Thread: Holden Series 3 starts but wont restart

Take the air cleaner off. Too much fuel (flooding), too little fuel (starving), too little spark (coil not producing enough power without the jumper leads on), water in the distributor cap (remove, inspect inside for condensation, clean, dry, don't use WD40, use a soft cotton rag), all easy things to check for.

Ok, dizzy is dry, engine turns over strongly (on jumper leads as battery us now flat) but no fire. How do I tell if it's flooded it starved if fuel? And if starved why would it suddenly be like this? It has a strongberg single throat carb, which does look a bit sooty.

The other thing is it won't roll start, but maybe because the battery is flat?

Flooded: fuel pours out of the carby main jet inside the air cleaner inlet and leaks out around the throttle shaft.

Starved: There is no fuel being squirted by the accelerator pump when you operate the accelerator.

Have you actually checked for spark? Remove the high tension lead from the coil, insert a scrap of wire and arrange a gap to the engine metal of around 6mm. Look for a good strong spark while you are cranking. Do not touch the coil or wire while doing this of course.

Look at the ignition points, is there a white deposit around the contacts? Points are the most basic form of ignition system and require regular maintenance and replacement. New points and condenser perhaps.

Hi I had a ser 3 that did this also but and I dont know why, as soon as 7pm started this is what it would do, at first it would burn the points out ???? it did this all the time so I fitted electronic ignition from a commodore then after 7pm would not start you would run the battery flat all the time ????? get a jump start fire's up straight away???? I learnt to go where I need before 7pm
I was wondering if you are getting a full 12vollts to the coil? Its possible ignition key may not be suppling 12v to coil some cars do this protect dissy where as I think holdens like to have full 12volts
regards G2

Originally Posted by g2landyman

Hi I had a ser 3 that did this also but and I dont know why, as soon as 7pm started this is what it would do, at first it would burn the points out ???? it did this all the time so I fitted electronic ignition from a commodore then after 7pm would not start you would run the battery flat all the time ????? get a jump start fire's up straight away???? I learnt to go where I need before 7pm
I was wondering if you are getting a full 12vollts to the coil? Its possible ignition key may not be suppling 12v to coil some cars do this protect dissy where as I think holdens like to have full 12volts
regards G2

Stock Holden points ignitions have a reduced voltage to the coil while running, there's a ballast resistor built into the wiring harness. The coil is clearly marked "12V use with resistor" underneath. If one of these coils is fed with a full 12V it will fry the points pretty quickly. For full 12V operation a non-resistor coil must be fitted, or a ballast resistor wired into the circuit.

The electronic distributors off the VC-VH Commodores are a good conversion, they are common on ebay.

Originally Posted by bee utey

Stock Holden points ignitions have a reduced voltage to the coil while running, there's a ballast resistor built into the wiring harness. The coil is clearly marked "12V use with resistor" underneath. If one of these coils is fed with a full 12V it will fry the points pretty quickly. For full 12V operation a non-resistor coil must be fitted, or a ballast resistor wired into the circuit.

The electronic distributors off the VC-VH Commodores are a good conversion, they are common on ebay.

An even more spectacular result of using a Holden coil that should be used with a ballast resistor only on 12V is that the coil will eventually overheat, blow the insulated top off the metal casing and spray BOILING OIL all over the engine. When you are trying to figure out what is the problem and you have your head in the engine bay (which will of course happen) is not a good time.

Definitely check that out! A Holden and similar Kettering system ignitions have a 12V wire from the START position that activates the Starter and supplies a greater voltage to the coil and as as bee utey has said a resistance wire is incorporated into the wiring harness to the coil also.

In a Land Rover fitted with a Holden motor you MUST fit a Ballast Resistor to use a Holden or other coil meant to Start on 12V and Run on the reduced voltage.
Not recommended to just use a 12V Land Rover coil either because of the points being burnt.

Bob

I would try another 12 volt coil first, then scruff another condenser and give that a try as well.

Check all the gaps of the points and plugs.
.

+ 1 for probably a resistive coil and non resistive wiring. S3 would be non resistive, RRC's for instance had the wiring as the resistive point (black/purple by memory). Other systems have the resistor as a thick coiled piece of bare wire under a ceramic insulator (that still gets damm hot) thats mounted on to the coil bracket. If (and I don't recommend, just get a Bosch GT40 coil not GT40R (resistive) you need a resistor try ms50 to ms112 toyota crowns at the wreckers. Just get a non resistive coil and run straight 12volts.