Two More Problems...Pls HELP!

[Fishcop]

Okay, I have two separate probs.

1. The first is a simple question; Can I short circut the rev-limiting rotor button with a piece of wire? (Rotor button missing the entire part...long story)

2. Starter won't kick in when I turn the key, however I can short the starter from under the car....What do I do now?

Thanks for your patience

[nhromyak]

Starting -
http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/mult_starter_diag/mult_starter_diag.htm

Could be your ignition key - could be mechanical or (more likely) the electrical portion.

Not sure what you mean by the rev limiter. If the spring loaded rev limiter inside the distributor broke off, it simply won't stop the engine from over revving...

Good Luck

[Fishcop]

Thanks Nick, you are clearly not a dickhead...and I'll show you my bondo any day!

I was suspecting my ignition switch initially, but I can hear a couple of relays click when I turn it to the start position, so I figured it was working. Oh well, I'll keep trying.

What I was refering to with the rotor is the little bar that runs through the length of the button, as rev-limit approaches enertia shifts the bar away from a contact and ignition fails (thus saving engine).

Cheers

[pwd72s]

John...there is a way mechanics can alter the inertia of the sliding part. I believe it's by bending the arm that the spring hooks to? We're talking the Bosch rotor with 04 029, then 1 234 332 206 stamped on the box it comes in? Don't ask me HOW to do this, I just remember a wrench telling me he did it to my rotor. Also, years ago I had an intermittent ignition problem. Car would be running fine, then zap..no spark, then it would come back. Lots of shop tests, lots of head scratching, no real solution. Finally, figuring I had nothing to lose, I changed rotors. Bingo..problem solved, though the rotor I took out looks and tested just fine. Hope this of some information, if not help...

[Joeaksa]

John,

The rotors come in various flavours, a different RPM for different motors. You could stop it from being a "rev limiting" rotor simply by taking the piece that is attached to the spring out of the rotor. Then nothing would be left to move out and ground the spark at the marked rpm. You could also do as above and alter it by moving the contact but then you just became a test driver unless you put the rotor on a dist machine and see what rpm it shorts out at!

Regarding your starter. Get a alligator clip attached to a wire. Attach it to the "sense" wire on the starter. This is the small trigger wire on the starter next to the cable. Hook it up to a volt meter and the other side to ground. Have someone turn the key to start. If you get 12 volts coming through the sense or trigger wire when the ign switch is in the start position, then your starter or solenoid is the problem. If no power to this wire, then the problem is the starter switch, wiring or such.

If you can short the starter from under the car and it works fine, this points directly to a bad ignition switch or the wiring in-between if you are getting power to the switch. I have seen several where the "key" portion of the switch worked fine, but the electrical contacts had given up the ghost. You might take the back of the switch apart and see if you can clean it up and get it to last a bit longer but usually its a better idea to replace the electrical portion of the switch.

Joe

[Superman]

Yup.

[Paul W]

Mid last year I had a similar problem - starter just refused to turn over one morning.

In the same vain as Joe's comments it turned out to be a relay which had failed in the circuit. Anyway, $50 tow truck and $5 part bill.

It turns out my car has the Bosch dizzy upgrade with an optical points replacement. If I can be of any help in checking the set up let me know.

Good luck,

[Fishcop]

Thanks very much for the reponses. I ran my voltmeter over the rotor button....lo and behold.....nothing, it is not transmitting any current through it at all. I've ordered a new part but it won't be here 'till monday. I think I can safely say that bit is licked!

The starting problem is next. I'll sit-down and pull the actual ignition switch a part and see what happens

Thanks very much once again

Smack it with a big hammer

ASE certified Master Tech hammer smacker