The wheel look far too wide. What is the actual rim size? Also, what is the bolt pattern and central location method on them? Jaguar wheels on the XJS have a taper seat fit to the hub centre.
Did you note which wires went to the + and the - terminals on the old dizzy?
Greg

 

Well, from the dizzy(distributor) the wires were fine. They plugged back in the way they were. On the the other side to the single coil, it is White to pos, and white with stripe to negative.

As fot the wheels, I put the sizes above the picture.. lol

Bolt pattern 5x4.75 Front wheels were 15 by 8 wide and rears were 15 by 10 wide. I just want some fairly non expensive wheels.

Also, how would I raise the stance? Taller springs and shocks?

 

That is what I meant. Connect them to the new coil in the same polarity.


Forget it, in so doing you will ruin the ride, handling, cornering ability and lovely feel of the car, if not make it actively unsafe.[/QUOTE]
Greg

 

Greg,

Ok now I am mad..... I have put things back exactly the way they were, and I have put the wires on the coil correctly and know that I am getting that beautiful spark. The car turns over and then for 1 second it acts like it wants to start, only if I hit the accelerator a few times..... other than that, it will just sit there and turn over like there is no spark or fuel.....

I at least got the car to start and idle rough before all of this.....................................

 

You were advised not to change the coils at this stage. You may have introduced a new fault by so doing. Similarly, when you changed the amplifier unit, was it a known bad item or not? You may have introduced a problem. But have courage, we have all been there, but methodical working is the only way.
Anyway, please list out everything you have done/changed/tested, item by item, as clearly as you can, saying what you did. You will get it right, have faith !
Greg

 

I have changed the plugs, wires, cap, rotor arm, and replaced the amp inside the module.

 

the only amp module I've found that works is the stock GM unit, I've had no luck with after market units.

 

Here's my single coil set-up










Positive wire in front, neg on rear


Notice the ground lug on the stock unit, most aftermarket modules do not have this.

 

Most aftermarket units also give you clear dielectric grease for underneath....WRONG...must use white silicone heat transfer grease, wrong grease or none at all under the unit and it will fail very soon so make sure that's right too.

 

That's how I have mine set up. I have this module though.

PerTronix Flame-Thrower Ignition Modules D2000 - Free Shipping on Orders Over $99 at Summit Racing

I have a nice spark too.....

 

If the old module was fine I'd put it back in and try it. I'm not a fan of the two straight thru holes, I could never get my car to start with them, the ground lug hole on the stock unit is different. Not saying aftermarket won't work, I've just never had luck with them.

 

Ok, so I put the old module back in and same story. It will only start for like 2-3 seconds. This time though, I have noticed a good tick like a rod or lifter slapping... Car ran and purred with no sounds, even when it had the bad idle, before all of these changes...


Wait... positive goes on the front of the coil, as in towards the front bumper, or the terminal towards the firewall? because now that I look at yours, mine looks the exact opposite...
Yet my engine will still turn over and run for a couple seconds..... WTF.....

 

My positive white wire goes on the front coil connection with the FI loom wire, the negative goes on the back alone.

 

I need to change mine then. Mine are the exact opposite.

That still doesn't explain the new sound I have after changing all this stuff. It sounds like a rod knockin or a lifter knockin loud....

 

If you look carefully at the coil, it should have small polarity signs cast into it by each terminal.
Greg

 

Interesting. I may have gotten one that wasn't stamped....

 

Something, or a bunch of things are weird here.


The + side of the coil should have the wire from the ignition switch.
In Jaguarese, white.


The - side of the coil goes to the distributor.


Gotta think "function". The distributor creates an open then closed signal. The amplifer adapts that to the coil need. Make and break creates HT spark.


So, I suspect you have 12 volts to the coil from the ignition switch in the crank position only!!! Twist the key to crank, it fires. Release to run, no volts and it dies.


Simple test aka bodge. Jump 12v from battery to the + post on the coil. Try again. If it fires and stays fired, it is a switch or wire issue back to the switch.


Carl

 

For clarity: You should have a white positive feed from the loom (live when the ignition is switched on) to the coil positive, AND another white wire that goes from the same positive terminal on the coil into the amp (this wire energises the amp). Then there is a black striped white wire that should run from the amp to the coil negative.
The remaining two wires from the amp: one goes to the tachometer (this has a round not a spade connector to a wire with a blue stripe); and finally there is a wire with a different plug that joins to the shielded wire in the loom that goes to the ECU. As you look down from the top of the amp, this last ECU connecting wire is the rearmost of the four exiting the white bung on the side of the amp nearest the centre of the V.
Greg

 

Thanks Greg,
That's what I was lookin for, information wise. I think I have issues that need addressed there. On another note, I swapped the coils to the way described by JT, and it is the same scenario. Acts the same

I will have to go look but I do believe the previous owner messed that part of the wiring at the amp.... As I remember the shielded wire was cut an folded over on itself and just taped to the harness. That wouldn't explain why it would run sometimes before I changed these things. What I am going to do, the next day I have to tinker, is to unplug all that crap that goes to the amp take a pic of all the wires and do a connect the dots type of comparison to show you what they were like, and you can tell me the ones that are wrong. Some were cut and had no connectors.

 

I will have to try that test and see how it fairs.