Sparks zapping around on coil

[4g6beat]

Hey guys, my staz has always run a bit rough (leaking injectors old fuel filter etc) but after fixing these probs it still appears to be the samee ie:chokes and has rough idle in mornings and under acceleration.

I decided to check my leeds yesterday night they seemed to be fine but when i had a look at the lead from the dizzy to the coil i noticed (since it was dark) that tiny sparks were escaping from the coil plug to the positive and negative terminals on the coil! (not very safe given my injectors were leaking :D ) I tried two diferent coils and a brand new plug from the dizzy to the coil and still the same thing (actually worse).

I was thinking my dizzy cap must have a crack or a problem with it but i can't see anything, does anyone have any ideas?? after giving it a bit of a run i can literaly hear the zapping noise and the sparks are bloddy huge!!
its scary.

thanx guys :)

[sigmaproject]

I had the same deal when I installed one of the newer type coils in my Sigma. Stick your hand anywhere near the coil with the motor running and you gat zapped. Machanic got some good boots from the thing when adjusting the timing. Put on a new lead with end covers that look like they should seal OK. But I dont trust it!!

[4g6beat]

heheh, i know what you mean i got electrified like a million time yesterday i've got new boots on but it still sneaks through tried wd40'ing (rp7 actually i'm a tightarse) but i still sparks. oh yeah tried pusshing the boot on the dizzy in tighter at the same time and ZAPO!!

boy i won't be trying that again!!

[mrb1]

I would say it is doing that because it can't get through the cap properly. It's the cap or the rotor button. Unless you have a crack in the tower of the coil?
Did you check the coil lead? Also when you say "check" did you measure the resistance with a multimeter?

[decoy]

eesh that sounds freaky :S

[4g6beat]

thanks i'll check for cracks round the tower tonight, i didn't test the resistace with a multimeter i just plugged in a new lead and it did the exact same thing as my one (it actually sparked a little more! could this mean anything?) so i assumed both leads were fine i tried a spare coil and it did much the same though. i'll double check everything really carefully this arvo and if it still does it i'll buy a new cap.

[SpidersWeb]

From a basic electrical sense, the current will take the easiest route, if you are the easiest route, or jumping a few cm through air which are both very very high resistance, then your distributor would have to be the munted component. This would also explain any performance problems.

If youve tried different coils and leads, this is also the next logical diagnostic checkpoint.

[4g6beat]

thanks for all your replys guys i'm gessing the problem must be with the dizzy too but i'm hoping it can be fixed. i suspect as with many other starion parts that dizzys are not the easiest to come by and i dont want to even think how much a new one would cost. has anyone had this prob before with a cracked dizzy cap i'm hoping against hope that all it is.

also a while ago i pulled my leads out without marking them i'm nigh on 100% sure i put them back in correctly (i'm assuming they can only work one way) is it possible not having the corect plugs on could cause this??

[Alspos]

Just re-read the top of this post, the problem is sparking around the top of the coil, correct?

You have replaced the lead from the coil to the dizzy, still sparks around the coil top.

The coil may need replacing due to the top ceramic or whatever it's made of part being cracked or degraded.

Have you tried putting electrical tape around the top of the coil then plugging the lead back in. If it helps, go buy a new coil. To me, replacing dizzy caps etc is a waste of money and time.

[SpidersWeb]

Yeah thats true, even with no lead there, the coil should not spark.

My suggestion was based on the fact he had tried different coils, perhaps both are buggered?? Electrical tape sounds like an idea to try to find out.

[quest]

my old coil was arcing to terminals. A new msd coil cured it.
I've 'read' one or two cases where even these new msd coils failed.
Accel is another inexpensive alternative lotsa 2.6 u.s. guys run.
Bosch red coil is a proven favorite www.racetep.com

[coop1er]

As mentioned earlier, electricity takes the easiest path.

So I would sugggest that somewhere there is a part with high
resistance.

Did you check the plug leads with a mulimeter? That would
be the most likely problem.

[dokbob]

you could just give the coil a good clean with metho or carby cleaner, just make sure it has all evaporated before you start the engine :D :roll:

[4g6beat]

hi guys i tried cleaning and sticky tape ideas and it was still arcing so itried another brand new coil as well as a new lead and still the same thing :(. I'll try replacing all my leads tommorow (due for a change anyway) and see what happens

I think my distributor is stuffed cos when the engine is running and i tried to tighten the coil lead on the distributor itself i get a masive shock!! has anyone encountered this before and got their dizzy working properly again?

also what are my replacement options and what do they cost.

[ProZac]

Replacement options depend on whats stuffed, take off the cap and the rotor and give them a really really good inspection, im betting you have ALOT of buildup, and possibly a crack or 2, both can be bought pretty cheaply, and are readily available from your local Repco.