TR7 droptop

[hymie747]

Just got home the other night and parked the car. nEXT MORNING THE IGNITION LIGHT IS ON AND IT WONT START. Any thoughts?

[John Clancy]

Does it turn over? What other symptoms and information can you give us because I don't think there is anything wrong with the ignition light being on providing you've turned the key. If it's on when you get in the car and ignition hasn't been engaged then clearly something is amiss.

<center><b>[url="http://www.triumphtr7.com/documents/sales/codenamebullet.asp"]Buy the story of the Triumph TR7/8 on DVD here[/url]</b></center>

[tattytr8]

the usual favourite for the igniton light being stuck on is the rectifier having failed in the alternator, basically the battery drains through the igition light leaving you with a flat battery (non start) and a lit dash ignition light......massively annoying but not difficult to fix, just swap the offending rectifier (or indeed whole alternator)

mmmm rusty v8ty goodness

[john]

are you saying the ignition light was on before you inserted the key or turned it to the accessory or when you tried to start the engine

as the ignition light will illuminate and stay on with the key turned

was the ignition light on when the car was running !!!



[8 whole cylinders worth of punch to ram the world through the windshield and out the rear view mirror. Car & Driver]
1981 Grinnall TR7 v8
1981 Black FHC
1979 & 1980 Black Premium FHC(laid to rest) Sorry


John

[hymie747]

Got into car last night and turned ignition key on, then the light came on as engine was turning. Battery seems fine turns over and over and over, but does not start. Thinking maybe lost fire?Was wondering if the light means something is amiss.

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

<font size="1">"Got into car last night and turned ignition key on, then the light came on as engine was turning. "</font id="size1">

This is normal.

<font size="1">"Was wondering if the light means something is amiss."
</font id="size1">
No.

Before trying anything else, hook a jumper wire from the "+" side of the battery to the "+" side of the coil. Try to start the car. If it fires off, then the ballast wire in the wiring harness has perished.

Clay

[url="http://web.mac.com/jclaythompson/Site/Welcome.html"]My Triumph Site[/url], [url="http://web.mac.com/jclaythompson/iWeb/Technical/Intro.html"]Technical Stuff[/url], [url="http://homepage.mac.com/WebObjects/FileSharing.woa/53/wo/HJMTK8gsojtwKleP.1/0.2.1.2.26.31.97.0.35.0.1.1.1?user=jclaythompson&fpath=Triumph_Articles&templatefn=FileSharing4.html"]Download Page[/url]

[hymie747]

Thanks I will try tonite at home after work.

[hymie747]

Tried jumping the coil with power from battery, no fire. Checked the sparkplug against the head no fire. The engine turns easily but won't start, no fire to plugs.I will bring some more tools home tomorrow and check for power to coil. Also checked ignition fuses and they were good. Any thing else to look for?

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

I tried to help Zeke get his car started with no spark, didn't work!

I think that I am snake bit when it comes to ignitions. I will let someone else give you advice.

Clay

[url="http://web.mac.com/jclaythompson/Site/Welcome.html"]My Triumph Site[/url], [url="http://web.mac.com/jclaythompson/iWeb/Technical/Intro.html"]Technical Stuff[/url], [url="http://homepage.mac.com/WebObjects/FileSharing.woa/53/wo/HJMTK8gsojtwKleP.1/0.2.1.2.26.31.97.0.35.0.1.1.1?user=jclaythompson&fpath=Triumph_Articles&templatefn=FileSharing4.html"]Download Page[/url]

[saabfast]

If jumping a power supply to the coil does not work does that not point to the coil, points, condenser or wiring between? The other possibility which I have encountered many years ago is a problem (crack etc) with the rotor arm. It cannot always be seen. This leaks all the HT power away before it gets to the contacts for the spark leads in the dizzy cap (assuming you have dizzy type ignition).

Alan
Saab 9000 Stg 1
Saab 9000 2.3 FPT Auto
'81 TR7 DHC

[hymie747]

OK I checked for power to the plus side of coil and had power but no spark. Then I ran a jumper to plus side of coil and it fired up and ran for about 30 seconds, then quit, no fire again. Pulled capa nd cleaned rotor and cap still no fire. Sounds like something in the electronic ignition. No points or condensers to be seen, so am assuming electronic.Or maybe coil?

[hymie747]

Tried again last night and it fired right up, has a little miss though, maybe a plug wire.Totally lost on this one.

[FI Spyder]

If your HT wires are suspect, change them as a matter of course. I would carefully check the primary wires looking for wire breaks specifically where the connectors clamp onto them which is where they usually break but they could also break in the isulation which is harder to find and usually take some flexing and a hand sweep multi meter as a digital maybe too slow to react to catch the momentary breaks. If nothing shows up it could be electronic parts that could be intermittant.



TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra