Fitzy's GP is back!

[64 kiwi boni]

mate, first one that doesnt sound right is your plug gap, i set my plugs at 25 thou. think at 35 your too wide,but you are using a electronic points and big coil so it musta be ok.

removing your igintion switch is easy if you make your self a 3 pronged socket.... remember the piece of inch copper tube i cut so it had 3 prongs to turn the chrome ring holding the switch in ?

i also think your right, the feed to the coil from that switch is pink. not sure how they add the resistance, usually its a block of ceramic with a coil of wire, but where it is ????

i would certainly id the correct feed wire from the switch and chop it, feed a new wire direct to the coil, job done. 

[Fitzy]

So, every time I log on to this forum, it seems Kiwi has bought himself another car. Well, two can play that game. I bought myself a little 4WD truck today. No, it's not a Pontiac. No, it's not classic. It is 31 years old and has travelled 189000km which means it has done about 6000km per year! It was owned by an old man who used to trundle down the road, put a case of beer in the back and then trundle home. I don't think it's ever seen a dirt road, was rustproofed when purchased brand new and is as neat as a pin. I got it for AUD$3k. The 70 year old owner and his wife (to whom the vehicle was gifted upon the owner's death) implored me to take care of it as it has sentimental value to them. I assured them it was in for a pampered existence.

I now have 3 cars. Kiwi - watch out. I am catching up. I promise not to tell you all about any more cars that aren't Pontiacs. This will be the last one.

[Fitzy]

Ignore this.

Edited July 29, 2022 by Fitzy
Double up on photo

[64 kiwi boni]

Woo hoo 

holden rodeo ! 
good on ya mate ! And 3 k is a bargain!

Flat deck , good looking rubber what a score 

think you call that a roo bar 

we call them bull bars ! 
nice work mate 

Hope it’s a petrol one with the price of diesel now ! 

And hay ! 
I sold 2 cars last month ! That xy Ute and a Vr ss Holden remember 🙄

Edited July 29, 2022 by 64 kiwi boni

[Fitzy]

Yes, 2.6 petrol. It will need a few things done to it but otherwise it's a nicely run in little used gem. I need a ute around here and finally caved in and started looking for a cheapie, and here we are.

[Andy H]

On 7/28/2022 at 12:18 AM, Fitzy said:

Can you guys give me a hand here? Today I took El Poncho out for it's fortnightly run and all of a sudden it developed a miss. Felt like fuel starvation but more likely electrical, as the fuel system is so simple. I get home and check everything. Fuel is easiest and I was always going to fit a new inline filter anyway in case the old one picked up any crud that may have fallen into the 57 year old tank. As I undid the old filter, fuel spurted out at considerable pressure. Well that didn't look right. I know there needs to be a little pressure in there, but this was too much. I wondered if the old original gauze filter that sits in the carby inlet was blocked so I took it out. I couldn't blow through it. It was even difficult to push compressed air through it. I decided it was one of those old skool items that are now superseded by modern disposable inline filters, so I took it out and left it out. Took the car for a run but that miss was still there. I pulled the spark plugs and noticed the enormous gap. I'm pretty sure I was told 45 thou for those plugs, but a little research said 35 was better for non HEI, so I closed all the gaps. By the way, they were all a nice tan colour with no cracked insulation or any other visible defects. Fuel pump is new and is obviously working. Fuel is fresh. Carby was rebuilt. Air cleaner new. I think we can disregard fuel at the moment. My rat chewed solid core leads are still on the engine and I've tested them all for resistance and they're all good. Yes, I will replace them...soon. The coil is a 40kV Flamethrower and it's running Ignitor 1 ignition. Now, this is where I need help. Pertronix says to ensure 12V in to the coil from a switched source. I am still using my factory installed resistance wire that gives me 6.6V at the coil with the ignition 'on,' engine not running. I suspect this is the issue. To be honest, there has always been some hesitation when I give the go pedal a shove at low speeds, but seems to be fine at cruise.

I thought I could get a nice solid 12V from my fuse box (switched source) but I ran a wire from there direct to the coil, tested it for 12V at the coil but car would not start. I think the only way I can get 12V switched is from the ignition switch itself. We all know that when you start your car, any accessories that might be on almost stop as all power is diverted to the starting procedure, so I guess that's why I can't get 12V from my fuse box. The attached wiring diagrams show a pink wire exiting the ignition switch and becoming the resistance wire, but it somehow changes colour to orange/white/ppl (what might ppl be?) That wire then becomes the pink/black wire that feeds the coil at it's positive terminal. I'm happy to splice into the wires out of the ignition switch but which one? I tried the pink, but inexplicably the engine wouldn't fire until I released the switch from it's start position - it then caught and ran!

