[Chris.lse]

Hi folks, at my whits end here and wondering if anyone can help. My 93’ LSE has developed a no spark issue and I cannot for the life of me solve it. So, I’ve had issues with the ignition amp overheating in the past hence I have fitted one of Powersparks re-location kits a few years ago and had no issues since. The car was stood for a while and when started was running fine for a few weeks, until it died on me. I traced the fault to a bad ignition amp and replaced it, hey presto was working again. Then it died again a few weeks later, now I tested the new genuine Lucas amp and it appeared to have failed again, once again I sourced a new genuine replacement but this time no difference. Now my dilemma is I’m having trouble pin-pointing what my issue is, I suspected a relay or ignition feed fault but I’m not sure. I’m getting 12 volts clean from the main feed of the engine harness going to the amp, and I know my coil is working but I still cannot generate a spark, even when by-passing the distributor completely. I hadn’t thought to check until now but I realised there’s a non-standard Viper coil on the car, now after reading online apparently using a coil that draws a different current than standard will fry the amp. Is this likely? Or is there anything else I should be checking? Thanks

 

[Datatek]

Certainly a high output non standard coil could cause problems but that is the limit of my knowledge as applying to your car.

 

[Mark Piercy]

Have a mooch on the net to check the resistance in a coil pack, even in that model if you can. Check both the high and low sides of it.
If it reads OK, get the main lead from the coil pack held in an insulated pair of pliers and hold it near the rotor arm on the dizi, crank the engine and if it sparks while close to the rotor arm, the rotor arm is also dead and has cracked as it should be insulated from the dizi shaft that turns it.

 

[norseman]

I have a 3.5 EFI & employed a remote amp from PS that failed after a month. Not impressed by the company's insistence in replacing the item rather than agreeing to a refund. I did some research & purchased a Lucas (yes I know ..) which exhibited the same stalling when coming to a halt as the PS product, but after using the car a few times has now been reliable for the past year. I now carry the replacement PS item as a get-you-home spare.
I changed the coil at the same time, following the Lucas amp supplier's recommendation. I suggest that should you purchase another amp you too speak to the supplier about a suitable matching coil *

As has often been advised, always buy the best ignition components available as the RV8 doesn't like sub-standard.

* The irony being the original dizzy mounted amp wasn't giving any problems, I just decided to overhaul the ignition system by renewing/refurbishing some aged components, though having done so (& advanced the ign. timing very slightly) the car does run very well

 

[Chris.lse]

Update: Ok so I’ve fitted a new viper coil and ignition amp from PS and no difference. I’ve checked and cleaned all grounds while doing so. I’m really clutching at straws here now lol. To reiterate I’m getting 12 volts to the amp and about 10.8 while cranking which I think is normal? I’ve used this () test from RPi and I still can’t generate a spark. I’m my head that’s bypassing any would be issue with the distributor. Unfortunately I’m not particularly knowledgeable on these so I’m going off of what I can find and learn online.

 

[Chris.lse]

Have a mooch on the net to check the resistance in a coil pack, even in that model if you can. Check both the high and low sides of it.
If it reads OK, get the main lead from the coil pack held in an insulated pair of pliers and hold it near the rotor arm on the dizi, crank the engine and if it sparks while close to the rotor arm, the rotor arm is also dead and has cracked as it should be insulated from the dizi shaft that turns it.

Seems to be, on the high end I’m getting battery voltage and on the low end the highest I can get is 0.07 Volts which I believe is good?

 

[Mark Piercy]

Not voltage, ohms young man but after reading your last post

 

[Mark Piercy]

Are you still on points?
Are they actually opening and clean on the contacts, remember these trigger a spark front the system.. They can close and or even build carbon on the contacts and never break the circuit to cause a spark

 

[Chris.lse]

Are you still on points?
Are they actually opening and clean on the contacts, remember these trigger a spark front the system.. They can close and or even build carbon on the contacts and never break the circuit to cause a spark

Unfortunately not, she’s a 1993 so uses the Lucas electronic Ignition

 

[Mark Piercy]

Unfortunately not, she’s a 1993 so uses the Lucas electronic Ignition

Ah OK, have you tested continuity for earth between the battery negative and the components earth supplies and component bodies?

 

[Mark Piercy]

It's not immobized is it?

 

[Chris.lse]

It's not immobized is it?

How would I check this? The light in the middle of the dash is off

 

[Mark Piercy]

À good question, it just crossed my mind. I'm not sure tbh about your model. Did you check the earths to and from each component on the ignition circuit?