I'll be honest, I don't really know much about petrols - most of my own stuff that I've spannered has been diesel, or it's just worked... now I'm a bit stuck.

It's been off the road and ran fine before, more than a year ago though

Now it makes all the right noises but just turns over, no sparks - and I've broken one of the HT leads too

TBH I'm really gutted - I don't want to spend loads of money getting it running as I was hoping it would just skip through an MOT, but if it doesn't I didn't want to have spent on it up front - it's right on the cusp of being a totally disposable car, if it failed I'm gonna sell it or break it.

So where do I start diagnosing it - I've got a mutimeter and I know how to use it

well i spose the first fing is to check you aint nocked any wires off the coil , and then if there power to it

If the key is on should there just be a constant 12v on one of the little wires then?

ye i recon so

then if there is take the ht lead of the middle of the dizzy cap . and try and see if that will spark to ground when you turn it over .

H wrote:If the key is on should there just be a constant 12v on one of the little wires then?

had this with my mk2 polo and turned out to be the distributor. but check the dizzy cap and rotor arm for cracks first.
also check the coil and all its leads.
also there was a small ignition module thing on the bulkhead i checked that too. on the polo it was near the wiper motor.
if its any of these ive got spares kicking around so your welcome to try them. pretty sure ive got a set of leads somewhere too
if the system is similar ive got a polo manual that covers the testing gumpf, mine was a 91 so prob quite similar.
let me know as im heading down the m5 in the morning and could drop em off on the way there or back depends how my jobs run .

could even just be damp in the dizzy cap . wd40 and a wipe out is erth a go first

TOASTIE wrote:could even just be damp in the dizzy cap . wd40 and a wipe out is erth a go first

^^^^^wot toastie says^^^^^

Kids have had my meter

Used a test lamp and have (12 ish?) volts on one coil lead and less on the other - can't now crank it for sparks as it's parked outside the sleeping baby's window

dicky mint wrote:

H wrote:If the key is on should there just be a constant 12v on one of the little wires then?

had this with my mk2 polo and turned out to be the distributor. but check the dizzy cap and rotor arm for cracks first.
also check the coil and all its leads.
also there was a small ignition module thing on the bulkhead i checked that too. on the polo it was near the wiper motor.
if its any of these ive got spares kicking around so your welcome to try them. pretty sure ive got a set of leads somewhere too
if the system is similar ive got a polo manual that covers the testing gumpf, mine was a 91 so prob quite similar.
let me know as im heading down the m5 in the morning and could drop em off on the way there or back depends how my jobs run .

Mines an 89 - maybe very similar

I'm going to try and repair my lead like a large moustachio'd Cuban

hows it goin H?
got a spare couple of hours tommorow if you want a hand

Haven't touched it - bits haven't come yet.

Off to M-I-L tomorrow, but thanks for the offer

Get a new set of cheapo leads. Check rotor arm and dizzy cap. If fine make sure not damp

Checked to see if any fuel is getting to the carb? Does the fuel pump even switch on?
Old petrol wont do it any good either so either put more in or chuck a shot of redex in it.
Spark plugs not shagged?
Coil got power to it?
Checked fuses?

Do you have a compression tester you can use/borrow?

is it makin brum brum noises yet bud?

Yes mate, it's fixed

Rad's ignition module did the business and I fixed my broken HT lead like a proper pikey

Just got a couple of bits to grab off Ben and it'll be time to see Chicky

coolio

Yeah, I'm chuffed - the module went on and it fired straight away