Broken down on the side of the road, any ideas?

schmidty · 20-07-2006, 07:31 PM

Serviced my little brothers 97 EL wagon this arvo. Changed oil, oil filter, air filter, cleaned the throttle body, fuel filter, and gave it a really quick, light spray under the bonnet to clean the dust off. It sat in my shed running for about 20 mins, ran smooth as, started no problems. He then drove it home, was doing 100 down the highway for about 20 mins and it just died, said like someone just turned the key off.

So i'm out looking over it now, been over everything obvious, found its got no spark. checked all of the connections in case any water had gotton in. Every connection i've pulled off anything has all been completely dry. All fuses and relays seem ok.

Any ideas?

thunderoo · 20-07-2006, 07:41 PM

Coil........we do ALOT of them here at work.....we have done jobs on alot of falcons and sometimes after were finnished they need a engine degrease....start them up ... let them idle....and occasionally the odd one just stops...no warning....crawl underneath with a test coil...plug her in.....she starts. This happens to about 4-5 cars for us a year in the workshop after a job that has been done on it that was totaly diffrent than a electrical problem.....alot of them just after a engine tub. Most mechanical workshops or auto electrictions should have a test coil.....and only takes 1 miunuite to get under the car unplug the connector for the wireing and coil lead and plug them into the test coil...just let it hang there by itself....and give her a crank.

galaxy xr8 · 20-07-2006, 07:42 PM

I was going to say water but you have checked that???.

schmidty · 20-07-2006, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thunderoo

Coil........we do ALOT of them here at work.....we have done jobs on alot of falcons and sometimes after were finnished they need a engine degrease....start them up ... let them idle....and occasionally the odd one just stops...no warning....crawl underneath with a test coil...plug her in.....she starts. This happens to about 4-5 cars for us a year in the workshop after a job that has been done on it that was totaly diffrent than a electrical problem.....alot of them just after a engine tub. Most mechanical workshops or auto electrictions should have a test coil.....and only takes 1 miunuite to get under the car unplug the connector for the wireing and coil lead and plug them into the test coil...just let it hang there by itself....and give her a crank.

Ok. looks like i'm going to get the car trailer then. Other thing i have heard of being dodgy on these is the module on the side of the distributor. Never thought of the coil though. Thanks

brenx · 20-07-2006, 07:51 PM

coil without a doubt. Coils don't like getting wet especially in EL's.

schmidty · 20-07-2006, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brenx

coil without a doubt. Coils don't like getting wet especially in EL's.

So basically is the coil rooted or does it just need to dry out?

thunderoo · 20-07-2006, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schmidty

So basically is the coil rooted or does it just need to dry out?

Coil is finnished :(
Dizzy modules these days on Falcons RARELY give a problem.....coils do.
If you have no spark.....99% of the time its coil...especially after an engine tub.
New coil will set you back between $70.00 - $95.00

schmidty · 20-07-2006, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thunderoo

Coil is finnished :(
Dizzy modules these days on Falcons RARELY give a problem.....coils do.
If you have no spark.....99% of the time its coil...especially after an engine tub.
New coil will set you back between $70.00 - $95.00

Ok. looks like i'm off to ge a coil for it tomorrow. Worst thing is its in the middle of no where, and the centeral locking is playing up. You try and lock it and it just unlocks again. Was told its usually the passenger side motor that plays up 90% of the time. Should i go to Ford and get a genuine coil or just get 1 from repco or bursons?

Kev_BLNXR8_Ute · 20-07-2006, 08:20 PM

Go get a good after market one.

schmidty · 20-07-2006, 08:34 PM

Wish the little ba$tard would start looking after it instead of spending his money all on pi$$. Bloody uni students! In the last 6 month i've put a new battery in it, new tyres, so while i was at it bought rims for it too, serviced it twice, New pads and rotors, cd player, new back winscreen and the list goes on. Reckon i've spent 2k on it in the last 12 months. He better make some big money when he finishes uni! Now i'm up for a coil and centeral locking bits. grrrrrr

northey · 20-07-2006, 08:38 PM

Coil for sure.
El one's don't have to be wet either. My mechanic does about 10 a year - he said all the ones he's done fail the same way. Without warning.

