Installing new loom and question about rev counter

[robb4100]

Hi all,

I've been having lots of intermittent problems with dashboard electricals working and then not so I decided to replace the front wiring loom. I have a positve earth vehicle

Two questions at this point.
1) the circuit that includes the rev counter (tach)
the existing setup runs from ingition swtich to distributor, all the way back to the rev counter [(someone installed two dedicated wires for this loop) and the two white wires in the old loop that I believe should go to the rev counter have been connected to complete the circuit to the distributor] looped around the rev counter and to the ignition coil and the ignition coil then goes to the grounding strip

The question is can I go from the ignition to the rev counter to the distrbutor to the ignition coil and still get the rev counter to work?


2) the wiper motor switc seems to be faulty and I have noticed that the rear half (larger diameter)spins free from the narrower piece that attaches to the dash. If I hold it from spinning I have no problem making the switch work. I should probably just replace the switch - I do not see an obviose way to remove the switch from dash. Any recomended techniques?

Robb

[Frank Howard]

the circuit that includes the rev counter (tach)
the existing setup runs from ingition swtich to distributor, all the way back to the rev counter[/b] [(someone installed two dedicated wires for this loop) and the two white wires in the old loop that I believe should go to the rev counter have been connected to complete the circuit to the distributor]

Robb,

Are you sure there is a direct wire from the ignition switch to the distributor rather than to the coil?

[RotoFlexible]

Robb,

I don't know which Elan you have - these answers are based on a US S2.

There should be no problem running the white ignition wire from the ignition switch, through the induction pickup on the tach, and on to the distributor and coil. That's what it shows on the wiring diagram (not in front of me, but I've nearly committed it to memory). However, if the car has a nonstandard ignition system, the situation may be different. In my experience, it is important to loop the wire through the tach pickup the correct way (i.e., the way it goes now). When I switched to negative ground, I had to change the direction.

It may be that the wiper switch is simply loose. You can remove the knob from the shaft by locating the small stud in a hole on the barrel (for lack of a better word) of the knob and pressing the stud into the hole with a thin screwdriver or similar. Press hard. You can then pull the knob off the shaft. Peering into the recess, you will see a round slotted nut. You can probably get this off by turning the nut with a narrow-bladed screwdriver, but to tighten it properly you'll need some sort of bladed tool that can go over the shaft and the threaded part of the switch.

Good luck with the rewiring!

[Frank Howard]

the wiper motor switc seems to be faulty and I have noticed that the rear half (larger diameter)spins free from the narrower piece that attaches to the dash. If I hold it from spinning I have no problem making the switch work. I should probably just replace the switch - I do not see an obviose way to remove the switch from dash. Any recomended techniques?

Robb,

No need to replace the switch. You just need to tighten it. First, look carefully at the side of the switch knob. You will find a small hole. Find something that will fit into that hole and push it into the hole as you wiggle the knob while pulling on the knob. The knob will come off the shaft.

Look into the recess around the shaft. At the back of this recess is a nut that looks like a washer with two slots on the surface facing you. You need to make a tool that will reach down into the recess and engage with the two slots so that you can tighten this nut. I'm sure the correct tool is available but you can make one yourself. Purchase a hole saw that will fit into the recess. The one I purchased was 3/4" or 19mm. Grind the top of the hole saw flat, then grind away all but two stubs that will engage in the nut. To stop the switch from spinning, all you have to do is tighten the nut with your new tool.

Hope this helps.

[robb4100]

Frank,

Absolutely sure that the distributor was connected to the ignition switch not the coil.

I will take a closer look at the wiper switch and see if I can make the repair.

Andrew,

Can you please clarify the following for me

However, if the car has a nonstandard ignition system, the situation may be different.

. The PO said that he installed electronic ignition (I thought he meant non standard) but in the car is the coil and distrubutor as described in the workshop manual. Am I missing something?

In my experience, it is important to loop the wire through the tach pickup the correct way (i.e., the way it goes now).

Are you saying that the directionality of the current is important? Does anyone have a picture showing the correct way to "thread" the wire through the inductor?

[Dave_Newcastle]

There is info on the web re tacho wiring. Google "Smiths tacho RVI RVC"

[Frank Howard]

Absolutely sure that the distributor was connected to the ignition switch not the coil.

