Need for a fault tracing process/procedure ?

[Nick]

Having recently had a condenser fail on me leaving Goodwood, I feel it might be useful to have a fault tracing tree on the forum. At least, if there is an existing one on the internet that can be applied to E-types, a link to it on the forum would be helpful.

Engine based fault finding would probably be of most use to people, but there are many other general "I've got this problem what should I look for" questions submitted to the forum that expanding it to other areas of the car might also be of use. I know, it would be a long term plan...

You might expect the recovery services to carry this around in their heads, but I think experience of fault finding on classic cars is patchy in these services especially, dare I say it, amongst the younger staff.

Any thoughts ?

Nick

[PeterCrespin]

Having recently had a condenser fail on me leaving Goodwood, I feel it might be useful to have a fault tracing tree on the forum. You might expect the recovery services to carry this around in their heads, but I think experience of fault finding on classic cars is patchy in these services especially, dare I say it, amongst the younger staff.

Any thoughts ?

Nick

Yup, I agree it will probably be a rare month when younger staff come across a points-equipped car. I'd say the onus is on any driver of same to carry a known good (as in, shown to work fine, not necessarily new) spare condenser and points in their toolkit. And know how to fit it of course.

Pete

[PETE V]

Being a field engineer, I was ask to assist a main dealer with a 1997 car that refused to start. This car had been fully serviced from new by the dealer.
A quick test found a very poor/ non spark from the ignition sytem and a further inspection found a set of points that had not been changed for years, indeed the dealer did not even stock the parts.
Just shows even the professionals get it wrong.

[Heuer]

Do you mean something like this?: http://peugeot.mainspot.net/fault_find/

If someone wants to produce one we can make it a 'sticky' in the Knowledge Base.

[Nick]

The Peugeot one would be a start. It asks the right questions but doesn't help with any answers. I quite like the layout of the Ford Scorpio one:

http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/faultfinds.htm

which helps you find possible faults (though particular to a Scorpio). I haven't seen anything like this for an E-type or a 6/12 cyl Jaguar.

Just a thought: Is it possible to set-up a sort of Wiki-Sticky template with the 3 headings (Concern/Symptom/Advice) that forum members could edit & add to with their own experiences ?

Nick