Datsun 510 Coil

[mattyhacks71]

So the coil on the car went (well atleast I think its the coil, it has no spark), and I picked up this beck arnley one. Its a little different so I'm confused.

Stock 510 coil

 

New one

The 2 brass terminals^ have a negative marking on the plastic. Wheres the positive? And the ground is on the positive side (I thought these cars are negative ground?)

 

Thanks in advance

[ggzilla]

You got the wrong coil.

 

Also coils are not grounded. Neither are ballast resistors.

[datzenmike]

lol

 

Connect up the old one. Put a plug in the end of the coil wire and lay on a grounded surface and crank the starter over. Is there spark?

 

No?

 

Take the dizzy cap off and look at the points while cranking. Do they open and close?

 

No.... adjust them so the gap is 0.021" about the thickness of a folded match book.

Yes... clean with file or sand paper or replace.

 

 

 

With ignition ON momentarily ground the coil negative side with a jumper wire. The coil should spark.

 

No?..... ballast resister may be broken.

 

Jumper a wire across the two ballast wire terminals and try again. Spark??

 

Yes!..... ballast is not working and needs replacing.

[bonvo]

ironicly enough the wrong coil you got is a better coil i would find a way to make it work connect the wiring appropriatly just like its wired with the existing coil and it should work 

[banzai510(hainz)]

You can make this work , its a matching coil with ballast.

 

I agree with mike the coil you have is most likely good. Never seen them go bad.

 

that new coil will work its for a Toyota but is a sub for a 510 as i seen on Rockauto.com.

 

all elese fails get a stock 510 coil

[datzenmike]

You need power from the ignition to the positive terminal. The negative terminal is grounded through the points closing. The opening of the points and the breaking of the electrical circuit is what causes the coil to fire. If the points are open but don't close or closed and don't open the coil will not fire.

 

Don't replace something that may not need it. Prove the coil is bad first.

[mattyhacks71]

Thanks Mike, I'll go through the process you described. If it is bad, will one of these work? http://www.ebay.com/itm/DATSUN-240Z-260Z-280Z-510-IGNITION-COIL-W-RESISTOR-NOS-JAPAN-/330728676303?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4d00f71bcf&vxp=mtr

[banzai510(hainz)]

yes that ebay is perfect.

 

the one you have is also perfect.(I think "Hobbes the cat" installed one.

 

 

that new coil(2 brass posts) one side is minus and I would assume the other side is positive. it should measure like over 1.2 ohms for just the coil.

 

the blk wht wire(key ON) will go into the ballast. you can use that blk wire thats on it already (make a jumper or just hook up to the resisitor)

the otherside of ballast with the 2 tabs. hook up the blk/grn or the blk/blu  the other one you didnt use will go to the +side brass post.   remember the blkgrn blk blu are shorted under the tape so just pick the one that fits the best

 

on the new coil I would get soem tabs to put on there so you dont have to cut your stock connectors.

 

 

all else fails dont do it and get the ebay coil and send me the toyota one. I ll use it.

 

 

most like your points are not opening ,maybe a shorted condensor(if thet really ever happens)

[banzai510(hainz)]

save this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W94iksaQwUo

 

you can make sure power to the coil. blk wht wire is like 12volts at the input of ballast and around 6-9v at the +side of coil.

than take the center coil wire place near ground. then use your other hand and open the points up and the center wire should fire(1/8 to 1/4 to chassis)  close the points the coil will charge up then when points open coil looses power and magnectic fiel goes thru the center of coil to ground

[mattyhacks71]

lol

 

Connect up the old one. Put a plug in the end of the coil wire and lay on a grounded surface and crank the starter over. Is there spark?

 

No?

 

Take the dizzy cap off and look at the points while cranking. Do they open and close?

 

No.... adjust them so the gap is 0.021" about the thickness of a folded match book.

Yes... clean with file or sand paper or replace.

 

 

 

With ignition ON momentarily ground the coil negative side with a jumper wire. The coil should spark.

 

No?..... ballast resister may be broken.

 

Jumper a wire across the two ballast wire terminals and try again. Spark??

 

Yes!..... ballast is not working and needs replacing.

 

With a jumper wire across the two ballast terminal wires there was spark when I grounded the coil negative

[ggzilla]

The coil will have 12V on both sides until the engine is turned to where the points are closed, at which time it is about 9 volts on one side and zero on the other.

 

[datzenmike]

With a jumper wire across the two ballast terminal wires there was spark when I grounded the coil negative

Then the coil works and you have power from the ignition.

 

Now check the points under the rotor. They are probably not closing.

[mattyhacks71]

The points are closing!

[ggzilla]

Are they opening exactly 18 thousands of an inch?

[banzai510(hainz)]

remove the wires on minus side coil. then get a test light clip it to the minus side coil and put pointey end on chassis ground. the test light will flash when trying to start. if light on all the time then the points are constanly grounded.

 

his is s simple 3 min test.

[banzai510(hainz)]

if you didn't get 6-9 volts at the coil this would be obvious the ballast was bad????????????with key to ON

[ggzilla]

Nope. You will either get 12v or about 6 volts if the ballast resistor is good.

 

If you get zero volts then it is probably miswired.

[banzai510(hainz)]

if ballast open be no voltage to + side coil with key ON.  you get 12 with key start thru the bypass wire

[ggzilla]

That's true.

if ballast open be no voltage to + side coil with key ON. you get 12 with key start thru the bypass wire

This is not true

if you didn't get 6-9 volts at the coil this would be obvious the ballast was bad????????????with key to ON

there are several reasons for not getting 6-9 volts

[mattyhacks71]

Update: I replaced the ballast and still no start or spark from coil to dizzy wire.

 

remove the wires on minus side coil. then get a test light clip it to the minus side coil and put pointey end on chassis ground. the test light will flash when trying to start. if light on all the time then the points are constanly grounded.

 

his is s simple 3 min test.

 

I did this and the light stayed on

[ggzilla]

Why did you replace the resistor? Did it test bad?

 

The light staying on indicates the points need adjustment. Either use a dwell meter, or buy new points and set to .018". Don't set used points the same way.

[banzai510(hainz)]

I did this and the light stayed on

 

 

 

then its grounding out. reck inside the dizzy point area. alot of time the wire will ground in there.

 

Simple fix.

 

 

put your stock stuff back in I suggest

 

 

this whol etrouble shooting should tsake about 30mins max to figure out.

about 3 for me

[mattyhacks71]

If you have no idea what you're doing it'll take a little longer :lol:

 

Replacing points after work today

[banzai510(hainz)]

If you have no idea what you're doing !!!!!!!!!

 

the truth is out!!!!!

 

Ok I used to swap points and it would not start. Put old points back in and then it would start. Then say WTF then put new points back in t hen it would run. ONly thing I could think of it when hooking up the point wire screwing the wire to back of points somehow it was shorting out.

Once I got a single point dizzy and put the Pertronix conversion in I never had a proplem in my 510 again. In My 521 the Pertronix magnet ring tape wore out as the bushing got worn.

 

 

Moral of this story is the best 100$ you can spend is a Machbox or a Electronic conversion for your car.

Not Camber plates ,Coil overs big wheels

 

Ps you wiggle back of the key connecter under the colume? soemtime one can loose power in Start or on the ON position due to corrossion or weak connection there.

[mattyhacks71]

Installed the Pertronix elec ignition and the car runs just great now. It was the wire inside ground out.

 

Thanks for the help!