[pommy3d]

As per the title - there is a click and then a misfire - enging runs ok for a few seconds "click" drops out, back again and so on...

At first I noticed a few sparks arcing from the terminals on the coil, but that noise is coming from the dizzy?

Any ideas?

Cheers,

Pommy

It's a Suzuki Sierra 1994 1.3

[steak_knife]

new a new SET of spark plug lead's...

[pommy3d]

You reckon?

That's what I thought, but in the past on another Zook I remember replacing the cap, rotor and leads and it still did it.

I thought there maybe common "fault".

Oh well - Leads it is then Cheers...

P.S - the leads are under 12 months old.

[SuziBlu]

I agree on the leads, but a good test is to wait till its dark, black as, then start the motor with the bonnet up, and have a look.

If there is an electrical leak, it will be highly visible as "lightning" where ever it is, around the plugs, along the leads, via a cracked cap, over the top of the cap, where ever, but you will see it.

[pommy3d]

Thanks guys

Funny thing is, I took the leads off as a process of elimination, and no matter which lead is off, it does the "arcing" noise?

I can't get my head around why new leads will help?

Any ideas?

Oh and how much will a new set of leads cost from Super Cheap ya reckon?

Thanks

[Scrawny]

It is an electrical leak from the high voltage side. The most obvious part is the leads but it could also be the cap or dizzy. Did you look at the cap to dizzy lead?

[pommy3d]

Yep - I swapped it around to check the connectivity at each end, but it made no difference.

I forgot to say, the last three times I driven it, when underload, it lost power - like it was running on 3 - but then you back off and it runs sweet??

The occasional back-fire, like unspent fuel?

I just went to go out in it and it won't run up the street, seems to be running on 3? Weird...

[want33s]

Could be a cracked coil top.

[bohuler]

pommy3d, i have the same problem atm, my zook runs fine and you can rev the biscuits out of it outta gear, but while driving you but the boot in and its just kinda dies and splutters. BUT if you take it easy and drive gentle like you can wind the revs up no worries. I thought it was fuel so changed the filter, and blew the lines from the pump backwards. Nope. Thought it was the air, removed the snorkel and NOPE! still happening but stuffed it i know why.
want33s, what would a cracked coil top do? I thought that coils either worked or they didn't, there wasn't a half arsed inbetween so to speak of?

[atari4x4]

i'd think a cracked coil top would allow spark leakage.

fire it up at night time as suggested by SuziBlu, you should be able to see the spark jumping.

just another thought, whats the little carbon brush like that's in the inside of the dizzy cap where the coil lead goes, if it is really worn one can be fabricated from the insides of a AA battery.

[pommy3d]

Hi,

Coil is fine, cap is near new.

The arcing is from the terminal to the shaft where the boot of the coil lead slides on - both terminals are doing it - very small blue spark, thin.

The spark is coming from the dizzy cap area, 100% sure of it.

I'll get some lead tomorrow and check the dark thing tonight to see if I can spot anything else.

Thanks for the support everyone, much appreciated

Pommy

[steak_knife]

Spark/electricity like to travel along the easiest path, so a low resistance is wanted for leads & wire, if a lead is breaking down the resistance get's high & the spark has to travel somewhere, so it jump's on the coil lead, being the easiest path..
I'd bet $150 on it being your lead's, hence saying get a SET of lead's..

[mightymouse]

You may find that there some form of moisture around the tower of the coil and it is arcing to the body of the coil.

[SuziBlu]

mightymouse wrote:

You may find that there some form of moisture around the tower of the coil and it is arcing to the body of the coil.

Quick spray of CRC will work that out.

[Lokidog]

ScrawnC wrote:

It is an electrical leak from the high voltage side. The most obvious part is the leads but it could also be the cap or dizzy. Did you look at the cap to dizzy lead?

On both zooks I've owned, at some stage I've had an issue with the 'coil to dizzy lead' arcing out on to the bonnet. IIRC the lead is a bit long and makes contact with the bonnet.

[pommy3d]

Lokidog wrote:

ScrawnC wrote:

It is an electrical leak from the high voltage side. The most obvious part is the leads but it could also be the cap or dizzy. Did you look at the cap to dizzy lead?

On both zooks I've owned, at some stage I've had an issue with the 'coil to dizzy lead' arcing out on to the bonnet. IIRC the lead is a bit long and makes contact with the bonnet.

Bonnet is open

I'm off outside to check for sparks...

UPDATE:

Three or four good sparks constantly jumping from both terminals on the coil to the coil lead.

One lead is completely "lit up" like a rope light from the dizzy, right to the spark plug!

[FullyZooked]

Just buy a new set of leads and and be done with it. No doubt it's the lead from coil to dizzy but when replacing one it's best to replace them all. Like tyres.

$75 will get you a decent set of leads. And $22 for a new dizzy cap if you need to.

[pommy3d]

I'll be done with it today...

I just needed to be sure as I don't have much money and didn't want to run out and buy plugs, then
try the leads, then the cap etc.

So I came here.

Now I know for a fact - so thanks for the help and support everyone.

I'll post back with results

[SuziBlu]

FullyZooked wrote:

Just buy a new set of leads and and be done with it. No doubt it's the lead from coil to dizzy but when replacing one it's best to replace them all. Like tyres.

All very well in a perfect world, but, not really needed, the leads are only 12 months old, a couple have failed, the others have passed the test and are fine.

If you had a new set of tyres, 12 months old, and one failed, would you replace the lot?

[pommy3d]

Suziblu...

What would you do?

Get a coil lead and just one new lead?

Cheers.

[Scrawny]

pommy3d wrote:

Suziblu...

What would you do?

Get a coil lead and just one new lead?

Cheers.

Do you have access to a multimeter? Do a check resistance check of all of them.

[want33s]

I have a few sets of leads here.. All used but you can have them if you want.

[SuziBlu]

Pommy, go see want33s.

I have in my toolbox a most useful tool, a multimeter, even an analogue one is very handy. When you have a problem like this, its an invaluable tool, you set it on Ohms and find which is crook.

Im pretty sure if you go see want33s he will give you the run down on what or how to use one.

[pommy3d]

Guys, thanks for the generous offers of help (and leads!) I just returned home with a set of Bosch leads.

I got the whole set.

Let's see how they go.

[Scrawny]

At least you bought quality

[pommy3d]

Perfect!

Topic solved until the next drama!

Thanks to all