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Basic under bonnet ignition wiring help.


IanMc
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Re: 2.0S Cavalier Coupe GLS (1979)

Could one of you lovely people please upload a photo or two of the ignition connections under the bonnet i.e. coil and dizzy so that I can try to make some sense of what a previous owner has left me to deal with.

At the moment I appear to have some missing cable(s) and cables of the wrong colour in that area...

Thanks in advance.

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Hi Ian, has your Cav still got the original ignition? (classic one with contact-breaker)

Or is it updated with a electronic one (aftermarket/ Opel Manta)?

Had once a Manta-A in my garage with electronic ignition using both wire looms, had to cut to clean up that spaghetty.

Pic would help!

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19 minutes ago, H-400 said:

Hi Ian, has your Cav still got the original ignition? (classic one with contact-breaker)

Or is it updated with a electronic one (aftermarket/ Opel Manta)?

Had once a Manta-A in my garage with electronic ignition using both wire looms, had to cut to clean up that spaghetty.

Pic would help!

Hi mate,

Yes, mine is the standard Manta B set-up i.e. with contact breaker points.

I can take a photo tomorrow if needed.

Thanks for replying.

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Been looking at some pics in another topic of your car.

The ignition parts laying behind your left beam (in the engine compariment) are Bosch related.

A photo would be nice, you know what a dizzy and a coil is so I think you'v got some basic experience with cars.

Regards, Herman

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 One thing about the ignition circuit, the wire running from the ignition switch to the coil is a special wire, termed a ballasted wire, or a wire with restistance, if this needs replacement some means of replicating this restistance will needed, if you convert to later Manta Hall effect ignition system this wire needs replacing with a conventional wire.

 I haven't got any pictures of the ignition circuit and can't remember exactly which wire goes where, so i won't put any speculation here, rather i will try and remember to find out for certain the ignition arrangments.

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OK, so it seems that I have that rare model with the twin dizzy lol :)

I found the 'second' dizzy resting on the front crossmember resting against the dipstick - go fathom... never seen that before.

Yes, I do have quite a bit of experience with cars - but never seen that before!

Anyway, here a a few photos that hopefully will help you to help me:

IgChGbS.jpg

 

9exgwTV.jpg

 

6YUHbJI.jpg

 

Thanks in advance.

 

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Strange, the other dizzy is "tie-wrapped" against the engine? And connected with the green wire. 

The connections:

The green wire of the dizzy (female) must go to the male connection of the green wire of the car.

That green wire has got a female connection and that must be on your coil. (they name it the "1" connection of the coil)

That transparant/black wire must be connected on the other side of the coil (the "15" connection of the coil)

Some info:The transparant wire is that wire Mantaman mentioned. As he wrote: very important if you change to electronical ignition!

           The black wire fitted with it is the 12V connection ONLY when you start the engine, than the ignition gets the full power for an easy start.

And ofcourse the centre connection of the coil must go to the centre connection of the dizzy...

Make sure the contact-breakers are adjusted (0.4mm basic).

Do you want to start up the old lady??

 

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Hi Herman,

That is great information - many thanks!

I bought the car knowing it was probably a non-runner as the previous owner had been told it had 'a valve issue'... now you and I both know that could cover a lot of things i.e. valve burnt, seized, dropped into the cylinder etc etc - so the only way of knowing is to get stuck into it.

It would be great to bring her back to life, but of course before I even get to that point I have to get the old girl sparking, hence my question.

Thanks again - as always this forum is a bit help - just as I remembered it!

Edited by IanMc
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If there is a valve issue I would look under the rocker-cover and turn the engine manual to check what is happening.

If the engine turns without mecanical problems you can always check the compression, a valve problem would be easy to find.

And before actual trying to start the engine, be sure of the oil level/quality .

About the dizzy: 100% sure it is a Bosch. Why the second dizzy? Can only think there was a problem with the condensator and someone

fixed this situation ... not my way of working.

Succes!

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2 hours ago, H-400 said:

If there is a valve issue I would look under the rocker-cover and turn the engine manual to check what is happening.

 

My thinking entirely! - that is the reason my next job is to remove and paint the rocker cover and oil filler. Then while I am in there...  :)

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22 hours ago, IanMc said:

Thanks Andy, much appreciated.

No Problem. Probably best to strip it all off and start again. Looks like the alternator wiring is a bit of a bodge as well. I would give the engine a turn over by hand and see how she turns before trying a startup. Hope it goes well.

Andy

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