No spark advice on 13sb

[leggattr]

Hi guys

I just wanted some advice and if I'm doing the right things to fix the above issue. I lent my nova to my dad while I was away for a few days and got it back with it running fine. Yesterday I noticed the idle fluttering around erratically at the 1 to 2 thou rpm but the engine sounded fine so thought it was the heat. When I went onto the motorway and put my foot to the floor the the car died and couldn't re start it. After inspecting it, I wasn't getting a spark.
The rotor arm was well worn so replaced it today but still not getting a spark. I've spoke with a mechanic and he said it could be ignition module or poss the coil. I've now ordered both for tomorrow but there's not a lot left to check.
I've already checked the earths on the gearbox and altenator and there fine. The car try's to start but it's just the spark that's not happening. I haven't got anything to check if there's any power going to the coil or dizzy so hoping the above fixes it.
Is there anything else I need to check for? I haven't done anything with it and it's run completely fine before now.
Many thanks in advance
Richard

[marc69]

try the module, then coil, if you still have no luck then you can look at wiring. It sounds like the coil to me?

[leggattr]

I think I read through one of your old threads when you had the same probs in a 1.4?

[Royston]

module in the distributor, I had 2 fail on my 1.3 sr (early ones were 6 prong, later 4)

[Southie]

Also give the bracket that holds the module in place a good clean with a wire brush as it gets an earth from the body shell.

[jaycee]

have these got the plastic distrubutor drive dog behind what locates in to the cam can remember it breaking on my gte and caused same issue

[leggattr]

Mines the 4 pin type. What's the bracket that holds the module? It just screws up inside the distributor?

[Southie]

I mean the bracket that holds the coil in place not module for the dizzy.

[jimbob-mcgrew]

^^ yeah the 2 mounting screws on its frame that go through the inner wing. (it earths thru the body there)

to test if your getting power from the key to the coil, the black wire going to the coil is switched live.
when the keys turned (lights on the dash) it SHOULD be live... if you dont have a multimeter or light tester, you can unplug the connecter, and stick a length of wire, with a stripped end into the connector end, and just very briefly, brush the other end over the (negative) battery terminal, to see if it kicks a spark out (only quickly brush it, dont touch it, or hold it there, youll start a fire)

then if your getting juice to the coil, plug it back in, and pull off the spark plug king lead at the distributor end, and with the core of the lead pushed/wiggled out and exposed, or something metal slid inside it and touching well, to extend its reach out, position the core, or metal object, roughly 3mm from the engine block, or a good body earth position. (when you crank the engine over, you should see sparks from the leads core, or metal object) if the coil is working.

if thats ok, plug the lead back in, and do the same test, but at the spark plug side, for plug 1, 2, 3 and then 4, to see if your getting sparks from all of them

doing all this from the source to its finish point, will find your culprit

[Andy]

If you've any sense you will ignore that post above saying to tap a live wire on the negative terminal
Just attach a sidelight bulb to the black wire and earth it.No need to risk a fire being retarded.