barf 0 Report post Posted June 1, 2007 Hello everyone, my first post here on bimmersport. My bro got a 5-speed E30 323, which is the first BMW we've bought and so far things are not going well with it. Being no stranger to car repair and auto electronics, I suspect his Telefunken transistor ignition module is giving up the ghost. Symptoms are good running when cold, but lack of power at high rpm/load and intermittent inability to charge and fire the coil (it dies alot, but runs sweet when first started for a few minutes). Fuel system is fine, sensors are all OK but I still havn't scoped the CAS and coil only had a timing light on it. Theres no spark captain! My question is, how generic are these transistor ignition modules? I'd like to replace it without buying genuine BMW part. Are there any 3rd-party replacement part? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
will 169 Report post Posted June 1, 2007 I suppose you could mod another to work but hardly worth the headache, plenty second hand available on this site. My experience with these modules is that they do not easily fail. I would check the dizzy cap, rotor and leads before condemning the module, also check that the coil is not on the way out. Also, if the coil has a suppressor across it, it may also be faulty. Make sure earth connections are good, these can cause problems in older e30's. If you find you need a module, I can probably find one somewhere.. Will Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jpp 0 Report post Posted June 1, 2007 I would check the dizzy cap, rotor and leads before condemning the module, also check that the coil is not on the way out. Also, if the coil has a suppressor across it, it may also be faulty. I had same symptoms as you. And what Will has said is what was wrong with mine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barf 0 Report post Posted June 2, 2007 wow, thanks for the prompt replies ! it was indeed the dizzy rotor and the cap is in poor shape also. of course I diddn't look at that until after I pulled the scope out and observed the dwell and coil charge, lesson I learnt: simple things first! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
will 169 Report post Posted June 2, 2007 wow, thanks for the prompt replies ! it was indeed the dizzy rotor and the cap is in poor shape also. of course I diddn't look at that until after I pulled the scope out and observed the dwell and coil charge, lesson I learnt: simple things first! Yup, learned that lesson a long time ago, start at the simple and work your way into the impossible!! Glad you got it sorted. 323 is a strong good car imo.. I have a rather famous "327 eater", nobody has managed to kill it yet, check out the posts under meetings, northland meet. Is an old 323 that refuses to die no matter how much torture is handed out to it!! And it has been handed some!!! Will Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barf 0 Report post Posted June 2, 2007 (edited) argh theres more to this problem than a busted dizzy cap and rotor, symptoms are the same with new diz cap and rotor. took it for a drive after dark and opened the hood and look! all the spark leads are arcing across to one another, is so bad there is pre-ignition in another cylinder from the spark jumping to another lead! (i put honda ignition coil on it, they have a big spark) I guess it has done over 200,000kms on original leads so, insulation could be bad. Get new spark leads tomorrow, hope this will fix it! Edited June 2, 2007 by barf Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barf 0 Report post Posted June 2, 2007 the 3 earth straps are on sump, altenator and rocker cover. (it' the L-jetronic system with external/inline fuel pump FYI.) this is bad ! HV circuit has lower voltage potential to other earth circuit than spark plug earth. no wonder the coil, rotor and cap were annihilated. I've added earth straps to dizzy and exhaust manifold near spark plugs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barf 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2007 we sussed the problem out un-tinned copper contacts on the ECU loom's connector! even toyota and honda tinned their copper contacts in the 80's Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
