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Fried compu-fire?


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TeamSpatula

Fri Feb 17 2012, 07:17AM

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So if ahem "some dummy" accidentally reversed the positive/negative wires on the compufire points replacement when I swapped out my coil, and cranked it over quite a few times before realizing it, would that fry it? Once I realized the mistake, I put them back correct, but it still won't crank. Everything was fine until I pulled the coil off the 71 to put on the 77 to get it to its new home, and then put on a replacement/known good coil.
Ideas? I hate to spend $50 to buy a new one and have it be something else...
thanks,

1600 SP engine looking for a VW!!!
1972 Jeep C104 (FOR SALE/TRADE)
1981 Ford F100

mdwdrw

Fri Feb 17 2012, 08:35AM

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Once I realized the mistake, I put them back correct, but it still won't crank.

Cranks but wont start, or won't turn over? At a minimum you need a test light. You may have popped the fuse for that circuit.

Mark, Donna, and Jake. 82 Vanagon Diesel Camper

bear

Fri Feb 17 2012, 09:09AM

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You got another distrubtor you can stuff in there to use a a trouble shooter, if it starts wit the other distrubtor, buy another Compufire, it's toast, it don't take long, hooked up wrong, to cause problems. Another way to check to see if it's still good, is to check that you are getting fire from the spark plug wire, or coil wire going into the cap.

[ Edited Fri Feb 17 2012, 09:11AM ]

Good friends are like stars, you may not always see them, but they are always there.. Phil Cain 205 Old Stagecoach Rd. Easley SC 29642, 864-859-8256

TeamSpatula

Fri Feb 17 2012, 10:55AM

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mdwdrw wrote ...

Once I realized the mistake, I put them back correct, but it still won't crank.

Cranks but wont start, or won't turn over? At a minimum you need a test light. You may have popped the fuse for that circuit.

sorry, it cranks over fine, but won't start/run. I figure next step is to check and make sure I'm still getting power at the coil, and then have someone crank it while I check for spark. I was hoping someone might have encountered this before... I guess I know what a fun weekend I'll be having!

1600 SP engine looking for a VW!!!
1972 Jeep C104 (FOR SALE/TRADE)
1981 Ford F100

mdwdrw

Fri Feb 17 2012, 11:37AM

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Hopefully you popped the fuse. Visually checking the ceramic type fuses does not always work. You need to probe the top and bottom of the fuse to ensure power is moving though the fuse. Don't have the diagram handy to tell you which fuse. Test with the key in the run position.

Mark, Donna, and Jake. 82 Vanagon Diesel Camper

TeamSpatula

Fri Feb 17 2012, 12:35PM

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looks like the 3rd one from the right on this from Samba
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/baybus_71a.jpg
man I would be so very excited if that's all it is!!!!!!! I won't get my hopes up but will check this evening if there's still any daylight...

1600 SP engine looking for a VW!!!
1972 Jeep C104 (FOR SALE/TRADE)
1981 Ford F100

squeak

Fri Feb 17 2012, 12:56PM

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My experience has been (ahem) that it is toast. I "adjusted" 2 this way. It takes being energized once to fry them.
The first time I realized it the minute it would not fire.

The second time, I tried to crank it over for a while...as the engine was a bit cantankerous.

When I looked at the wires I realized what had happened.

One thing I started doing is putting red fingernail polish on the positive side of the coil where I can see it. When the coil is upside down (on a bug fan shroud for instance), it is hard to see the wiring.

Chris

Chris, Lotta and Nicolas
1957 vespa Allstate
1960 Beetle
1965 Meyers Manx
1966 Meyers Manx
1969 Meyers Tow'd
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1974 Westy named Squeak

bear

Fri Feb 17 2012, 10:58PM

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I'm with Squeek on this one, I would bet on it being toast. $50.00 is cheap for learning a good lesson, most of my mistakes cost over $200.

