Engine cleaning & ignition woes ...

[AndersDK]

Cleaning of my 16RS engine bay was long, very long, overdue. It had an oil Geyser this last winter - you all know why that happens

Sprayed it all over with cleaner and let it soak for 5minutes. In this heat it seems to evapourate rather fast. Hosed it down with my garden sprayer.
Then removed distributor lid complete with cables and rotor - and cleaned these over once more.
Plug wells were cleaned separately - flushed well. Using my air supply I blowed dry all water i could see - especially plug wells and distributor & cables.
All then had a light spray of silicone.

Then came the reassembly of nice clean bits on a nice clean engine.
And a test starting - nope. Tried once more. Nope. It was dead for good. Not even a single puff-puff.

Idiot I thought. One of the plugwells or the dizzy lid is still wet you old fart.
Nope. Everything was like new.
Darned.
Out came the testlamp and the multimeter.
Ignition on.

Ignition module +12V & ground. Yes - could drive a 10W bulb no problem.
Ignition coil +12V - yes - could drive a 10W bulb no problem.
Wire from module breaker out to coil breaker terminal tested perfect.
???
Ignition coil was then unplugged and ohms tested. Checked out perfect. Some 0.8 ohm prim & some 6K ohm sec.
???
A screwdriver was inserted in the HT lead from coil making a gap to earth of some 10mm. Engine cranking. One single spark at onset of cranking - then nothing. Not even the slightest wee tiny spark.
Tried again. After a rest of some 5 minutes - it produces a single spark again first off - then nothing.
???
Decided the coil was arcing over internally - and got a spare coil (standard round) from my stock hooked up.
success

Morale : whatever you do - however careful you are - expect something go trash on an engine cleaning job

[tim leech]

My 8v gti is a star you can through as much wayer as you want at it and it starts first time, the 16v only has to get damp and wont run properly mainy due to the recessed spark plugs.

I expect all you diesel boys are chuckling!

[Vanny]

better get the marigold out next time anders!

Take a single marigold (smallest sixe you can find) and stick it over the cap with the leads outta the fingers (ends chopped of course). Wonder how the hell the water got in the coil though, are they not sealed unit affairs? i assume there different to the 16v?

[AndersDK]

Yes they are sealed Vanny -

Problem was I had engine oil & muck - in thick layers (yuck !) - all over the ignition parts. Didnt want to touch it before cleaning.

Donno if this coils is the same as the 16V.
Its the smaller square coil with a 4 pole LV connector. Works exactly the same as the earlier round coils - and firewall mounted too like the earlier ones.
The ignition module is however fitted on side of the distributor body.

[M]

Or, just leave it covered in a healthy layer of rust inhibiting greasy muck!

Tis true, my old ADO16 had the mother, father and baby bear of all oil leaks - and the front third of the car was totally free of rust - sadly the rear two thirds were swiss cheese.

[ed4ferrets]

I recently went to a local chap who steam cleans engines and asked about having the BX engine done. His response: "If it's a petrol engined Citroen, Peugeot or Renault I won't touch it!!"

He was quite happy to do the diesel though