83 Safari no fire

[jakeslouw]

"I don't know how to check if the coil is actually working and sending a spark to the distributor."

Screw out one plug, put it back into the plug holder, put it onto the nearest flat portion of the head or manifold, and crank the engine. You should see a spark at every engine revolution.

[jakeslouw]

I see you didn't replace the condensor?

[Zakhil]

Yes I didn't. The guy that brought the points from Mosselbay only brought that, without the condenser. Could it have such a huge effect?

[Zakhil]

"I don't know how to check if the coil is actually working and sending a spark to the distributor."

Screw out one plug, put it back into the plug holder, put it onto the nearest flat portion of the head or manifold, and crank the engine. You should see a spark at every engine revolution.

That was actually about the coil. The plugs didn't have spark so checked the coil which also didn't have but something happened on the short with sparks flying and everything got fire after that.

[jakeslouw]

Yes I didn't. The guy that brought the points from Mosselbay only brought that, without the condenser. Could it have such a huge effect?

Oh yes. I used to have a cubby-hole full of FoMoCo condensors when I owned my Ford V6. Those things sometimes don't last if your coil is busy going bad.

[Peter Connan]

It is my understanding that the only real purpose of the condensor is to reduce the sparking/arcing across the points, allowing them to last longer.

About the carb and fuel pump:
The float is inside the carb body. Won't see it from outside. Some carbs do have a "sight glass" (a little window allowing you to see inside), but not many.
The accelerator pump draws fuel from the bottom of the float chamber. Thus the float chamber has to run completely empty before you will see a difference in the acceleration jet.
Idling especially but also running fuel will stop if the float level drops by just a few mm.

Webers often have a little wire mesh strainer inside the banjo bolt where the fuel enters the carb.

A developing tear in the diaphragm or a blockage somewhere can easily cause the symptoms you describe. You won't see it in the fuel filter either.

Regarding it not running when fuel is poured down the carb, I am not surprised. Fuel poured in in this way is not atomised properly in the first place and probably just flooding the engine.
A better way to test for fuel pump issues would be to hang a bucket full of fuel above the bonnet with a pipe connecting to the carb inlet.

I can only see three possible reasons that the ignition system could cause the problems you describe.
The first is if there is a wire somewhere in which the copper strands have broken inside the insulation. Movement could then cause intermittent contact. To test for this, place a test light or a multi-meter on the coil low-tension positive and battery earth and move around wires. If the light dies at any time (or the multimeter voltage starts jumping around), you have found a problem.
Second, the ignition switch could be causing a similar problem. Test in the same way.
The third possibility is that the distributor is so badly worn that the points are not always opening. I suspect if this was the case, the car would have been running very badly for a very long time, but to test it, take the distributor cap (and internal cover plate if it has one) off, use a spanner to turn the engine such that the points are on a lobe, and see if you can wiggle the shaft in such a way that the points gap changes visibly. Note, don't turn it. The mechanical advance mechanism will allow it to turn, but it's sideways movement you are looking for.

[Francois Theron]

I am with Jakes on this one. Replace the condenser as well. The purpose of the condenser is to ensure a clean break when the points open in order for the primary winding in the coil to induce a high voltage in the secondary winding giving you a strong spark.

Faulty condensers have caused many people endless troubles.

[jakeslouw]

Or just remove the problem: An electro-optical or full electronic ignition system will give a more accurate spark.

Products like Lumenition, Petronix, etc are tried and trusted.

https://4x4direct.co.za/spares-online/9 ... G8QAvD_BwE

[Zakhil]

Guys!

Changed the condenser and with the second go, the car started and idled beautifully. took it for a drive and it's perfect.

I will definitely look at the electronic ignition Jakes mentioned.

Peter your words aren't lost, thank you so much for the explanation and lengthy reply, I will actually copy that and keep safe for future troubleshooting.

All others, THANK YOU so much for all the help, I appreciate it immensely!

[jakeslouw]

Damnit, does that mean you're NOT selling for scrap value?