Kiwi - you removed your ignition switch. Do I recall it was dramatic for you, or is it easy? I think I'm gonna have to pull mine and experiment with a test light to see what wire does what as the engine cranks and then runs. Once sorted, I'm hoping this is the end of the misfiring problem.

Any ideas as to how I can tap into a nice easy 12V switched source?

Get a relay and see if the original wire to the  coil will trigger it, run it to the 86 terminal on the relay , run a wire to ground from the 85 terminal, run a wire with a inline fuse holder from horn relay to 30 on relay then run wire from 87 to coil

[64 kiwi boni]

6 hours ago, Andy H said:

Get a relay and see if the original wire to the  coil will trigger it, run it to the 86 terminal on the relay , run a wire to ground from the 85 terminal, run a wire with a inline fuse holder from horn relay to 30 on relay then run wire from 87 to coil

We love relays around here justA bout as much as pictures 

[Andy H]

3 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

We love relays around here justA bout as much as pictures 

Yes and that way you don't have to poke around under the dash, 

[Fitzy]

Wow - thanks Andy. That sounds like an elegant solution. I hate getting under the dash in that thing. If I was 20 again, it wouldn't be so dramatic but I'm 60 next week and, well...I'm sure most of you know how that feels when you're contorted like a circus performer with your glasses falling off, your back hurting, the trouble light has slid off it's perch and has fallen into the passenger footwell and there you are staring at the mess of wires that you'd promised yourself you would get professionally rewired.

Stupid Question Time. Are relays just relays? Do I need to specify any values, apart from being 12V?

[64 kiwi boni]

4 hours ago, Fitzy said:

Wow - thanks Andy. That sounds like an elegant solution. I hate getting under the dash in that thing. If I was 20 again, it wouldn't be so dramatic but I'm 60 next week and, well...I'm sure most of you know how that feels when you're contorted like a circus performer with your glasses falling off, your back hurting, the trouble light has slid off it's perch and has fallen into the passenger footwell and there you are staring at the mess of wires that you'd promised yourself you would get professionally rewired.

Stupid Question Time. Are relays just relays? Do I need to specify any values, apart from being 12V?

i go for 30 amp ones 

hay what day next week is your birthday mate?

[64 kiwi boni]

5 hours ago, Andy H said:

Yes and that way you don't have to poke around under the dash, 

man!! this guys a thinker!!! Andy! great plan!!! why didnt i think of that !!!🙄

[Fitzy]

I just happened to have, er...'liberated' a 12V 30A relay from work some time ago, so I'll play with that in the future, along with the tacho resistor, the headlight relays, that annoying miss from the engine and so on. Time is of the essence as far as the new little truck goes. The owners graciously allowed me to keep it's rego going to give me time to get it's Safety Certificate, so I have almost exactly one month to get all it's little issues sorted. Only coz Kiwi asked, my birthday is August 6. Apparently shared with Marilyn Monroe's and the date Hiroshima was bombed. I'll be at work for it this year, but will celebrate it later on...perhaps in New Zealand! I normally wouldn't bother, but 60 is a significant number worth celebrating.

[Fitzy]

I don't even want to post this, but I hooked up the relay as per Andy's instructions and no go. I will admit that I have no power to my horn relay, so once again took 12V from my fusebox to feed the relay. Nothing. There is definitely 12V getting to the relay and I triple checked all connections to all places and she'll turn over but won't fire.

I simply have to decode which wire that comes out of the ignition switch is the one that becomes the resistance wire that feeds the coil.

It's a good thing I already have no hair...

[Fitzy]

Stupid Question Time: I am determined to follow Andy's relay hookup instructions and get this thing working. So, my question is: if I connect the relay directly to my battery, I'm guaranteed 12V under all conditions. My only concern is will the relay actually consume power whilst the car is switched off and is simply sitting around. My guess is of course not because the relay will only become active once the ignition is switched on.

I'm home all day tomorrow with very little to do and hooking this up before I drive it down to Cairns for Sunday's Car Show seems to me to be a good idea. Your thoughts please.

[Andy H]

9 hours ago, Fitzy said:

Stupid Question Time: I am determined to follow Andy's relay hookup instructions and get this thing working. So, my question is: if I connect the relay directly to my battery, I'm guaranteed 12V under all conditions. My only concern is will the relay actually consume power whilst the car is switched off and is simply sitting around. My guess is of course not because the relay will only become active once the ignition is switched on.

