Hi everyone, it has been a while since i posted on here. Last time i was having issues with a used 1.7 i put in my car. Since then, i built a 2056 and got the car running and driving. As i was out breaking in the engine my coil vibrated loose, slid into my throttle linkage and shorted out my ignition system. The positive wire to the coil melted and combined itself with the negitive coil wire. I pulled the engine harness out of the car and fixed the two wires that got toasted, but now the car has no power to the coil when i turn the key on. I have been trying to use the wiring diagrams in the haynes manual to trace the circuit, but i have been unable to figure it out. Those wiring diagrams suck, they look like they were photo copied 3 or 4 times before they made it into the manual.
I also pulled my relay board and did a continuity test to at all the corisponding terminals and the board checks out ok. Im not sure where to go from this point. It doesnt look like there are any fuses anywhere for this circuit. There are some other electrical issues too, but getting the car running is #1 priority. I pulled the fuse pannel down from the dash and the wires that hook to the fuse for the blinkers were melted. The blinkers havent been working on the car, so somewhere there is an issue with that circuit as well. Ignition circuit first though. Anyone have any expertise in this area?? Please help. I must show these gremlins who is really in charge!!

Is it just the coil not receiving power, will your fuel pump turn on when you turn the key? if that doesn't turn on you could always check your ignition switch, im no expert but that could have been fried as well.

The fuel pump was wired to the positive on the coil when i bought the car, so im not sure what is up with the fuel pump circuit. I was thinking it may just be the relay for the fuel pump that is bad on the relay board, but i havent dug into that yet. Is there a relay or fuse or anything between the ignition switch and the coil?

I forgot to mention that when i turn the key into the on position, none of the warning lights on the dash light up. If i jump a wire from the positive terminal on the battery to the positive on the coil, all the warning lights work and the car starts and runs. I just cant turn the car off.

The best I can tell there is no fuse in line with the ignition switch and the coil.

Without a diagram, let me describe how the coil gets its power:

Starting at the battery POS terminal, a wire runs from the POS terminal to pin 30 on the ignition switch to power everything.

When the ignition switch is turned to run or start, pin 15 is connected to pin 30 and thus 12V from the battery is on pin 15.

Pin 15 from the ignition switch runs to the hot side of fuse #8 in the fuse panel. "Hot" means this side powers the fuse. This wire is BLACK.

Another BLACK wire runs from the HOT side of fuse 8 to pin #8 of the 14-pin connector on the relay board.

As this trace runs across the relay board, it provides power to the 8A fuse which does not seem to be used in the relay board for models up to 71.

This trace also provides power to the coil for the FI power supply on pin 86 and provides power to the coil for the heater blower on pin 86.

The trace finally exits the relay board on pin 7 of the 12-pin connector and heads over to the coil.

Now that you're confused some things to check when the ignition is in the RUN position:

Check voltages starting at the coil.
1) Check voltage BLACK/RED wire to the coil. From ground you should measure 12V. If not:
2) Remove the 12 pin connector on the relay board and measure 12V to ground on pin 7. If not:
3) Measure voltage on the 8A fuse holder on the side closest to the engine. Measure 12V to ground. If not:
4) Drop the fuse panel and measure 12V on the HOT side of fuse #8. The HOT side of fuse #8 should only a couple of BLACK wires on it. The other side should have a whole bunch of wires of different colors.

When you finally pick up 12V along this path, you have located the open wire. Let us know what you find.

WARNING: Before making any changes above, disconnect the battery NEG and reconnect the NEG only when you are sure everything is stable especially when dropping the fuse panel. Remember there are no fuses in this path and you can fry wires very easily.

Yikes, this is not good. What you are doing is power the car instead of from the ignition key, from the wire from the coil. You may have toasted either the ignition switch or the wire from fuse #8 to the ignition switch pin 15.

Do test 4) from my previous post and let us know what you find.

You do have a voltmeter right? If not, go buy one you will need in on future electrical issues.

Thanks, this is great info. Yes i do have a voltmeter. Just to let you know, i am prety good with wiring when i have good diagrams, or when im designing something from scratch. I have wired several street and race cars, and i have designed and built cnc machines from scratch mechanical and electrical. Hopefully i dont sound like an idiot by hooking up the positive strait to the coil. It did get the car home without letting any more smoke out. If i need to get up to the ignition switch, what does it take to pull that out of the steering column??

http://www.pelicanparts.com/914/914_electrical_diagrams.htm

Andy

Oooh, thanks! I should have known to look on pelicans site for diagrams. I just printed these on 22x17 paper in color, so i shouldnt have a hard time tracing anything out now. If anyone has any other sugestions of things to check, im still listening. I will start trying some of these troubleshooting points when i get off work. Ill update tomorow or wednesday as to what i find. Thanks

Hell no. Good job to get home w/o a tow. Check the voltage on Fuse 8 first. It might be the wire between the fuse and the ignition switch and not the ignition switch itself.

You can check the voltage on either side of fuse 8 w/o dropping the fuse panel. One side or the other should have 12V on it when the key is in the ON or START position.

The schematics on PP are better in color than some of the Haynes manuals but even the schematics can be difficult to follow.

Thanks a bunch. I will go over all this when i get home in a bit. How do i pull the ignition switch if that is where the problem is?

Pulling the ignition switch is fairly straight forward. Take off the steering wheel, and then you need to take off the plastic covering right behind the steering wheel(theres one bolt that hold the thing on) the ignition switch is mounted inside the plastic thing. Pull the wires off the ignition switch and you should be able to push the switch out the back of the plastic piece. If ive forgotten something, please someone add what i have forgotten

Well, last night i was able to find the problem in my wiring. Actually it was in the ignition switch not the wiring, although I do need to replace several wires as well. All of the wires checked out good up to the fuse board, but i wasnt getting any power to the 2 black wires on fuse ""8"" when turning the key on. Testing each wire individually i determined that they were all good, but i was getting no power from after the ignition switch. I decided i had to pull the steering wheel and get the ignition switch out, so i did. I disasembled the switch and was able to see where the contact had gotten so hot it melted back into the plastic and away from the contact. Click to view attachment
One thing that i was quite confused by is that the 2 black wires that are supposed to be running to the hot side of fuse 8 are going to fuse 9. I was able to pick up 12v on fuse 8 when i turned the igniton on, but the 2 black wires have always been atatched to fuse 9 since i have owned the car. You may be able to make this out in the picture. Also, what is the empty relay port for?? Can anyone make out any other wiring oddities on my fuse board? There have definatly been wires added in the past. Click to view attachmentThanks