New owner from Wisconsin

[tr7jim]

Steve,

Looking at your comment above the TR7 ignition system when starting gets 12 volts when the keys turn to start and when you release it drop's down to 6V for running if still as original setup. Should be easy to check by putting a volt meter across the coil + and - with your lad turning the key with the car in neutral of course.

Maybe a previous owner as re routed this 6 volt supply via a switch to deterred car thieves.

Hope this helps


Jim Johnson

[ClaytonsTR7]

We played around some more today with the TR7.
I think I may have a bad ignition switch.
The starter will not work at all now. Last time we used it was acting up would click and not engage once in a while so I thought the solenoid was going bad. Today I checked the voltage across the coil with the key on and got about 4.5 with the key to run but sometimes it was 0. When we wiggled the key the voltage would come and go. There is a slight clicking noise somewhere near the distributor when Clayton turned it to start and the volts dropped to 0 across the coil and the starter is dead will not make any noise at.
I think the key switch maybe the culprit
What would it take to just hot wire it to see if it will start and run bypassing the switch?
I have done it years ago on parts cars to see if the engines would run but can’t remember just how we did it. Steve

[ClaytonsTR7]

I just realized the car has had a Lumenition conversion put on it at some point. I was looking for wiring problems and noticed the silver box wired into the distributor and coil. I wonder if that is some of my problem as well. I am going to search some more and see if anyone has the installation guide on line so I can check it out. It looks like a hack job to me.

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

The noise you are hearing is the starter relay in the back of the glove box. The first thing you should check is the White/Orange that connects to the started right on the bottom. It usually corrodes and makes a bad contact.

Power goes directly from the battery to the starter by way of the red wire connected to the positive side of the battery. If you look you will find a black connector in that cable with three brown wires connected up there. Clean those connections as they are the main power to all the electrical in the car.

Remove the two Philips head screws from the bottom of the steering wheel hub cover. Remove the top and bottom covers. On the left side of the column, you will see the ignition switch. The large brown wire is the main power in. The White/Red wire turns the starter by way of the relay. The White/Pink wire is the run wire. The White wire does a multiplicity of things, but is the wire that takes power to the positive side of the coil.

If you just want to see if the starter will turn, jump from the large brown wire on the starter to the tab where the White/Red is attached on the starter.

Also, download the file "TR8_schematics.pdf" from my download page.

jclay

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[ClaytonsTR7]

Ok I tested the starter and it will turn over by jumping across the brown wire to the tab where the red and white wire hooks up. The starter is good. I checked the wiring to the coil and it looked to be correct.
I started fiddling with the key it and it seemed to start working again. Sometimes it would turn the starter like it should sometimes the starter would spin on the run position but not in the start position and sometimes nothing at all. I looked at the wiring on the back of the switch and it all looks good. The white plastic housing that goes into the column seems very loose and I pulled it out to look at it. I hooked the battery up and the starter would run just by me squeezing the housing a little without even turning the mechanism. It look like the mechanism is just worn out and loose shorting across the contacts.
Since I had the starter working at least momentarily I hooked up the coil and poured some gas down the carbs. It fired right up and ran for 10 seconds or so before it died. It actually sounded very good. I repeated this 3 times thinking it might take awhile for the fuel pump to get gas to the carbs from the jerry can but it never ran for more than 10 second or so. I think I should replace the switch and looks like I may need to go through the carbs,
Is there anybody a guy can send them to that specializes in rebuilding them?
Steve

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

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