Zodiac non start

[bigstraight6]

The Zodiac is refusing to start with no spark, it’s had new plugs, leads, disc cap, rotor arm, coil and battery recently and it broke down while out on the road a few weeks ago, I did manage to get the car started again after a while but it was running very rough for a bit but then seemed to clear and I got the car back home and in the garage thankfully.

Since then it’s refused to start, I found that there was no spark from the coil so I suspected maybe the accu spark electronic ignition I fitted years ago might have failed so I ordered a new one and fitted it this morning and guess what, still no spark! I’m at a bit of a loss now, any ideas?.....

 

[bigstraight6]

Here’s a pic of the heap in its new natural habitat!

[vaughant]

TOTALLY different car but exact same fault years ago with an Audi 90 coupé, twas a failed coil, died whilst out, no start.

 

Would sometimes start from cold, then not. Thought it was the k-jet thing at first, tried all sorts of things but nae joy.  Tried an old coil from an Orion and she fired up straight away, no further issues.

 

Maybe worth a try???

[lesapandre]

The quality of some new replacement parts or NOS can be up and down. You may have replaced one problem with another. Worth checking. By replacing them one at a time with an item you have removed. If nothing at the coil the new one may be US too.  Some parts I have bought recently have been awful.

[nigel bickle]

Does it still use points, at all - as some systems do? I’d suggest the points were earthing, so failing to send a signal

 

if not, I’d be looking at the crank sensor, or the ‘trigger’ - wherever it is. 

 

Nice car, open to silly low offers?

 

[bigstraight6]

I won’t ever part with this Nige, I still love it even after 16 years! I forgot to mention I’ve tried the old coil with no avail! The accu spark set up does away with the points completely and there’s just the unit that bolts onto the distributor baseplate and the trigger part the goes on the shaft under the rotor arm. I fitted the original years ago soon after I bought the car and it’s been fine as has the exact same kit I fitted on my Triumph 2000 about 6 years ago.

The rotor arm came with the kit and it’s one of those good quality red ones that hasn’t got a rivet on the top and the dist cap is a good quality one too. I’ve checked the small braided wire on the baseplate and it seems ok....

[Saabnut]

Our chinese friends have now started copying the good* rotor arms, sounds like the problem we had with a Healey 3000 where it WAS the good* rotor arm that had failed. See if you can get an NOS one or a known good one from the distributor doctor. Actually even a rubbish chinese one should work long enough to prove the fault, then get a good one.

[SiC]

The latest Distributor Doctor one I got from Moss the other day (so should be genuine) had DD embossed into the metal section of the rotor arm now. Before it was DD in the mouldings inside the rotor arm, but I guess that has been copied already now.

[barefoot]

Failed electronic ignition? These are a bit digital and are 1 or 0.

When they fail they do not gradually die, they just stop. 

Try replacing it, even temporarily with points & a condenser? 

 

[RayMK]

Is the earth lead between engine and bodywork in good order?  Check by using a jump lead between the battery earth and the engine and see if that gets life from the sparky bits.  Obviously, if it makes no difference, the cars standard earthing arrangements are probably ok.

I had a thoroughly confusing fight with my Reliant's ignition a couple of years ago.  Sparks died when I was out and nothing I could do beside the road made any difference.  After getting towed back home (always fun* with a three wheeler) the diagnosis seemed to point to the coil.  New one was ordered and fitted.  No spark.  Condenser was changed. No spark.  Dizzy cap centre contact and all plug contacts and leads checked for continuity/resistance.  All checked fine.  The rotor arm looked fine and was conductive in all the right places and open circuit in other places as it should be (i.e. insulated from the shaft)  but I fitted a filthy, battered one from an old spare engine in desperation.  The damned thing fired up immediately.  I could not find any reason for the 'good' rotor arm not working.  As a previous poster mentioned, try to resist the temptation to change everything in one go.  One item at a time and then run checks.  Eventually you will win and with luck know which bit had caused the problem.

Forgot to mention that the points were also checked, together with all low tension wiring and connectors....before the offending rotor arm was identified. 

Edited May 5, 2019 by RayMK
Added points

[bigstraight6]

Thanks for all the replies, I took off the earth straps and gave them a good wire brushing, put the coil in the Triumph where it worked fine and put the rotor arm from the Triumph in the Zodiac which made no difference, a good friend of mine thinks the ignition switch might be suspect and suggested ‘hard wiring’ from the battery positive to the coil positive, I will give this a try tomorrow as I’ve had enough today, bloody cars!

[cort16]

I had exactly the same thing on my Allegro and I eventually found one of the wires had fell out the ignition switch.

[vulgalour]

I have nothing constructive to add other than that is a lovely shade of green its sporting.

[tooSavvy]

WTG Vulg.... Thinking that meesell....

Bit of 'hot wiring' the coil to earth/spark generation needed... Then move through the rest of the parts.

[mercrocker]

Just another thing worth checking on these......There is a parking light switch (on the left hand bank of switches - it should be a toggle switch nearest the steering column.    Not only does this switch off nearside sidelights (when the side light switch is ON) it also helpfully cuts current to the starter solenoid.    Wonder if its gone open-circuit - mine did.     I am also of the opinion that replacement of all the usual culprits in one go could have introduced another problem - new gear is poor quality compared to what it was in the 60s/70s.    In my experience of Accuspark and the like they never fail intermittently, only in one go.   Last time my Minor broke down the AA bloke was adamant it was the electronic ignition, I was not having it because it ran intermittently before stopping completely.   He persevered and found a loose connection (one of mine!)  in the LT circuit - worth checking all through here as well.....  Good luck, nothing worse than having a dream motor giving you grief!

[bigstraight6]

I managed to start the car earlier by running a wire between the positive battery and coil terminals, she started easily but I couldn’t stop the engine on the key only by removing the temporary wire so it must be the ignition switch at fault. I’m going to remove it in the hope I can do something with it, if not I will have to get one of those universal replacements.....

[lesapandre]

Was a bit of a cliffhanger this. Glad you located the fault.