Spare Crane XR700 unit - how can I tell if it's any good?

[deathpunk dan]

On saturday, I installed a Westco AGM Miata battery, as well as a new cap & 6500 rpm limit rotor for the bosch 008 distributor. When I went to start the car, it turned over a bunch (which was odd, it usually fires right up) and I then heard a POP followed by hissing and a bit of smoke from the engine bay.

I somehow fried the Crane XR700 spark box! I quickly disconnected the battery and removed it. A nasty black goo was coming from the XR700 unit and it smelled like burnt electronics.

The only things I can think of is that the car lacks a ballast resistor, the rotor was stuck, or a wire was wrong. I don't get it, as nothing appears to be awry. Could a fresh battery have put a failing XR700 unit over the edge?

Shine Racing Services tech had said the car was not getting full voltage when he looked at it prior to my purchasing it last summer, BTW.

Now, rummaging through a box of stuff that came with the car and I've accumulated, I came across another Crane XR700 Fireball unit. It looks like it was barely used. The casing on this one is black, not gold, but it's an XR700 not a HI-6. On the back is a sticker that reads 984542. It appears unmolested.

Any way to test it with a voltage meter, before installing?

[911pcars]

Sorry to hear about the fried box. It could have been it's time to die, and it decided to do it then.

I would also double check your wiring connections. Stranger things have happened. Did you follow Crane's recommendations? They have several connection docs. in their tech section.

Can you test just with a voltmeter? I think not. However, if you're resourceful, you could bench test its operation with a makeshift ignition system; "distributor" (switch) some jumper wires and a spark plug. Be careful though, it could just as easily melt on the bench or provide a taser-like shock if you don't know what you're doing. I have one on my car and I forget if it produces a high-pitch whining sound when the ignition is ON.

Sherwood