Good friends are like stars, you may not always see them, but they are always there.. Phil Cain 205 Old Stagecoach Rd. Easley SC 29642, 864-859-8256

Sat Feb 18 2012, 08:00AM

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The breakerless units can be a little unforgiving when the electrical isn't right, but more than worth it.

If both the positive feed and hot wire were on the same terminal of the coil, I would say there is a good chance the unit is still ok. Check for power at the coil, then put your meter on the neg side and rotate your motor to tdc. If the meter shows full voltage on the negative post, so far so good. Keep turning the motor and the voltage should drop (though may still show 1-2 volts). If so, compu-fire should be fine.

jt
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snoopy

Sun Feb 19 2012, 07:17AM

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You can always throw some points in and see if it will start.

sweetbus

Sun Feb 19 2012, 10:32AM

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^^^
What snoopy said

bear

Sun Feb 19 2012, 09:46PM

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I do believe it takes a set of points and a condenser...

Good friends are like stars, you may not always see them, but they are always there.. Phil Cain 205 Old Stagecoach Rd. Easley SC 29642, 864-859-8256

TeamSpatula

Mon Feb 20 2012, 07:29AM

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Well it looks like it's fried. Fuse is fine, has 12v @ + coil terminal, unfortunately it keeps a pretty steady 12v through the revolutions, so it looks like it melted closed.

If I had an extra set of points and condenser I'd throw them in there, but unfortunately all my spare parts are mostly still back in Raleigh...going to order a new one soon, hopefully that'll do it...I guess $50 isn't a bad lesson, but I will be wrapping the (-) wire with green electrical tape this time to avoid any confusion, since red and black are both usually "hot" wire colors...sigh...

1600 SP engine looking for a VW!!!
1972 Jeep C104 (FOR SALE/TRADE)
1981 Ford F100

bear

Mon Feb 20 2012, 02:56PM

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Send me your address and I'll send you a set of points and a condenser.. PM me the address.

[ Edited Mon Feb 20 2012, 02:57PM ]

Good friends are like stars, you may not always see them, but they are always there.. Phil Cain 205 Old Stagecoach Rd. Easley SC 29642, 864-859-8256

TeamSpatula

Tue Feb 21 2012, 07:51AM

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bear wrote ...

Send me your address and I'll send you a set of points and a condenser.. PM me the address.

Thanks for the very kind offer, but I went ahead and ordered another compufire yesterday, so it should be here in time to install this weekend...Now if that doesn't work out, I will definitely drop you a line!

Thanks, I do appreciate it,

1600 SP engine looking for a VW!!!
1972 Jeep C104 (FOR SALE/TRADE)
1981 Ford F100

aircooledbusses

Wed Feb 22 2012, 10:57PM

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perhaps a better title for this thread would be

compu-fried

sorry to hear of your trouble though

a point is that which has no part - Euclid of Alexandria

bear

Thu Feb 23 2012, 08:58PM

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A ounce of prevention is good, when you have compufire, carry a set of points and condenser in the glove box. They will get you home.

Good friends are like stars, you may not always see them, but they are always there.. Phil Cain 205 Old Stagecoach Rd. Easley SC 29642, 864-859-8256

markdearing

Fri Feb 24 2012, 07:17AM

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you had best have the screws needed to mount them or you will still be stuck Later md

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540 389 8587

TeamSpatula

Fri Feb 24 2012, 07:33AM

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all good ideas...we'll see how this weekend's tinkering goes, and hopefully then I can get set up with spares, etc...

1600 SP engine looking for a VW!!!
1972 Jeep C104 (FOR SALE/TRADE)
1981 Ford F100

TeamSpatula

Tue Feb 28 2012, 08:10AM

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It's alive!!!

Got the new compu-fire Saturday and swapped it out, took maybe 10 minutes, cranked it and it started running in about 2 seconds. yay!

I'm going to give the old one to an electrical engineer friend of mine, just to do an autopsy.

1600 SP engine looking for a VW!!!
1972 Jeep C104 (FOR SALE/TRADE)
1981 Ford F100


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