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Is it an original armoured cable, or a replacement part. A friend bought a replacement armoured cable and an ignition switch to match, he couldn't get a pop-out switch, just to explain why he went replacement. So, after he installed it, I was invited around to assist with the start. It was his first A, as well as the first time the car was to be started during restoration. After a few cranks, no spark, so we start to find why. We found that the cable was wound in too far, he didn't realise it doesn't go in until it goes no further. Disconnect it from the switch and head clamp, unscrew it a few turns and all should be good. Just to make sure, we check it out with a meter, and all is good, no short. Re-install the instrument facia and switch and try to start it again.
Still no spark. Start to check the system again, and find a second short, and this one is on the back of the switch. Because it is an replacement switch, it is different to the pop-out, and one of the terminal screws was touching the tank behind the instrument facia. The offending screw was removed, filed a few threads off, allowing it to screw in further, then re-installed the switch and facia again. The system was checked over with a meter, no shorts, so we go again.
Third try at starting, and still no spark. Check the sytem with the battery disconnected and ignition on, and we have a short, turn the key off, and now the short remains. We very carfully remove one piece at a time, metering everything, until the short disappears. As we remove the facia, the short vanishes. So, as we move the facia back into position, the short re-appears. The only thing that is moving is the wire from the switch to the distributer, down inside the armoured cable. The armoured cable is removed, and we find the third short in the system. Because the armour windings don't go all the way to the switch, the way the manufacturer finished the open end left a sharp barb on the winding itself. This cut its way through the insulation of the wire an caused a third short.
Three shorts in one system from switch to distributer.