Car broke down, here we go again...

[Oetker]

Well I spoke too soon and last night after an evening of transporting kids around, it started to cough and splutter and this morning it refused to start at all.
I'm thoroughly sick and tired of this car.

That's better.
Now you can start looking for the real problem in a logical way.

[macaroni]

OK, I have 8v across the coil with the ignition on, but when I crank it, there is no spark coming out of the coil. I tested this by replacing the king lead from the coil with a plug lead and a plug stuck in the end. There was no spark across the plug.
Assuming I did this correctly and there is power across the coil, albeit lower than 12v,  but nothing coming out of it, it would suggest the coil was broken.
However, it is a brand new coil, only a few weeks old.
Should I still suspect the coil, or try something else?

Antony

[Jon Weywadt]

Jan, Jesper and I are ordering the stainless steel coolant and heater tube kit from MatraMagic. We have negotiated a special shipping rate for the three sets, so I am placing the order tonight.

New stainless cooling pipes have still not arrived.
I had fixed the hole in the cooling pipe and filled the system with water, venting the system via the screw plug by the distributor. It held water.

So today I started the engine to see if it had suffered any damage from the event. It ran perfect, no strange sounds, so I let it run till it heated up. I wanted to see if the fan kicked in. It didn't   So after a few minutes the water started boiling and spilling out of the overflow tube on the expansion tank.

Strangely, the pipe going to the radiator was warm, not scalding, but warm. the pipe coming from the radiator was ice cold. Conclusion: No, or very little, water flow. Possible problem spots: Water pump, but how could it fail? the belt is ok. Thermostat not opening, likely, but should it not have some flow anyway? Blocked pipes, also likely given the rusted state of the pipes. Anyone else have an idea or had this experience? I seem to have more than one problem with the cooling system (fan and water flow).

Regardles, this car is not driving anywhere until I get the water flowing again and the fan running. Darn, darn, darn.  

Update:
The thermostat works fine. I took it out and tested it in a pot of water on the stove. That may indicate a blockage or a defect water pump. The fan not kicking in may be because there is no hot water reaching the radiator.

[Oetker]

You need 12 Volt between ground and + coil.
If it is 8 Volt it is to low.

[macaroni]

I just checked the voltages across the pins on the ignition amplifier plug.
Across pins 1 and 4, with ignition on there was about 11 volts and on cranking it went down to about 8 volts. The same as across the coil.
I guess the job of the ignition amplifier is to increase that voltage, so it looks like that could be at fault.
Thing is, it was replaced 2 weeks ago for a new one.

I might ask for the old one back, as I don't think that was at fault for the first time it wouldn't start. That was was only replaced a few thousand miles ago.

Thanks for the continued help.

[Oetker]

Pin 1 ont ign. ampl. is not ground.
Put the black pin from youre instrument on ground.
Then measure on pin 4 ign ampl. and + bobine.
They both must be 12 Volt.
The ignition amplifier is not to boost the high tension.
It amplifies the the puls from the pick up coil to a level the coil can work with.

[macaroni]

That is what I did.

I also measured across the coil whilst my helper (age 10) cranked the engine and the 8v on ignition went down to about 6v. That can't be right surely?

I found an amplifier from a 205gti, which is exactly the same, and tried that. But still no joy.
I'm assuming that amplifier works, but how much bad luck can one guy have?
Still, my football team won today and are top of the table, so all is not lost.

I'm thinking it must be a wiring problem, but that is beyond my limited abilities.

[Oetker]

Take al wires from the coil.
Put youre instrument on ohm x1.
Between + and - on the coil you have to measure lower than 1 ohm.
Put youre instument on ohm x 100 and measure between high tension output and +
What do you have there?

put youre instument on ohm x10.
Take the connector fro the module.
Measure between point 5-6 on the connector
What do you have there?

[macaroni]

!?*@!@$%!!
Just been out to try that, but now can't any readings off the coil, or module, ohms or volts!
I did the same way as before, but nothing happens. Either my multimeter has broken, or something else is going on.
I did notice that the clock has stopped and the indicators don't work now. All the fuses seem good though.
AARRRGHHH!!!
Thanks for your help Oetker, I will try again tomorrow when I've calmed down a bit.

[Anders Dinsen]

!?*@!@$%!!
AARRRGHHH!!!

At least you can say your Murena keeps your blood pressure... It sounds like your battery has given up completely, or it's ground connection has failed?

/Anders

[macaroni]

It spins the starter well enough.

When the car was in its death throes on Thursday night, I noticed that the indicators would come on, but not flash. Now they won't come on at all.
Not sure if the 2 incidents are related, but it seems strange these things happen at the same time.

[Oetker]

Tomorow I am on a meeting and not able to react till the evening, but after youre last post I have the feeling you have the standard electric problem in the Murena.
Bad connections in the engine room, connector right side or fusebox connectors or the ground contacts that plays up.
But to stay logical I like to know the measurements I described above.

[Oetker]

The module from the 205 GTI is from Bosch with number 0 227 100 123
I have the same working on my 2.2

[Anders Dinsen]

It spins the starter well enough.

When the car was in its death throes on Thursday night, I noticed that the indicators would come on, but not flash. Now they won't come on at all.
Not sure if the 2 incidents are related, but it seems strange these things happen at the same time.

Oetker is right, the engine loom could be at fault, but I think I'll put my bet on the fuse board and/or one or more of the connectors around it has failed to make contact. I suggest you dismantle it, clean the contacts, check for indications of loose connections (black spots, "welded" spots) etc.

If not that, then check your ignition lock. Are the spade connectors to the wiring loom still ok? They tend to develop loose connections, and they then start melting the connector insulation and the cables. It doesn't look good when they start melting:


(Photo from my car a few years back)

/Anders

[macaroni]

I just checked out my fusebox and all seems well, apart from one of the wires coming adrift from the yellow connector, pin 2.
Is this important?

My ignition wires seem OK.