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Testing Distributor[200/1984] posted by Mike Chase on
Thursday, 27 July 2000, at 8:04 p.m.
How do you test a 83-84 distributor?
1. I have confirmed that the ignition control unit switching function is working properly (280-9 in the Bentley manual).
2. I have confimed that there is voltage to Terminal A in the Hall sender connector (280-9 in the Bentley manual).
How do you test the distributor itself (both on and off the vehicle)?
Re: Testing Distributor[200/1984] posted by abe crombie on
Thursday, 27 July 2000, at 11:38 p.m.
The distributor grounds the signal wire on which the ign control unit is providing a 5V reference. The hall switch in distributor needs a ground and a 12V feed for its circuit to power up to do this task.
You should verify that you have 5V on one wire, 12V on one wire, and the other should have good continuity to ground. Then you jumper the ground wire to the 5V wire to get spark out of coil and also fuel pump will cycle for a few seconds.
IF all this occurs then the distributor hall switch is faulty. Volvo manual doesn't actually have you check the hall sw. but uses what I listed as a process of elimination to determine that it must be bad.
IF you have good wire connections and no 5V or 12V on those wires then you have ignition control unit trouble. Same for ground wire.
BTW, you can fashion a jumper out of a paper clip, the bare wire won't shock you as you touch do the jumper test.
Re: Testing Distributor[200/1984] posted by rkpatt on
Friday, 28 July 2000, at 11:52 a.m.
I recently went through the same ordeal - Lots of good help here. Do search and go back for " eons ". Also do an extendted search at www.deja.com for volvo Hall sensor. Since my car was disabled I took a digital VOM with a diode test function and momentarily check for continuity using various terminal combinations (my dead one showed none) and the one that did I bought. Before installing the used distributor in, I pulled the hogh voltate coil wire from the distributor and put near metal so it would spark. I then temporarily hooked up the plug to the distrubutor (not installed in engine yet , and turn on the ignition (not start position) and rotated the distributor by hand. I got spark and heard the fuel pump turn on. OK then turn off ignition the installed the distributor and set the timing.
Good luck