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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ my mallory may have died
Posted by: Vacca Rabite Aug 1 2009, 10:36 PM
Engine is in. Everything is ready.
But I don't get any spark.
Coil seems to be okay. I need to know if there is anyway to test the mallory?
I am not getting any power to the plugs.
I have tried putting a timing light on the plug wires and putting the timing light on the wire from the coil to the mallory just to see if there is currant, which there is not...
I am getting power to the coil.
I am SO CLOSE!!!! I just need to get this bitch running.
Zach
Posted by: Vacca Rabite Aug 1 2009, 10:38 PM
Also, the unit worked when I pulled the engine out last month.
In the good news side of things, I am getting enough oil pressure to turn off the light just running the starter.
Zach
Posted by: Kirmizi Aug 1 2009, 10:48 PM
Zach,
I just pulled out the installation instructions and there's not much there.
Have you double-checked all your wiring/connections/etc...?
It states, "If the engine fails to start, rotate the distributor in small increments clockwise or counterclockwise until the engine starts. Do not exceed more than ten degrees ... in either direction."
Mike
Posted by: Vacca Rabite Aug 1 2009, 10:52 PM
Zach,
I just pulled out the installation instructions and there's not much there.
Have you double-checked all your wiring/connections/etc...?
It states, "If the engine fails to start, rotate the distributor in small increments clockwise or counterclockwise until the engine starts. Do not exceed more than ten degrees ... in either direction."
Mike
Saw that.
Even if my timing was off, I'd be getting a pulse through the plug wires. I'm not getting any pulse. Mike (DrEvil) and I triple checked the wires. Its is in properly.
Zach
Posted by: brilliantrot Aug 1 2009, 11:15 PM
I fried the electric portion of a mallory when my codriver left the key on for 6 or 8 minutes so they do go bad.
Posted by: Vacca Rabite Aug 1 2009, 11:15 PM
I have ordered a new optical sensor from CFR. I'll see if that helps things. I really want to get this car moving again. It is so close I can taste it.
Zach
Posted by: yeahmag Aug 1 2009, 11:28 PM
Test procedure:
http://www.centuryperformance.com/mallory-unilite-and-e-spark-testing-spg-150.html
Posted by: brilliantrot Aug 1 2009, 11:32 PM
Chris is good with shipping things fast as I had him send me a spare but now that I need it I can't find it. Anyways, see if you can find a stock one or even the dreaded 009. Mine failed right before timed runs at an autocross. 10 min later the 009 was in with a compufire module in it and I was away again.
Posted by: Dr Evil Aug 2 2009, 02:23 AM
From Yeahmaq's link, "you will need a ballast resistor installed in the system to prevent killing a good module (if you attempt to start the engine). "
A yup, ya done kilt it with that misplaced wire 
Posted by: jim_hoyland Aug 2 2009, 05:23 PM
I didn't use a ballast resistor, but used a Bosch Blue coil. Seems like this combo works. I'm notclear when a ballast resistor is required??
From Yeahmaq's link, "you will need a ballast resistor installed in the system to prevent killing a good module (if you attempt to start the engine). "
A yup, ya done kilt it with that misplaced wire
Posted by: Racer Chris Aug 2 2009, 06:17 PM
Most Bosch blue coils have the required resistance so a ballast resistor isn't necessary.
A weakness of the Mallory optical unit is that stray voltage signals can kill them. If you don't have spiral wound plug wires that can do it when the engine is shut down.
Posted by: Vacca Rabite Aug 2 2009, 06:39 PM
I seem to remember a chart that said what bosche blue coils had the internal ballast resistors, and which did not.
My car is using the blue coil, but also used a resistor, so I am guessing that my coil needed the resistor. How do I know for sure?
Zach
Posted by: Racer Chris Aug 2 2009, 06:41 PM
IIRC a coil that measures more than 1.4 ohms on the primary winding (plus and minus terminals) has the necessary internal resistance.
Posted by: orange914 Aug 2 2009, 08:51 PM
great to hear it's almost ready 
mike
Posted by: Dr Evil Aug 3 2009, 12:50 AM
Your coil was 5.1K both terminals to center and 0 ohms between the +/- so you needed the resistor that was not in the circuit.
Posted by: Vacca Rabite Aug 3 2009, 07:58 AM
Your coil was 5.1K both terminals to center and 0 ohms between the +/- so you needed the resistor that was not in the circuit.
*nods* *smiles* *hopes no one notices I have no idea what Evil is saying...*
I have a conceptual idea of what is going on, but I would not be able to explain it if asked, or properly replicate the experiment...
Zach
Posted by: Gint Aug 3 2009, 09:50 PM
Some coils have built in or internal ballast resistors. They measure higher resistance (3-4 ohms or so). Yours reads 0 ohms, so it's not internally ballasted.
Posted by: r_towle Aug 3 2009, 10:39 PM
And internal ballast creates resistance.
Its also called a resistor.
This resistance needs to be in the system in order for your electronic sensor to function.
You have two choices.
1 is buy the correct resistor and put it inline like the manual says...or you could just hand it to Dr Evil and have him wire it up.
2, you could buy a different coil that has the built in resistance you need....but the risk of that is you WILL forget when the coil gets replaced down the road...
Rich
Posted by: Vacca Rabite Aug 4 2009, 08:10 AM
I have the resistor already. I was trying to determine if I was using a resistor when I did not need one, as Chris had said many of the blue coils have internal resistors. it turns out that mine does not. So, using the resistor I have is the right thing to be dong.
Zach
Posted by: stepuptotheMike Aug 4 2009, 09:06 AM
I went the extra step and added Mallory's line filter. I think it was like another $26 bucks. Figured that was cheap insurance against nuking a module. So I've got the ballast resistor, the line filter and the mallory 
But what if I get struck by lightning?????
Mike
Posted by: underthetire Aug 4 2009, 09:55 AM
But what if I get struck by lightning?????
Mike
[/quote]
Turn your roll bar in to a Faraday cage !
http://electricitymagnetism.suite101.com/article.cfm/faraday_cages_and_lightning_safety
Posted by: jim_hoyland Aug 4 2009, 09:56 AM
I went the extra step and added Mallory's line filter. I think it was like another $26 bucks. Figured that was cheap insurance against nuking a module. So I've got the ballast resistor, the line filter and the mallory
But what if I get struck by lightning?????
Mike
Went with the line filter too. Easily mounts to side of dizzy and has the connectors. It's a plug-and-play.
Posted by: stepuptotheMike Aug 4 2009, 10:19 AM
I went the extra step and added Mallory's line filter. I think it was like another $26 bucks. Figured that was cheap insurance against nuking a module. So I've got the ballast resistor, the line filter and the mallory
But what if I get struck by lightning?????
Mike
Went with the line filter too. Easily mounts to side of dizzy and has the connectors. It's a plug-and-play.See, I didn't find that it attached to the side of the dizzy all that well.... the whole flat surface against a round surface thing. So I mounted mine on the fan housing. I may move it to a different location this winter when I pull the engine and do some maint to the overall engine compartment.
Mike
Posted by: Cupomeat Aug 4 2009, 10:32 AM
[quote name='underthetire' date='Aug 4 2009, 11:55 AM' post='1199159']
But what if I get struck by lightning?????
Mike
[/quote]
Turn your roll bar in to a Faraday cage !
http://electricitymagnetism.suite101.com/article.cfm/faraday_cages_and_lightning_safety
[/quote]
A car with a fiberglass body or a cloth top convertible will not form a Faraday cage, sadly so unless we went full 916 metal top, the lightening will still fry us like the meat in a 914 sandwich due to the targa top open structure.
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