Ignition coil (1 Viewer)

Tiddles

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Mar 30, 2016
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Halifax
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1985 Talbot Express
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Since 2013
Hi

We have a 1985 Talbot Express 2.0l petrol motorhome (aka Tiddles). She has been losing power when trying to climb hills and I have had the distributor cap and spark plugs replaced. Still not resolved the issue and the garage reckon its the ignition coil. The problem is trying to track one down. I have tried breakeryard and other scrap websites, but no luck so far.

Has anyone got any ideas?????

Thanks very much

David and Rachel
 

Techno

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Your coil should have some information on the casing that would help in searching via Google

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DBK

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Jan 9, 2013
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I'm struggling to see how the ignition coil will slow you down on hills. In my experience they either work or they don't. Worth getting a compression test done as that might show up things like worn pistons or leaking valves. Is the air filter clean? If it hasn't been replaced in the last couple of years I suggest buying a new one. Ditto any fuel filter.

My point is if you are losing power there could be any number of reasons and a faulty ignition coil isn't the first place I would look. If the engine starts and runs the coil sounds fine.

I suggest looking for a different and more experienced garage for a diagnosis. :)
 
Feb 16, 2013
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uttoxeter
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ambulance conversion
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I always thought a coil is a coil, 12 volt in ,loads out but not necessarily a special one for each vehicle (n)

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scotjimland

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Jul 25, 2007
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A coil can be faulty but still give enough voltage for a weak spark..

more herehttp://www.doityourself.com/stry/6-symptoms-of-ignition-coil-failure
If your vehicle is getting a lot less mileage for the gallon, it could also be a sign of an ignition coil failure. When less power is reaching the spark plugs, your vehicle will struggle and use more fuel to compensate for the lack of power transfer.

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Jaws

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It used to be standard practice to replace plugs, cap and leads every two or three years..
From experience, if a coil is breaking down it will usually cause issues at 3500 revs..
I would like to be able to say why that is but I honestly have no idea.. But I do have lots and lots of examples of it happening on bikes and cars ocer the years.

Question.
When the motor looses power, does it start to miss-fire or does it still sound ok, just a bit low on oomph ?
 
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pappajohn

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A coil can be faulty but still give enough voltage for a weak spark..

more herehttp://www.doityourself.com/stry/6-symptoms-of-ignition-coil-failure
If your vehicle is getting a lot less mileage for the gallon, it could also be a sign of an ignition coil failure. When less power is reaching the spark plugs, your vehicle will struggle and use more fuel to compensate for the lack of power transfer.
If theres enough spark to light the fuel Jim, it will burn all the fuel....it cant burn just a bit of it.
The only possible drawback with a weak spark will be the likelyhood of easier plug wetting causing a dead cylinder or misfire.

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Jan 28, 2008
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7 years campers before that
we had a talbot with similar problems and it was the tank rusting and blocking the carb
i think the coil is diferent to many as mine had a basic electronic ignition pack ie no points
 

TheBig1

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many many years! since I was a kid
i would be inclined to fit an electronic ignition kit...much more reliable

thinking back, i remember one of the old talbots which had similar issues. turned out to be the fuel pump. accelerate up hill it lost power as the fuel pump was tilted

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unimog

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May 11, 2014
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Problems with the ignition are unlikely to cause lack of power but will cause a missfire
Check the colour of the spark plugs ,they should be a light straw colour and all the same .
Any difference in colour could indicate a problem with that cylinder .
Not sure on which carburettor is fitted but but could well need cleaning and if fitted check that the accelerator pump is working
 

scotjimland

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If theres enough spark to light the fuel Jim, it will burn all the fuel....it cant burn just a bit of it.
The only possible drawback with a weak spark will be the likelyhood of easier plug wetting causing a dead cylinder or misfire.

so which is it.. ?

I'm old enough to remember changing coils because they weren't performing as they should.. ie .. loss of power , poor fuel economy..

also remember fitting a 'sport' coils that gave a fatter spark, which meant you could also increase the plug gap for improved combustion

still sold..
 

pappajohn

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As I said Jim, the plug will either spark or get wet and not spark.
As long as it sparks it will ignite the fuel.
If it gets wet it obviously wont and power will suffer running on less than all four cylinders.
At cruising speed it may not be too noticable theres a cylinder off....bit of vibration maybe....but come to a hill !!!!!

Just had this problem with a mates bike.....very weak spark.
Checked the coils primary and secondary windings plus the igntion power source coil in the magnito and all well within resistance tolerances but the spark is barely visible.
It will run smoothly for a while then quits with a wet plug.....easy to detect, its a single cylinder.

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Steve

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on and off for 40 years
my guess from info given would be a fuel problem. But without knowing the condition of other components to eliminate them then just a guess.
Steve
 

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