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Starter Problem with 1990 Ren 5 Campus... I'm baffled!

L

Luker2100

Enthusiast
Messages
7
Hey guys,

I'm new to this forum but have regularly persued it with my dad as he used to have a 4 that we messed about with a lot. I have had a 1990 Renault 5 campus for the past 18 months and have had a few jobs to do on it but this one has got me stuck.

I am rubbish with electrics but parked it up one day and since trying to start it there is no spark. I initially thought it was the coils but swapped that out with no luck. I have had the multimeter out to check the ignition circuit is ok up to the coil is OK and it is. I then replaced the condenser and no luck.

Otherwise im stumped. I pushed to a garage around the corner and they said that they got a weak spark if they just hooked the battery up straight but that was it. As far as i know they checked the earth was good. They did say that it may be the ignition module (a silver box that sits next to the coil) but they said they weren't sure. I dont think this can be right as i would have thought the problem would be in the coil if the spark was weak with just the battery straight. i didnt think this box amplified the current at all?

Anyway that probably sounds as confused as i feel but if anyone has any ideas i would much appreciate it!

Thanks,

Luke
 
hi little silver boxis most likely problem regularly used to bypass these as they are quite expensive relative to the value of your car !!!
simply remove item make sure 12v ignition feed goes straight to coil + then other terminal - on coil goes straight to points wire
 
Nice one, Thanks for the help.

This is going to sound dim but is the points wire the one that leads to the ditributor and condensor (not the HT lead though)

Cheers again.
 
One more query. THere should only then be 3 wires connected to the coil yes?

The 12v ignition supply to the +
the earth on the -
and the points wire on the -

Is that correct?
 
There shouldn't be an earth on the negative terminal of the coil. + is the feed to charge the coil, and -ve is for that trigger to dump that charge through the HT lead.

That trigger is the points on older cars, but I would have thought the Campus would have electronic ignition. Same general principle though.
 
malcolm said:
There shouldn't be an earth on the negative terminal of the coil. + is the feed to charge the coil, and -ve is for that trigger to dump that charge through the HT lead.

That trigger is the points on older cars, but I would have thought the Campus would have electronic ignition. Same general principle though.
Click to expand...

Hey,

Its not electric ignition. What is the trigger?

Sorry i don't really understand. Do i just need to pull the earth (-ve coil to the chassis) off the coil?
 
Yes, the negative of the coil should not be earthed to the chassis.

Points are the trigger - as the points close the negative of the coil goes to earth. When they open it doesn't, and that's what makes the spark. Earthing the negative of the coil would bypass the points so you would never get a spark. So yes, remove the connection between the negative of the coil and the chassis.
 
well done
the silver box is designed to take the load off the points and extend their life but you can buy loads of sets cheaper than a new box

also biggest problem with all points available now unless old stock is the plastic heel (used to be fibre) wearing away closing points gap causing bad running often within few hundred miles
 
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