Nothing coming from ignition coil

[The_Wondrous]

Earlier today my 280Z started right up and idled just fine as it has done for the past 9 years. It was idling for about 5-10 minutes then it just dies. No stutter, no chugging, no nothing, just dies as if the spark randomly shut off. So I test my spark plugs, no spark. Inspect the distributor cap, looks good. Check the coil, no voltage signal from the coil to the cap. And that's my issue me thinks. 

So I pull the coil to test it. Primary circuit has  0.8 ohms resistance and the secondary has  22k ohms resistance. The values are a little out of range from what the book i have tells me, but they should still be close enough to send some sort of signal. I have 12vat the positive terminal of the coil and 12v at the negative terminal.

I have no friggin clue why it died and suddenly lost all spark. I did not jiggle any wires before it died, nor did I unplug anything, it just keeled over.

I can not find a Transistor Ignition Unit inside my engine bay, it was not in the location the manual said it would be. (Next to the battery) I am trying to sell my car soon as a driveable project car because I don't have the time or money to throw at restoring it and this random death of spark really dampens my day. So any help would be appreciated.

 

[Chickenman]

Transister Ignition Unit is not in engine bay. It is the passenger side footwell behind a plastic kick panel just in front of the door.

Check all your fuses of course 

[The_Wondrous]

Found the transistor ign module. The book says specialized equipment is required to test it. Are there ways of testing it without the specialized equipment? Am I even on the right track? 

Checked the fuses but nothing controls anything ignition related. All fuses are good.

Edited February 18, 2017 by The_Wondrous

[JSM]

Did you also check the fusible links in front of the battery? Those are also fuses. Use a continuity tester don't just assume they look good. 

[EuroDat]

If you want to test the TIU, you can use the test section in an instruction I made for replacing the TIU with a HEI module. The test procedure will be the same for the TIU.

The instruction is made for someone the has basic knowledge of the electrical system. Its basically a process of elimination since the TIU is a black box without special test equipment.

Instruction - Fitting a 4-pin HEI module to 280Z 1977 RevD.pdf

[The_Wondrous]

Update: Found out my car is actually a 260Z body with a 1981 280Z engine.

Managed to find the FSM online here: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/280z/1981/ 

Going to check my fusible links and try and trace out the circuits later today, weather permitting.

 ... I noticed comparing a few ignition coil pictures online with mine; I do not think my "condenser" (Capacitor) is connected. It the small do-hickey right above the coil in the first picture. Am I correct? That should be connected somewhere right?  haha

[Zed Head]

On 2/18/2017 at 1:06 PM, The_Wondrous said:

Check the coil, no voltage signal from the coil to the cap. And that's my issue me thinks. 

 I have 12vat the positive terminal of the coil and 12v at the negative terminal.

Don't get crazy swapping parts.  You're a little off on how the system works.  There's not supposed to be voltage from the coil to the cap until spark happens.  Then it's one giant blast of voltage that would blow up your meter if you tried to measure it.

The fact that you have power to the coil implies that it's a module or triggering problem.  The pickup coil inside the distributor does the triggering.

[EuroDat]

4 hours ago, The_Wondrous said:

 ... I noticed comparing a few ignition coil pictures online with mine; I do not think my "condenser" (Capacitor) is connected. It the small do-hickey right above the coil in the first picture. Am I correct? That should be connected somewhere right?  haha

The wire coming out of the left side of the capacitor in your first photo goes to a plug in the wiring loom. It's not connected to the coil as such, and it's not causing you this problem.

[The_Wondrous]

4 hours ago, Zed Head said:

Don't get crazy swapping parts.  You're a little off on how the system works.  There's not supposed to be voltage from the coil to the cap until spark happens.  Then it's one giant blast of voltage that would blow up your meter if you tried to measure it.

The fact that you have power to the coil implies that it's a module or triggering problem.  The pickup coil inside the distributor does the triggering.

I meant to say that with a timing light attached to the coil wire to the dist. cap I was not getting a signal from the coil. I haven't changed any parts yet, still got some troubleshooting to go through.

 

1 hour ago, EuroDat said:

The wire coming out of the left side of the capacitor in your first photo goes to a plug in the wiring loom. It's not connected to the coil as such, and it's not causing you this problem.

I'll double check from a loose wire from the loom. Might not be causing this exact problem but if it should be plugged in and its not... well it should get plugged in lol. 

 

I bought this car a while back and regretfully I have neglected it  Haven't abused it, just haven't given it the TLC it needed and she's responding to it. I got high hopes for it though, not to worry.

[Zed Head]

On 2/18/2017 at 1:45 PM, The_Wondrous said:

Found the transistor ign module. The book says specialized equipment is required to test it.

There are several tests you can run described in the FSM.  Not sure what "book" you're referring to, but it seems like the wrong one, considering the next-to-the-battery module location.  You didn't say what year 280Z either.  Use the Factory book from the Downloads area.

You have power to the coil.  It's not likely a loose wire on the input side.  It's probably the module itself or the pickup coil in the distributor.  Do the simple meter tests shown in the Engine Electrical chapter.

[EuroDat]

Judging by the photo in post#3 it's a E12-27 out of a 78 280Z or a ZX.

Basically any manual from the 78 onwards should get you through it. The manual quickly moves over to specialized test equipment though.

 

1978_280Z_TIU.pdf

280Z_1978_GM_HEI_Mod_Rev2.pdf

[Zed Head]

Nice detective work.  I've heard of the pickup coils dying and actually have a bad one in the garage.  That's a simple meter test.

He could also trigger a spark through the coil discharge wire, and watch it with his timing light, by grounding the negative post quickly (tapping to ground with a lead wire) with the key on.  Make and break.  At least he'd know that the coil can produce a spark and the path to the discharge wire is intact.

Just need to get through the basics before suggesting a ZX distributor or HEI module.