The 'E' Type Forum

I have recently installed the Powerspark electronic distributor with their supplied Viper coil and HT leads.

Long story short.....I cant stop a crackling/sparking at the leads when ignition is applied. We have gone through a long list of possibilities with Powerspark and they diagnosed a faulty ignition module. I fitted the replacement today and it does the same thing.

QUESTIONS:

1. Has anyone fitted this Powerspark system to their 4.2?
2. If so, please confirm the wiring to the coil (red lead is pos, black is neg and ignition to pos)

1. Yes
2. Take the positive supply lead for the distributor back to the fuse box and not to the +ve on the coil and make sure you've got a good clean connection. That way you tachometer will probably work and your "sparking" may go.

The S1 tacho doesn’t use the distributor. It uses a drive on the cam
The short black cable from the distributor module....can you confirm you connect it to the White/black cable to the coil (which is connected to the negative on the coil). I’m not sure if that black module cable should go direct to body earth

I'm sorry, I'd missed that you'd posted in the Series 1 section and hence the camshaft driven tachometer.

As you suggest, the black wire should go to the connection on the coil that the points in the original distributor connected to and the red lead goes to the supply to the coil. The black lead should not go to body earth, the unit is earthed via the distributor body.

Just to be sure, you do have a negative earth Powerspark unit if you've got negative earth and vice versa?

Yes...it is most definitely a negative earth car and ignition system. Its very frustrating and the supplier hasn't got a solution.

What do you mean "crackling sparking" at the leads......what leads.....the ones from the dizzy cap to plugs....are they connected on the plugs or loose?....or the leads from dizzy to coil?......where are the sparks......Just when ignition is applied...or when your turning the car over..?.......Steve