HELP PLEASE! No 'spark after 5 year resto! '

[benross]

Hi all,

I can't get a spark from my 89 PB. (Hazard switch in centre not on column)
New coil, leads, dizzy, rotor arm.

Is it likely to be the TCI h module (assuming this is the little thing that sits on the ECU?)

It's an 89 digi. Can someone really simply explain the ignition system and how it works. Coil  dizzy, hall sender, control module. I'm struggling to get my head around it!

[Brighouse-gti]

Have you checked that your live to the coil is live, and earthed?...and the wires are in the correct order? Just before you start shelling out for new parts. Also I'm assuming there new spark plugs after a 'build'.

[benross]

Yeah, new plugs.
As for coil I have 12v. I put multimeter:
Between + and - on coil and got 12v, on + and block and got 12v and on - and block and got 12v. I'm assuming.that means I have earth too?
I have continuity between coil and block.

Sorry if I sound stupid, I'm not good with vehicle electrics!!

[oakgreener]

First off, check if you have a spark at the king lead by removing it from the dizzy and holding the conductor to earth. If you have a spark, it will be a dizzy, plugs or leads problem.
If not see this
.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYx8J_5l5wY
The contact breaker in the video is replaced by the hall sender and tci unit on your car.
If either of these fail you wont get a spark as they interrupt the feed to the coil, and the voltage collapse in the coil will produce a high voltage in the secondary of the coil. This is your ignition

[benross]

I think I've tried that. I put the dizzy side of the king lead against the block and cranked it and still got no spark. I didn't know if the dizzy needed to play a part so at the time did it not really knowing what the result meant.
I'll  have a look at the link you sent.
Is it a case of hall sender or ignition module (is this the plug on top of the ecu in plenum?) At fault? Am I right in thinking it's nowt to do with the other sensors, like coolant temp,  air flow etc? I know the digi uses info from all them, but surely it's irrelevant at thus stage to just get an initial spark?

[benross]

Morning,

Thanks Oakgreener for the help. I've sorted it!

In a nutshell, it was a bad earth. I check for continuity between terminal 2 of the ignition control module and earth. Nowt.

Looked at all the earths in the engine bay and identified one in poor order on the back of the radiator. Checked continuity between this wire and terminal 2 of ignition control module and had it. This confirmed that is the right earth. I temporarily connected it to the main earth strap between batt and gearbox and it started 1st click! I think the connection onto the earth point on the rad it just a bit sh!tty.

I found an exceptional website that may be of use to other mk2 digi owners:

http://www.charlie-ward.co.uk/-car-mk2-golf/index.html

It was using this that helped me and I had the job done within 10 mins. Thank you to Mr Charlie Ward whoever you are!

[oakgreener]

Well done. It's always a simple fix for these problems. The hard part is finding it