spark of life?

Well if he has no spark at all plugs, then its at the source, so either cap, rotor, king lead, coil, or supply to coil etc...

King lead is the easiest to check, then cap and rotor, then coil and power.

Sorry David, surely that is the wrong way round. There is no point in checking the secondary cct, until you are sure there is power (12v) supplying the primary cct. I agree with a good look around first, in case there is anything obvious, but I assume the AA man did that, but dont disturb anything until you know what part of the cct is at fault. You say in your quote "then its at the source" I would take the source as being the battery. After all the spark is generated from 12v, but you could be right with the actual fault, but I always like to know exactally what the fault was, and not run the risk of clearing it by poking around without putting a marker down as to where the fault lies first.

John

Well, yes if you happen to break down at the side of the road and happen to always carry a multimeter around in your pocket ...or own one, or know how to use one, or even know where they should be looking for the power supply...but anyone can flip two retaining clips and see if an end of the rotor arm is dead or the inside pin of the cap is ruined...

The fact that the indicators stopped working at the same time would indicate to me that it's definitely something electrical at fault and not necessary ignition related. Check the main things first: battery, earths (especially the main battery earth strap) and the alternator.

A duff alternator caused all sorts of electrical problems for me in the past, including cutting out. As has a corroded battery earth strap.

Good luck.

If the indicators have stopped working, might be an alarm/immobiliser fault if there is one installed...

Hi all, thanks for replying......your right i have no electrical know-how at all, and yes the AA man did look inside the dis cap and said that it looked fairly new and then started using words that got me all confused...............as i lay on the ground curled up in a ball my mind screaming "stop!, stop! your scaring me!!" i noticed that i was actually nodding and making small child noises in the hope that his magic fingers would make the beast roar again...............( lol that come's across a bit porno!!!).......anyway what im trying to say is im fucked, i will have to get someone to look at it because barring the complete obviose i have no glue what to do......rabbit, headlights?.

but why have the indicators stopped working?.....can fuses cause this ?. if i need parts like coils can i get them?.. please keep up the good work with your knowledge lads....cheers.

In my experience of the odd-fires (and I've been working on them constantly for the past 5 years), the likelihood of the car completely conking out in the middle of running perfectly well will not lie at the feet of HT stuff, unless something has, for example, burnt through the coil lead. Or someone has plugged the ballast resistor in wrong and the coil has overheated.

Does the rev counter twitch when you crank? If it does, then you know the dizzy pickup is working and the ignition amp is working. If you still have no spark, then it'll be in the connections to the coil or ballast resistor.

If the rev counter does not twitch, then it will be power supply to the ignition system (immobiliser?), or the distributor pickup.

Your indicators require the ignition is switched on, but the hazards don't. Do they work?

Well, yes if you happen to break down at the side of the road and happen to always carry a multimeter around in your pocket ...or own one, or know how to use one, or even know where they should be looking for the power supply...but anyone can flip two retaining clips and see if an end of the rotor arm is dead or the inside pin of the cap is ruined...

David
Well you are right of course, however John did state that he had been towed home, and he requested help. After my suggestion, had he said that he did not have, or know how to use a multimerer, I would have been quite happy to have talked him through his problem, thus hopefully helping him to understand his GTA a bit. As you are well aware these cars are a bit quirky, and basic knowledge of how they work can be very useful
But just for info, I have a small pocket multimeter which lives in the glove pocket, and I always carry the manual, and a small tool kit when I am off Island, but as yet never had to use them in anger!!
However this posting could be the kiss of death for me.

Watch this space.

John

O.k thanks so far lads.

Right, the rev-counter does not twitch when cranking over, it stays still.
The indicators do not work with ignition on, nor do the windscreen wipers, but the hazards do work fine. every thing else seems to work, windows, mirrors ect.

Yes there is an immobilizer fitted which has always worked fine, it still turns on/off by the fob as normal.

Engine still dead.......what do i look for?

thank you. John

oh, yes your right it is an Atmo.

Yes there is an immobilizer fitted which has always worked fine, it still turns on/off by the fob as normal.

The immobolizer might be a red herring, as if it is a Renault one which is plugged into the socket designed for it under the foot panel on passangers side, it actually stops the fuel pump from working, via the rev counter relay, which should not affect the indicators. Even though the relay is called the rev counter relay, I believe the only connection it has with the rev counter is that it is energised by the pulses from the ign coil, which also go to the rev counter, so that should the car be in an accident, and the engin is stopped, the fuel pump will stop and save flooding the car with petrol. I still believe your fault lies in the 12v supply to the coil. I suggest, as others have, you check all the connections around the coil area, the 12 pin plug alongside the coil/ign unit, as all currents to and from the coil and ign unit pass through it. there is also a ballest resistor in that area that the connections should be checked. Pull each one of them off, clean them, and put them back a couple of times. If you are fairly new to this, make sure you only do one at a time, draw a pic if necessary. Two questions, do you have a meter. and is the immoblizer a renault one, ie original equipment, or one you have had fitted. Hope this helps, come back with any questions. Good Luck

One other thing, the wires I refered to, ie pins 1.2.3. on R167 in a previous post. The colours are Pin 1, Yellow ( 12 volts should be there with ign on) Pin 2, White ( 12 volts should be there only as engin is cranked with starter) Pin 3, Black with red tracer (ie, mainly black with a thin red line running its length) There should be pulses on it, difficult to check, but if is ok rev counter will indicate correctly. Hope I am not being too simplestic for you

John

Hi, me again,
The only connection I can see between the ign cct, and the indicators, is that the 12v feed for both come from Pin 2 (yellow) on the grey connector on the ign switch. If you need to check this, there is a moulding under the steering wheel with possibly 4 or 5 torx screws to release it. This would expose the ign switch connectors for checking. A meter would help here.

John

Just re read your post re windscreen wipers not working either. Guess what, the feed for them comes from Pin 2 of the grey connector on thr ign switch. Before we start ripping it appart, can anyone think of any other accessory that only operates when the ign switch is in the drive position, that we can check to see if they work. Ah, how about windows. They come from Pin 2, according to my cct. Any thing else. John, pse check.

[mettersl]

Radio?
If its still not working on Sunday, I can come down and do some lessons in using a multi meter...I'm only about 15 miles away. Wedding on Saturday, so it won't be first thing Sunday though...

Cheers
lee

Feel the RAOC

Radio?

Lee, You must have read my mind. I have just put the manual to pose that question. Because the radio is fed from the same grey connector, but from Pin 1. If neither the radio or the windows dont work (fingers crossed) then the connector may have just come detached. Heres hopeing.

John