SLROC Forum

My Land Rover seems to need a new coil excessively often (like, every year or so, but lately it's only been doing a few hundred miles per year). Anyone know of likely causes I should be checking?

The symptoms are that it stalls (usually somewhere inconvenient; the last time in the outside lane at traffic lights) and won't restart; when I investigate there is no spark. And my current solution, carrying a spare coil, is not a long-term solution!

It's a 2286 with the Maplin spark amplifier kit fitted (which I realise will make the coil work harder), and an LPG conversion. But both have been fitted for over ten years, since long before it started chewing its way through coils.

All suggestions gratefully received. Cheers!

My Land Rover seems to need a new coil excessively often (like, every year or so, but lately it's only been doing a few hundred miles per year). Anyone know of likely causes I should be checking?

The symptoms are that it stalls (usually somewhere inconvenient; the last time in the outside lane at traffic lights) and won't restart; when I investigate there is no spark. And my current solution, carrying a spare coil, is not a long-term solution!

It's a 2286 with the Maplin spark amplifier kit fitted (which I realise will make the coil work harder), and an LPG conversion. But both have been fitted for over ten years, since long before it started chewing its way through coils.

All suggestions gratefully received. Cheers!

hi your answer is in your question "It's a 2286 with the Maplin spark amplifier kit fitted (which I realise will make the coil work harder)," plus is it a oem part or other make sure it a good make or yes they burn out quick with this set up

I had something similar, which was down to buying cheap coils.

I was told that, if you shake them and can hear oil sloshing about in them, this means part of the coil is exposed and over heats and breaks down faster.

Don't know how true this is, but since I bought a better quality one (Bosch if memory serves), no sloshing noise and has work a treat ever since.

The last coil it killed was from Leng Landrover via Alex Lindsay, and (I was told) a quality coil; Alex reckoned the reason its predecessor had died was because I'd bought it from Paddocks / Craddocks. The replacement (and spare) I've just bought are by Bosch, so they should definitely be good, but then so should the one that just died.

I hear what you're saying about rhe Maplin kit but it was fitted for years and years (in which the vehicle did a much higher mileage) without the coil failing.

Can you check the Maplin kit is still properly functional? It may be gradually failing.

Had a problem with a failed amplifier many years ago causing a hole to be blown through a piston

Replace the amplifier?  Maplins were still listing them if you went in and asked about them, they were only about £10

ZD

SimonBBC is the place I go for anything ignition related now, got fed up with being ripped off/given the wrong parts by the main online suppliers

mike66 wins the coconut.

The old coil did indeed make a sloshing sound when I shook it. The screw at the base of the HT connection (which apparently tightens the filling point for the oil) could not be described as loose, neither could it be described as tight.

I've fitted a new, Bosch coil, and it started on the first turn.

The new coil has no screw at the base of the HT connection; I can't see anything to check the tightness of. Not sure whether that's a good or bad thing!

Other details:
- Both old and new coils had 0 Ohms between the LT connections
- The old coil had 11 Ohms between the HT connection and either LT connection
- The new coil has 7 Ohms between the HT connection and either LT connection

In the medium term I'll hopefully move the coil to somewhere I can mount it vertically, to make it less prone to leaks, but I'm not sure where - the obvious area of bulkhead has multiple relays mounted on it.

Cheers!

Grrr, not so simple. I drove it to work today (so I can take it to a garage at lunchtime for something unrelated), and it got about three miles before dying in a very familiar fashion.

I waited five minutes then tried to restart it again: it caught, very very intermittently, but definitely wasn't for starting.

I tried flicking the points while holding the central HT lead near something metal: I got a good strong spark.

I tried turning it over (by shorting out the solenoid with a screwdriver) while holding the HT lead to plug 1 near something metal: not only did I get a good strong spark (right up my thumb) but it happily started on 3 cylinders.

And then I drove it the rest of the way to work on 3 cylinders.

The brand new coil felt quite hot, but no more so than the top of the rocker cover where it is mounted.

My next plan is to bypass the spark amplifier, and drive around like that for a while to see whether the problem recurs. And I'm going to buy replacement HT leads, dizzy cap and rotor arm, but not fit them until the problem occurs again, so I'll know what change fixed it. (Always assuming that *something* fixes it!)

Other suggestions gratefully received!

I would still say its the amp and possibly the leads as when you say it gets hot sounds like to much juice getting to the coil and burning it out which is why when its cooled down it starts again but as you are going to try it without the amp it may show exactly what is at fault, leads within can be at fault try wd40 at both ends and make sure they are well pushed on plus check spark plugs gaps are set right little things like that make all the difference.
On an other side does it splutter and then cut out or just stop running ? If its a splutter stop check fuel lines ie sender connections for rust holes and pump diaphragm for holes these can cause a splutter halt and when rested alow engine to restart which eliminates anything to do with the coils or leads
I hope I have been of some use to you,
John aka lurch032003

move the coil from the rocker cover   and when it cuts out the next time cool the coil with water but not on the cables   had this problem once with a V8 on a very hot day
regards tom

        I use Lucas Gold coils and open the spark plugs.  Once after a very long run my truck stalled right in the driveway. It would not start again.  On feeling the coil it was very hot. I left till next morning and she started fine and that was 3 months ago. I carry a new coil for spare.

  I have had all sorts of coils failing.........even the new standard green Lucas within months.  I buy my coils from Simon BBB......good price and quick delivery.  I stick to Ducelier dizzy and Weber carb.......brilliant combo when new.

I think mine is doing the same.  A couple of years ago it started to run poorly.  It would start up but once it was warm it would act up, gradually loosing power until it would stop.  I changed all of the ignition components coil, leads, cap, rotor and points.  The problem then cleared and it was ok until yesterday.....
Same thing happened, in the course of trying it I put my hand on the coil and found it was so hot that I couldn't keep it there (its mounted on the bulkhead not the engine).  It runs with a maplin ignition kit so I took that off and reconnected a condenser, tried it again, same thing but it ran for longer, however the coil still got very hot.  I swapped the coil for the old one that had come off a couple of years ago, same thing the coil runs very hot and the engine starts spluttering after a few miles.

Just ordered a full set of ignition components and I'm going to run it without the maplin kit.  Could be that they kill coils......

A bugger that it starts now as I had it out of the garage for the Leaf Sprung Trial.

ZD