I have a friend who has a 1983 Mercedes 380 with electronic ignition. Recently he a problem with his water pump. The location required the removal of the distributor. After the water pump issue he had the car running and went for a short ride. He left town for two weeks not knowing he had left the ignition on. When he got home he discovered the problem and charged the battery. The car turns over but will not fire. Question: By leaving the ignition on and draining the battery could he have fried something in the ignition box? Is there a way to test ignition boxes? He said his is not built into the distributor but a stand alone box.
Lost in the 60s said
Jun 25, 2015
It's possible. When I was in the service arena in the 70's we had used boxes from a junkyard that we would swap in to test. If the car started, we ordered a new box. We never did come up with a way to test them back then.
It could also be a component in the distributor itself. That is what sends the signal to the box to make a spark. With the American cars, there is a pickup coil and module inside and they would have been energized also.
I have a friend who has a 1983 Mercedes 380 with electronic ignition. Recently he a problem with his water pump. The location required the removal of the distributor. After the water pump issue he had the car running and went for a short ride. He left town for two weeks not knowing he had left the ignition on. When he got home he discovered the problem and charged the battery. The car turns over but will not fire. Question: By leaving the ignition on and draining the battery could he have fried something in the ignition box? Is there a way to test ignition boxes? He said his is not built into the distributor but a stand alone box.
It could also be a component in the distributor itself. That is what sends the signal to the box to make a spark. With the American cars, there is a pickup coil and module inside and they would have been energized also.