Riddle me this!!

Old Hutcho Officially Full-On Dubber

281 posts · joined Jan 2004 · 8 Jun 2013, 2:58 pm

#958962

Folks

Today I went to start my bug. No spark. New coil, new plugs, breakerless ignition module.

Test light from earth to + on coil. Light! Complete circuit. Test light from earth to - on coil. Light! Complete circuit. Still no spark.

After a bit of stuffing about I put the test light from earth to - again. No light! Incomplete circuit. Spark! Ignition! Engine purrs.

Its a bloody mystery to me. I dont understand white mans magic. What about you?

regards

Old Hutcho

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Jun 2013, 3:19 pm

#958964

You just fixed a really perplexing problem Hutcho...

don't knock it... lol

loose wire... or connection.. even just bumping a wire or connector can do it.. lol

My Son doesn't understand how a loose/dirty connector can cause problems even though its connected.. lol

Best of luck in the future

Lee

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

SuperOwen Fahrvergnugen

868 posts · joined Jan 2009 · 8 Jun 2013, 3:22 pm

#958965

Sounds like a dicky module. The module needs to ground the coil to pass current (charge it) then open circuit it to collapse the field and make the spark. Did the engine roll over at all between getting the light to come on and off? Carry a spare set of points...

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Jun 2013, 3:28 pm

#958968

SuperOwen wrote:Sounds like a dicky module. The module needs to ground the coil to pass current (charge it) then open circuit it to collapse the field and make the spark. Did the engine roll over at all between getting the light to come on and off? Carry a spare set of points...

yes, the distributor may have been just on the edge of the magnetic contact in the module..??

You can buy cheap PLAZMEX modules for $45 now so they are a cheap spare.. not like the other very expensive modules..

carrying points and condensor usually makes them work... lol

cheers

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

Uber Kafer Wolfsburg Wizard

414 posts · joined Nov 2009 · 10 Jun 2013, 2:25 pm

#959146

Old Hutcho wrote:Test light from earth to - on coil. Light! Complete circuit.

to clarify, at that step you had a complete circuit through the coil, but not the distributor, so the circuit from the coil to the distributor was 'open', OR, the electronic points were 'open'. Next time you tested they were closed.

But most likely, as Lee pointed out, you probably had a loose connection. So that might be a loose wire in a crimp lug, or a loose lug on the spade terminal, or a dirty spade terminal. Have a close look with a torch, and give all connections (and wires) a pull. It will come back and bite you if you dont fix it.