r5 distributor ignition wont start

[se6]

Howdy, I have an R4 with a R5 distributor fitted, has never let me down, until now. Just wont start. Checked the distributor and breaker arm was not letting the points touch together when should be in closed mode. seems its worn out, so i got some hard glue and added a bit to the cam follower I think its called, the bit which touches the cam as it turns opening the points. Still does not start, the points are now closing and opening when cam turns. (before they were always open) yet still no spark? any idea what to do next?

Cheers guys..

 

[jjad]

Hello, I can't help I'm afraid but there are lots of people on this site who should be able to. However, many folk are off to Thenay in France this weekend for the 50th anniversary of the Renault 4, so you may not get a reply very soon!

 

[Steve Hennessey]

Can I suggest that you fit a new set of points for starters as your present set sound way past their prime. If they haven't been changed for many years (and it sounds like it) then treat your car to a new rotor arm, distributor cap and capacitor as well.

Set the points gap to .015" and smear some grease on the cam. Then, with the points closed, turn on the ignition and open and close the points with the end of a small screwdriver. The points should spark so this means all is well. If not then change the coil.

 

[billythefish]

Strange as it may seem the exact same thing happened to me today and I have a new coil, new cap, points and condenser yet I still can't get a spark at the points, and yes I have checked and they are the correct ones, seems that I have been encountering quite a bit of difficulty with the old R4 lately, that's life I guess.

 

[pepper]

I'm always wary of rotor arms, they don't make them like they used too and they can short out through the distributor rotor and you;ll have no spark.

I had this on my old Morris Oxford and it wasn't until I threw all the new ones in a bin and went and borrowed an old original one from a friend that I finally cured the problem.

 

[billythefish]

Thanks for that pepper all suggestions are worth a try.

 

[DavidN]

Whenever I change cap, rotor, condenser - I keep the old (and working) parts to have a working backup.
Even with new (or old stock) parts you never know...

Are you sure the condenser is the right fitment?
Coil working properly? (Try another one, they can fail from one to the next minute!)

Did you (re-)check the points? Do they have contact?

Good luck!

David

 

[Rich]

I had a similar problem with my VW bus last weekend, turned out to be a wire having come loose at the ignition.

 

[malcolm]

Was this one fixed? I had a similar thing recently with old points. They weren't properly insulated from the distributor body. A voltmeter connected on each side of the contact should record 12V then 0V then 12V etc as you push the car forward in gear with the ignition switched on. On the one I had trouble with I got a bit of movement but it wasn't 12V.

Divide and conquer is the way. Check volts across the points, check for a spark from the coil lead, check for the spark from one of the plug leads. Work your way down the system until you find something that doesn't work.

 

[alewis]

I had mine fail a few months back - working perfectly then turned around a corner and it died and would not start. Lots of effort trying to start it then I realised the wire from the points to the coil was wrapped around the steering column and no longer connected to the distributor !

 

[billythefish]

Well it looks like another big thank you to Malcolm,
I discovered that the plastic insert which the bolt goes through and inserts into the side of the distributor,the one that holds the points was worn, allowing the bolt to touch the side of the distributor, hence no insulation and no spark.
sorted. sorted, sorted, sorted, sorted.

 

[jayar]

I replaced the points (Femsa) in my R4F4 yesterday, and had no spark either. In my case it was similar to Malcolm, the end which makes contact with the inside of the distributor was not insulated and therefore a direct short. I have insulated it with some gaffer tape which is working fine at present, but I will be checking that from time to time to see that it is still intact.