Ibiza conked out, showed battery light but no spark!

You need to check - Spark Plugs, Leads, Distributor Cap, Ignition Coil.

Im going to stick my neck out and say check the distributor cap first;

Dizzy Cap - Unclip the two clips and take it off the distributor, have a look at the outside casing for cracks, then look on the inside (also for cracks). There are four metal contacts equally spaced on the inside wall, these need to show metal, usually they may have a white crust on them, this will need scraping off.

Also on the inside, check the roof in the centre, there is a black carbon rod, looks like a pencil's rubber, this should be smooth and not broken.

If all is well put the distributor cap back on, if not replace with a new cap. (swap leads one at a time to new cap before fitting).

Spark Plugs;

Take out the first plug, if it is blacked up it will need cleaning.
When its clean, put the HT lead on the plug and REST it on the engine, and NOT touching engine or lead have someone crank the engine over a couple of turns while you look at the plug, check for a spark.

ALSO, have a smell at the plug hole for petrol. If it doesnt smell crank over a couple of times, if still no smell and you have a spark, then you have a fuel supply issue, let me know and we will change the checks.


If no spark;
Remove, clean and replace remaining plugs.

Check HT Leads, check the connecting ends are clean metal (no white powder), check the insulation is in tact and is in good condition.

Hopefully above will give an answer, if not let me know as it pretty much should mean the coil.

will be watching this with interest, mine is doing the same thing

Chrisdaman said:

will be watching this with interest, mine is doing the same thing

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Just check each component back from the plugs to the coil.

Immobiliser fault?

same problem with mine had, did yours turn over but not start? if so its the coil pack (well i don't know if the 1.4 had a coil pack? but the similar thing will have gone)

1,4's DO have coils, follow the single lead out of the dizzy to the box on the bulk head!

Leads would need checking, with an immobiliser fault the car should run for a second or so before it cuts.

suj said:

same problem with mine had, did yours turn over but not start? if so its the coil pack (well i don't know if the 1.4 had a coil pack? but the similar thing will have gone)

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Or it could be the carbon rod in the distributor. Thats why I gave a bit of detail above.

Also it could be a non-fuel fault, same issue happened when my fuel pump went on my golf, its important to do checks so you dont end up buying one thing, then another, and another until you find the issue.

yeah my 1.4 has coil pack, not one controlled by ECU the coil pack puts out one big spark wich is sent to the dizzy cap.

going back to what Ribreidmotors said about the broken dizzy with cracks, didnt see if he mentioned to clean the contacts this will help it run bit smoother.

he also picked up on the fuel system, check there is fuel going to the engine, if not check the fuel relay under the drivers glovebox check the relay is not warn. if its fine check the fuel pump is turning on, when u put the ignition on can you hear something power on like a little buzzing noise from rear of the car, if so then check the fuel filter is not clogged up with crap, if so then get a new fuel filter and you should be fine then!

hope this helps

sounds just like how my car was, does it sound like it is trying to turnover? but just doesn't? i just changed the coil pack (undo the lead from the distributor cap/where all the other leads are, and take out the other lead) undo 2 bolts, plug new coil pack and it should start!

My old 1.4 did something very similar to this....spent ages trying to find the problem.....turned out to be a loose relay under the steering wheel. Worth a go and all it takes is pushing all the relays above the fuse box!

I'm having a fiver on the coil!

Dizzy/leads etc aren't /that/ likley to die as you're driving along... the coil can just die like that (i know from experience )

I was still getting a poor spark when mine went but it wasnt enough to ignite the fuel!

Where are you based? The coil is really easy to swap out with someone elses for 5 mins just to test...

hannah2008 said:

Thanks for all your help!!

Another thing i was wondering... is it possible to have a diagnostics check even if the car doesn't start? When i mean it not starting, when you turn the key the lights flash on and there's a noise and movement like the engine is trying to start but it just doesn't happen. Anyway I hope so cause surely that would help take out some of the guesswork.

Forgive me for getting it wrong about the coilpack thing, this is my first car so i've got a lot to learn yet! We'll definitely be looking into that!

Hannah x

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Its not guesswork, ive given all you need to find out whats wrong. Show me a computer that can tell you if the spark plugs are dirty, or the dizzy cap has a crack in it?

hannah2008 said:

Hiya,

Ok this may seem like a daft question - are the ignition coil and coil pack the same thing? The AA guy tested a different ignition coil on the car and still got no response. My dad just pointed this out.

P.S. I live in wolverhampton! Ha ha

Hannah x

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The coil is mounted on the bulk head, black box about the size of a match box.

how do you get the leads off and get the spark plugs out????

thought the leads just pulled off?

and the lead end that goes to the spark plugs, do they screw off? mine screws round but then they wire gets wraped round too...doesnt seem to come off

Bentley1989 said:

how do you get the leads off and get the spark plugs out????

thought the leads just pulled off?

and the lead end that goes to the spark plugs, do they screw off? mine screws round but then they wire gets wraped round too...doesnt seem to come off

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have you got a yellow cap over one of the leads (that are connected to the sparks)?
if you take that off then position around the head of the lead (which is on the spark) then you can pull it off, if you haven't you can pick them up from a car parts place (if you ask for a "ignition lead removal tool" they should know)

once you position it right, it just pulls out (with some force)

if you need help i'll try and get pictures up later!