Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Still haunting me from last summer, after my 1970 Elan S4 SE, is run
hard then parked, I cant seem to get it to start again, NO
Spark, .If I let it sit over night. or for like 4 hours, it will
fire right up. Last summer I had a problem with the coil getting
very hot, almost not able to touch it till it cooled down.
If I run it for like 15 miles, then shut it off,
it will fire right up, but after a good hour on the road, it will
not start up when the motor, coil is hot..
Any ideas?? Can I buy a whole new distributor, coil
system and be done with this? My 1967 TR4A has the same Lucas 25
distributor, and Moss Motors sells a Mallory point less
distributor/cap, coil system. Will this work in the Elan??
Any advise and my problem, or how I can just throw money
at it to solve it??
I was thinking maybe I can get a longer coil wire, and
mount the coil in the grill opening so it cools while I drive it.. I
am now running on breaker points as my Pertronix system went dead.
Is something wrong with my distributor that makes the coil to hot??
I have done all the tests and have 5.5- 6 volts at the points.
Thanks in advance, Tim ***@***.*** or ***@***.***

I would suggest that the problem is your coil, I had the same problem eventually tracked down
to the coil being the lower voltage unit for use with a ballast resistor (which was not used).
Maybe swop with the one on the TR if it is not fitted with ballast resistor.
Good Luck
Tony Herbert

I have replaced a lot of old Lucas coils over the years that are
internally shorted. They get hot and quit and then work fine after
cooling down. I recently had a new Lucas sports coil exhibit the same
symptoms and I had to replace it. Coils do get warm with use, but I can
hold my hand on mine after thirty miles of driving. Most Lucas coils
have a date stamped on the bottom of the can. If it's more then ten
years old replace it as preventive maintenance. Crane and Lumination
make electronic units that fit the T/C distributor and I have had good
luck with both. Petronix makes one also, but I have no experience with
them. You also might have a replacement coil designed to be used with a
ballast resistor that the Elan does not have.
With the ignition on and not running the voltage at the points
should zero if the points are closed and twelve volts with the points open.

Wayne

FYI,

My '71 S4 SE came from the factory with a ballast resistor. Perhaps yours
was removed by a DPO.

Frank Howard
Minnesota

"5.5- 6 volts at the points" There's you problem.

You should have battery voltage at the points and coil. Solve this first.
Check for voltage drop at every connector, clean until there is ZERO
voltage drop. It is likely that you are losing voltage in the ignition
switch and need to replace it.
After you fixed this, a good electronic ignition is a HUGE improvement. I
use a Lucas system with a Hall effect distributor from a later Ford. 70's
race cars used this set up. Straight bolt in. Many people sell them
including Bean.
Don't bother putting in an electronic ignition until you solve the voltage
drop. You may have to modify the tack with any electronic ignition but this
is well documented in the archives.
Also check for fuel vaporization if the car won't start when hot. Have you
added an electric fuel pump or checked the mechanical one?
Eric
64 S1

Eric wrote:


I reply. But Eric, for some (many?) of us, 5.5 volts is battery
voltage. Especially after the car has been sitting unused for awhile.

Rich Boyd

Hello

My 71 Elan has no ballest resistor and the shop manual does not show
one in the wiring diagram. The manual shows the white wire from the
ignition switch going to the + side of the coil and this is what I have
in my car. If a car was set up with a ballast resistror and it is
shorted the coil will overheat.


Wayne

Wayne,

The need for a ballast resistor is coil dependent.

If it is a 12V coil you don't need a ballast resistor. If it is a
7.5V coil (typical voltage for a 'cold start coil') you do and yes,
it won't take long for a 7.5V coil to start to fail from overheating
if it gets 12V all the time.

Properly installed, the resistor is wired in through a relay so it
is not in line for starting but is once engine is running (i.e.
you're off the starter position on the ignition switch.

Lotus didn't offer the lower voltage coil until '71-72 (see the
service bulletin at
http://www.lotuselan.net/publish/lsb_co ... coil.shtml).

Do you have a problem or are you just trying to get clarification?

Elliott.


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