Date:         Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:03:07 -0800
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject:      Re: easy test of Hall unit and ignition spark system
Comments: To: mark drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

on slight advantage of having the distributor fully removed and in your
hands is ...
if there is intermittent or poor contact where the wire plugs onto the
dizzy, or poor/weak connection going into the dizzy there, having it at
various angles in your hands 'might' tend to help intermittent contact there
show up.
 Like hold it at 'this angle' it works, hold it at some other angle, it
doesn't.

even easier if you are just trying to confirm that everything else besides
the dizzy mounted in the engine can function, is to just grab your spare
dizzy and plug it in, turn it with your fingers.

not fully removing the dizzy is a clever trick though.


----- Original Message -----
From: "mark drillock" <mdrillock@COX.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 11:49 AM
Subject: easy test of Hall unit and ignition spark system


> 1. remove only center lead from dizzy cap
> 2. remove dizzy cap and push it aside hanging from other wires
> 3. loosen 13mm nut holding down dizzy clamp, leave it on by only a
> thread or 2
> 4. make note of which way rotor is pointing exactly
> 5. pull dizzy up as far as the loosened nut will allow
> 6. very that now the rotor can be turned by hand
> 7. turn on key switch, DON'T crank engine
> 8. hold loose end of removed center wire near metal on engine
> 9. turn rotor by hand a few turns
>
> 10.... you should see big sparks from the center wire to the engine
> metal...you should hear relays clicking in the relay box by the
> coil...you should hear the fuel pump run each time you turn the
> rotor...you may hear the injectors clicking as they spray
>
>
> 11. After this test, turn off key switch, turn rotor till pointing where
> it all started, push dizzy all the way back down into place, wiggling
> rotor if needed, tighten 13mm nut, leave cap off!
>
> 12. make certain you can't turn the rotor anymore with firm force,
> proving the dizzy is down all the way and in it's timing slot
>
> 13. put back cap and center wire
>
> 14. wait 5 minutes then start engine. the wait is to let the intake dry
> out some from the fuel injected during the test. you may need to hold
> the pedal down too or wait even longer if you turned the rotor a lot.
>
> (this test can also be used to check that injectors are spraying. remove
> hold down screw from one side fuel rail and pull out injector pair,
> leaving all hoses and wires alone. repeat steps 1- 9 above while
> watching injector tips during step 9. There should be cone shaped spray
> from both for each 1/4 turn of the rotor)