I'm home all day tomorrow with very little to do and hooking this up before I drive it down to Cairns for Sunday's Car Show seems to me to be a good idea. Your thoughts please.

The wire that should be connected to the battery is the 30 terminal and no it will not consume any power, it's like a switch that is not turned on at that time but do install a fuse on that wire 

[64 kiwi boni]

11 hours ago, Fitzy said:

My guess is of course not because the relay will only become active once the ignition is switched on.

As Andy said above mate. and you are correct no circuit..... no power consumption  👍

[Fitzy]

Thanks Boys - I woke up with the sniffles this morning and feel like a bucket of shit without the bucket, but some gentle tinkering on El Poncho shouldn't be too much of a strain. Really - if this latest incarnation of wiring doesn't do it, it's going to a Sparky.

[Fitzy]

I've got covid. Yay!  I tested myself after not feeling so good one morning and so, no work until I isolate for a full 7 days. The 3 vaccinations I had seemed to have paid off because the symptoms are only mild - like a cold but totally zapped of energy.

I played once more with the relay hooked direct to 12V and the car WOULD NOT START. There's something peculiar about the factory circuit. The coil will not get it's starting voltage unless the factory wire feeds it. It could be a faulty relay. Whatever it is - I'm over it. It can go to a sparky to get it looked at and get some headlight relays installed as well.

Of course, covid means isolation which means Sunday's Car Show - the event I have waited all year to attend is no longer allowable. Sure, I could slip out and attend but it's not the right thing to do. Plus, I feel pretty weak so I'll just have to wait until next year.

On a brighter note, I had my mower engine bored and reassembled it today with it's shiny new piston & conrod. That can be the task for the rest of the week.

[JUSTA6]

Sorry bout the covid.  Hope you don't have lasting effects.  That shit WILL kick your ass!!  Sorry bout the show, I know all about that too.  Still do not have my block back.  Should have sent it to your mower guy.

[Fitzy]

My 'Mower Guy' is 70 years old, works out of a tin shed and has every conceivable machine, tool, die, etc that you would ever need. He does plenty of engine machining. He also keeps threatening to retire but has a collection of beautifully restored vintage motorbikes - mostly Nortons but I saw a Ducati in there as well which no doubt keep him broke enough to have to keep working!

[64 kiwi boni]

Welcome to the been there done that club Mate !, hope you dont have it too bad. i had 3 jabs before i got it and it was really nothing to be concerned about, how ever others have had it pretty bad.

Good to get it out of the way before yor trip too !

So your boss has it too now ? 

[Fitzy]

She complained of a 'ticklish throat' this morning so I'm going to assume covid is knocking on her door. As you say - might as well get it out of the way. My own symptoms are mild enough that I decided I WILL attend tomorrow's Car Show but will not take the Pontiac (that'll preclude me from having to talk to anyone) shall wear a mask and will keep my distance from others at all times. I think that's fair and almost responsible. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

[64 kiwi boni]

21 hours ago, Fitzy said:

She complained of a 'ticklish throat' this morning so I'm going to assume covid is knocking on her door. As you say - might as well get it out of the way. My own symptoms are mild enough that I decided I WILL attend tomorrow's Car Show but will not take the Pontiac (that'll preclude me from having to talk to anyone) shall wear a mask and will keep my distance from others at all times. I think that's fair and almost responsible. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

And thats what i would do too mate!

[Fitzy]

Here's a disappointing update: Car Show was crap. The turnout seems to have diminished from the good ol' days. The variety of cars was meagre - mostly 'classic' Australian, a few Yankers, some Jappers and a gaggle of British. The event was cancelled last year (covid) and perhaps there's some bouncing back to be done that will take a couple of years. As I left (I didn't bother with a single pic) I wondered if perhaps car shows are more successful if they are separated by genre, which means if I really wanted to get out there, I ought to join the American Car Club of Cairns, but because I'm not particularly social even at the best of times, I might just leave that for now. The global economic forecast is also pretty dire for the next few years, so that wouldn't be helping things either.

The most interesting car I saw was a 1940s (I think) Hupmobile. Stylish, curvy old thing, big boat anchor of an engine and the craziest floor shifter you ever saw - it was curved in the shape of a BIG 'S' - the distance from it's floor mounting to where the driver's hand should be was a good 2 to 2.5 feet.

Anyway, I kept my mask on, didn't talk to anyone and had a fairly uninspired time. To make up, I took El Poncho out for a blast and now feel a little more settled.

[64 kiwi boni]

Oh stink no pics !