Project Dollywobbler's Invacar - Ongoing

[dollywobbler]

Ok. My understanding was there should be a spark at the points. I thought that was the point of points, but meh. Does look like I need a condenser then. Annoyingly, it looks very specific.

[plasticvandan]

i slight click of a blueish spark at points is normal,but anything more than that,or a yellowey spark,usually means condensor has gone.Condensors can be mounted anywhere to earth,doesnt even have to be in the dizzy so long as the cable is connected to the points,for example i had a morris minor condensor fitted to the frame of a ralegh runabout! The condensor is there to stop sparking at the points.

[Talbot]

A condenser from just about anything will do. The only thing that matters is that the capacity is roughly correct, and most condensers are roughly the same capacity anyway.

[dollywobbler]

Quite. It's a spluttery spark, so yes, condenser seems duff. I don't have any condensers, as I refuse to use the sodding things anymore on account of them being invariably utter crap. (Four miles until death my record in the Dyane). Will see if I can order up some service bits. I'm going to need them all at some point.

[danthecapriman]

Ok. My understanding was there should be a spark at the points. I thought that was the point of points, but meh. Does look like I need a condenser then. Annoyingly, it looks very specific.

On the Mercury a few years back it wouldn't run and at the points I was getting lots of sparks.

It was the condenser not working, which because I'd continued trying to start the engine, the faces of the points had arc damage and pitting, then they actually spot welded themselves together.

The points need to be clean and flat surfaced, any pitting or high spots from arcing creates high resistance which then messes up your volts and makes a weak spark at the plugs.

 

On mine I tried two other condensers to fix this, one was duff straight out the box and the other worked for a short while then failed. Cheap Indian parts! I put electronic ignition in it in the end which solved all the problems.

There's nowt really wrong with old points systems but you need them of a decent quality.

[Mally]

I've had a spark at the points, especially when opening them with a screwdriver, and usually from the screwdriver.

Frightens me at times.

 

 

Easy Start?..........I'll get my coat.

[PhilA]

You could also use a high voltage polypropylene snubber.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00UONG4N0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_MkbkAbFVF8HBG

 

Likely more reliable than a tin can one. Significantly better breakdown voltage, too.

 

Phil

[dollywobbler]

I was curious, so I pulled off the panel at the back of the cabin to have a look at the belt drive. Yup, that looks like a belt drive alright. Must be hideously noisy having this just the other side of a fibreglass panel to your back.

 

In other news, I think I might have some ignition goodies on the way. Points-assisted set-up, like I have on the 2CV, but designed to work with the distributor.

[dollywobbler]

I have one of these.

 

It is 2 degrees in the garage. It may not get fitted today...

[spartacus]

Get out there DW, when you've fixed something the sense of achievement will be even greater, you can post a couple of atmospheric ice riddled pictures up for good measure and be even more of a forum hero!

[mercrocker]

Can't be that cold up there....You haven't had to burn the fireplace yet.

[Hertz]

On the plus side you have one more Christmas Card than me!

[dollywobbler]

When I can feel my toes again, I might make an attempt on the garage.

[Six-cylinder]

+11 ºC in ours without a heater and it was -5.5 ºC when I went out at 9.30am this morning!

[Arthur Foxhake]

I had to chisel ice off of my transit bonnet so i could change the power steering belt in -1 temperatures earlier.

Im about to go and dig the ice from under the Xantia so i can get the jack on solid ground to change the discs and pads.

[Cavcraft]

be even more of a forum hero!

 

 

Impossible.

[dollywobbler]

Gosh we're close. I can feel it!

 

Having exhausted my supply of shit batteries, I hooked up the Nippa as Mrs DW conveniently came back at just the right moment. We've had many coughs, sometimes with exciting flame-outs through the carburettor! No actual running yet though. Still, it's encouraging. I reckon the ignition timing might benefit from a tweak. Retard a little?

[oldcars]

Gosh we're close. I can feel it!

 

Having exhausted my supply of shit batteries, I hooked up the Nippa as Mrs DW conveniently came back at just the right moment. We've had many coughs, sometimes with exciting flame-outs through the carburettor! No actual running yet though. Still, it's encouraging. I reckon the ignition timing might benefit from a tweak. Retard a little?

Sorry i just lol'd a bit at this. 

[plasticvandan]

get someone on the key and someone gently turning the dizzy side to side

[dollywobbler]

Dizzy doesn't seem to want to move at the moment, so I've given up for the night. Out on a bus run tomorrow, but may get more tinkering time in the afternoon.

[timolloyd]

Exciting progress, what a cliffhanger!

 

Thinking about it, weren't these all taken off the road in two thousand and....etc.

[dollywobbler]

It's typical me to ignore the car that is sitting broken but taxed, insured, MOTd etc and focus on a car which doesn't need to be on the road until July. It was even dry today! Would have been ideal Lexus-fixing weather. I'm an idiot.

[egg]

Obv Calendar shot there ^^

[DodgeRover]

Leave the timing alone, the dizzy hasn't moved while it's been parked up, if it was running before it should run now.

 

What was the exciting silver box in the previous post?

[dollywobbler]

Leave the timing alone, the dizzy hasn't moved while it's been parked up, if it was running before it should run now.

 

What was the exciting silver box in the previous post?

 

Well, I did think that, though perhaps it was slurping LRP back then? 

 

Exciting silver box is a Sparkrite SX4000 ignition amplifier. Effectively turns the points into a switch, and reduces the load going across them (which means the condenser's role is also reduced). This is why we've gone from no spark to some spark.

[billyboy406v6]

Get back indoors and wait till July !!!!!!!!!

[dollywobbler]

Get back indoors and wait till July !!!!!!!!!

 

Don't worry. I'm now sitting on my sofa, next to the wood burner. All is well.

[DodgeRover]

It should still run even on unleaded. Have you tried with the choke in and giving it a sniff of easy start whilst spinning it over?

[DeeJay]

Get a wood burner on wheels, drag it outside and crack on.

[dollywobbler]

It should still run even on unleaded. Have you tried with the choke in and giving it a sniff of easy start whilst spinning it over?

 

Yes, it should run, but the timing might be set for a higher octane. I've tried several choke positions and don't have any Easy Start. I've never used the stuff.