Chaps,
My nightmarish sprint season continues, with multiple breakdowns. The problem appears to be ignition electrics.
Background - after 3 years use without problems, the car stopped and refused to start. With no diagnostic kit with me, we had the car transported back home from the meeting. I initially thought there was an injection issue, as the car started once I had used the "clear fault codes" feature of RoverGauge. Nevertheless, I changed the fuel pump and injector relays.
The car subsequently ran perfectly for about 150 miles. It then stopped, and would not restart.....transported home again. There was definitely no spark, and when I inspected the coil (Bosch OEM, probably original), under the cover was an unpleasant underseal-like material seeping from the top. I replaced the coil like-for-like, the car restarted instantly, and ran for a further 100 miles without fault. My only observation was that the coil seemed rather hot after running, but I don't know what "normal" is. Yesterday I drove without issue to the next sprint meeting, and the car then would not start in the paddock. After much grinding away on the starter, the car did suddenly burst into life, so I scratched from the meeting and drove home (without any issues). On all occasions that the car has stopped, I could hear the fuel rail pressurising as I attempted to start it, so I don't think that fueling is an issue.
The previous owner had fitted a Mallory Unilite distributor, and dispensed with the ignition amplifier. This is how the car was when I purchased it from a Morgan dealer. I now suspect that the installation may not be correct. The coil connections are as follows: Positive terminal: red wire from the distributor, (a rather faded) yellow with a black tracer wire from the wiring loom, and a condenser. Negative terminal: green wire from the distributor, white with a black tracer wire from the loom. There is no ballast resistor fitted near the coil.
So, to the questions for the cognoscenti:
Does the +8 of the 1993 era (Lucas 14 CUX) have a ballast resistor (or loom resistance wire) somewhere in the wiring loom? If so, where is it? (I've looked in the obvious places, but it IS a Morgan, after all). Is there any way I can easily check whether a ballast resistor has been fitted out of sight (voltage in one of the coil wires?).
Do any of you have a Mallory Unilite distributor fitted, and if so, please could you let me know how yours is wired?
My best theory at present is that there isn't a ballast resistor fitted, and there should be, as per the Mallory installation instructions. This is slowly cooking the coil, and - again, as per the warnings from Mallory - is in the process of destroying the ignition module.
Apologies for the lengthy post - but if I can't sort this, the car will be moved on; I don't do unreliability in a vehicle. It was already on a Final Written Warning before yesterday's debacle.
As usual, thanks in advance for your replies and thoughts here.
Dave
