seconds it started again I then hooked up the relay again, shut the car off and turned the key and it started again.

The only thing I can think of is the neutral safety switch not switching correctly??

 

Yes, you probably have it. The neutral start is on the transmission. I am a little fuzzy as to whether it is on the body of the trans or on the shift tower. Banging the shift lever home in park will often work it and the starter will turn. The neutral start is a ground interrupt. Black wire for the starter relay. The more I think of it, there are two outputs on the transmission. On one side is the transducer for the speedometer snd on the other the reverse light switch. Thusly, the start interrupt is a micro switch on the tower. It might have shifted, but, more likely the ground is bad, clean tighten and lube and that will be fine for a decade or so. Or mebbe the micro switch just wore out!!

I lean to a lazy starter relay, the silver can on the fire wall. Some report success with opening the can and cleaning and burnishing the contact points. I had trouble with mine on the lump process. I used an emergency switch there for a tad til I just swapped it out for a generic 30 amp relay robbed from a fog light kit!!

Where did the coolant go!!!!

 

coolant leaked out of the pump.

 

well I have noticed a few things since, every time the car cranks the odometer and trip miles spin like I'm going 100 mph would the neutral safety switch cause that too??

 

Classic sign of volage drop and/or bad ground.

Clean/tighten battey cable and main ground and all connections related to the starter, and don't forget the two "+" junction posts on the firewall






The neutral switch grounds the starter relay. I don't think it is specifically related to the above symptom

Cheers
DD

 

Don't forget the ground strap down under connecting the engine/transmssion to the frame.

 

Thanks guys ill check all my grounds related to the starter and check the ground on the engine and tranny and see what we fixed

Thanks again for all your helpful information
Josh