Robb,

This is your first problem. In a positive earth car, the ignition switch should be connected to the negative side of the coil, not the distributor.

[robb4100]

Thanks Frank,

The car was runnning before but the tach was on again off again. That said the lotus diagram shows tach-coil-distrubutor in series order.

Just to be clear the ignition should go to (-) on coil
(+) on coil goes to distrubutor (same wire as the ignition was originally wired to) Does it matter?

The other wire to grnd. (interestingly the lotus diagram does not show this connnection).

Is this correct?

Dave I am checking out the website it seems to confirm the ign-tach-coil-dist series. have not yet found out if it matters how one "treads" the wire loop through the tach

Thanks again Robb

[RonR]

Hi Robb,
You need to check your distributor to see if there's points/condenser or an electronic ignition module. If the P.O. did fit electronic ignition it could be a Pertronics/Aldon ignitor which fits inside the distributor. I think there's a new Lumenition system that also goes in there.

Another way of telling is if there's two wires exiting the distributor instead of one.

Once you've established which system you have, there's plenty of info about fitting on the company websites, or just ask here.

Cheers,

[robb4100]

Thanks Ron,

I was doing some reading last night and came to the same conclusion. I think it is probably a lumentition system since previous posts say that the Aldon system has a red and black wire- this has a black and a black/white wire.

Never removed the Dist cap before and if my understanding is correct the timing is controlled by the body so I should be able to remove the cap to check the manufacturer of the ingnitor and just put the cap back on. Can you please confirm.


Thanks

Robb

[Frank Howard]

the lotus diagram shows tach-coil-distrubutor in series order.

Robb,

While the Lotus diagram may not illustrate which terminal on the coil is (-) and which is (+), you must understand that these terminals are not the same and they are not interchangable. The wire going from the tach to the (-) side of the coil is not the same as the wire that goes from the (+) side of the coil to the distributor. As a matter of fact, the first wire should be white and the second wire should be white/black. If these wires are in any way connected to each other, the car will not run.

[Frank Howard]

Just to be clear the ignition should go to (-) on coil
(+) on coil goes to distrubutor (same wire as the ignition was originally wired to)

Robb,

You've got it right, but if the ignition was originally wired to the distributor and the distributor had a wire going back to the (+) side of the coil and as you described when you said "same wire as the ignition was originally wired to", these were electrically the same wire and if the ignition had a redundant wire going to the (-) side of the coil, you electrically connected one side of the coil to the other (throught the ignition switch) and the car could not run.

[Frank Howard]

The other wire to grnd. (interestingly the lotus diagram does not show this connnection).

What other wire? You have to be more specific. Where is this wire coming from before it goes to ground? I'm starting to think that the PO installed an electronic ignition.

[Frank Howard]

I should be able to remove the cap to check the manufacturer of the ingnitor and just put the cap back on. Can you please confirm.

Robb,

You can but I doubt you will be able to see much with the distributor in the car. If you want to remove the distributor while preserving your timing, first, remove the distributor cap, then disconnect any remaining wire(s) from the distributor. Put the car in gear and roll it until the rotor arm points to a direction that's easy to remember like straight up or straight down or straight to the left or right. Remove the rotor. Then scratch a mark on the distributor body and the block so you can line these two marks up when you put the distributor back in. Loosen the clamp at the base of the distributor using a ratchet and a 7/16" wrench. The distributor should come right out. You'll notice that as you pull up on it, the shaft will turn slightly. That's because the gear at the bottom of the distributor is angle cut rather than straight cut. When you reinstall the distributor, if you have the rotor facing the same direction it was facing when you first removed it, the rotor will turn slightly as the distributor is reinstalled. You'll have to compensate for this when you put it back in.

Now you can clearly see if the distributor contains points and a condensor or an electronic ignition system. Hope this helps.

[robb4100]

Thank you everyone,

I have a pertronix ignitor and a schematic to show the proper way to wire the ignition circuit.

I will keep you all posted on the progress and am sure I will have more questions as I keep going forward. Unfortunately it is back to work so I will be doing this an hour or two at a time. Hoping to have it all done by Feb.

Robb