MO · 20-07-2006, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schmidty

Wish the little ba$tard would start looking after it instead of spending his money all on pi$$. Bloody uni students! In the last 6 month i've put a new battery in it, new tyres, so while i was at it bought rims for it too, serviced it twice, New pads and rotors, cd player, new back winscreen and the list goes on. Reckon i've spent 2k on it in the last 12 months. He better make some big money when he finishes uni! Now i'm up for a coil and centeral locking bits. grrrrrr

Stop molly coddling the uni brat...tell him he's on his own!!!!!!!

F6Tornado · 20-07-2006, 09:08 PM

I have to agree with the last post if he wants a car he should learn to maintain it him self and pay for it or he pays u with labour if he doesnt have cash. as for the break down i have to agree with the coil though i have had my old e series the wire to the coil became brittle and cracked took ages to find and a new coil

**Polyal** · 20-07-2006, 09:11 PM

ok duely noted, dont spray my engine bay! Thanks guys.

thunderoo · 20-07-2006, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kev_xr8_ute

Go get a good after market one.

Way to go.......

schmidty · 20-07-2006, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F6Tornado

I have to agree with the last post if he wants a car he should learn to maintain it him self and pay for it or he pays u with labour if he doesnt have cash. as for the break down i have to agree with the coil though i have had my old e series the wire to the coil became brittle and cracked took ages to find and a new coil

Yeah if only it was that easy. He has no interest in anything mechanical, or any knowledge about it. He's 1 of those people who will just pay someone to do everything. Guess he just sees a car as something that gets him from a to b, and as money is tight while at uni, its the last thing he wants to spend his limited cash on. Pi$$es me off, but if i didnt look after it i could see him either having an accident or blowing heaps more money because minor maintainance left undone turns into major problems.

brenx · 20-07-2006, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kev_xr8_ute

Go get a good after market one.

As stated above. Ford are rip offs.

schmidty · 20-07-2006, 09:16 PM

And thanks to everyone for the help diagnosing the problem. Appreciate it.

MO · 20-07-2006, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schmidty

Yeah if only it was that easy. He has no interest in anything mechanical, or any knowledge about it. He's 1 of those people who will just pay someone to do everything. Guess he just sees a car as something that gets him from a to b, and as money is tight while at uni, its the last thing he wants to spend his limited cash on. Pi$$es me off, but if i didnt look after it i could see him either having an accident or blowing heaps more money because minor maintainance left undone turns into major problems.

Catch 22........

BAWagonWheels · 20-07-2006, 09:19 PM

yes coil culprit... as i had with my old EA. i had a local auto electrician fix it up for me for $500... i felt ripped off... never again.

Fairlane · 20-07-2006, 09:24 PM

Did a coil in my EL. It doesnt have to get wet for it to go, mine went when i was on holidays at Forster.

I started the car and just pulled out from the curb and it died like someone had turned the key- like you said.

NRMA diagnosed it and fitted a temporary one (he had one in the truck thats how common it is), it got it to the mechanics and with $170 and 1.5 hours work later all was good

thunderoo · 20-07-2006, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BAWagonWheels

yes coil culprit... as i had with my old EA. i had a local auto electrician fix it up for me for $500... i felt ripped off... never again.

OUCH.....you can buy now a BRAND NEW dizzy WITH module out of the box from bursons for around the 180 dollar mark RRP ....about 115 to us mechanics. And a new coil to us mechanics will cost about 55 dollars......wow suppose all that will just make you more upset....sorry..that wasnt my intension....but you did get caught there :(

schmidty · 20-07-2006, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MO

Catch 22........

Yeah, the old catch 22! Gets ya either way

jd dad · 20-07-2006, 11:01 PM

The coil in my ED just died, wasnt running either. Got home from work and parked it, sat for two days when I went to start it dead as a doornail.