Still won't start

[700rpm]

I lean toward bad dist. body, or possibly bad lobe on the dist. cam, causing the points to break unevenly. Maybe a bad pigtail. Maybe a loose condenser. Something in the distributor, though. Easy to check.

[edmondclinton]

When you're checking for sparks, not just any ol' spark will do. You need a fat blue-white spark!

Make sure the engine is in a position where the points are closed. Turn on the ignition. Disconnect the coil wire from the dist. and hold the end just removed about 1/4 inch away from a head nut. Using a screwdriver or some other insulated tool, open the points. A fat blue-white spark should jump from the coil wire to the head nut if everything is healthy.

A thin yellowish spark is weak and is no good and of course no spark is most certainly no good.

Allow the points to snap closed if you want to repeat the process for another look.


If the gap is correct on your points I bet they are just oxidized and need cleaning. Points do that just from exposure to the air in the atmosphere. That's why it's best for people to go to the trouble to make sure the engine is in the correct position for the points to be closed when storing a car that will not be run for a long time.

It's also possible that your points may be pitted and burnt and several other things may be the cause of your problem as have already been mentioned. Come back for more instruction if you can't get it going.

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by edmondclinton

When you're checking for sparks, not just any ol' spark will do. You need a fat blue-white spark!

Make sure the engine is in a position where the points are closed. Turn on the ignition. Disconnect the coil wire from the dist. and hold the end just removed about 1/4 inch away from a head nut. Using a screwdriver or some other insulated tool, open the points. A fat blue-white spark should jump from the coil wire to the head nut if everything is healthy.

A thin yellowish spark is weak and is no good and of course no spark is most certainly no good.

Allow the points to snap closed if you want to repeat the process for another look.


If the gap is correct on your points I bet they are just oxidized and need cleaning. Points do that just from exposure to the air in the atmosphere. That's why it's best for people to go to the trouble to make sure the engine is in the correct position for the points to be closed when storing a car that will not be run for a long time.

It's also possible that your points may be pitted and burnt and several other things may be the cause of your problem as have already been mentioned. Come back for more instruction if you can't get it going.

You forgot to mention to hold the coil wire with an insulated tool (or maybe your computer adjusted your punctuation). Of course he probably would have figured that out pretty quick. You probably don't need the insulated tool for the points as they are only 6 volts.

Charlie Stephens

[edmondclinton]

Originally Posted by Charlie Stephens

You forgot to mention to hold the coil wire with an insulated tool (or maybe your computer adjusted your punctuation). Of course he probably would have figured that out pretty quick. You probably don't need the insulated tool for the points as they are only 6 volts.

Charlie Stephens

I don't like to use my fingers when fooling around with sparks and generally wear a pair of good gloves even to hold a coil wire by the insulation.

There used to be a mechanic at a shop here locally years ago who would check for spark, on any vehicle, by holding on to the end of the coil wire while the engine was turning over with the ignition on. If he wasn't satisfied by the amount of shock he received he considered the spark to be weak!

[Dbbc]

To answer some of the questios, the rotor does turn, I get a spark from the distributor cap to the head nut. I took the copper wire off the spark plug (new spark plugs, champion w16) and I have spark on 2,3,4 but not on one ( closest to radiator)

I will order a condensor and both plates in the distributor. By the way the copper end of the condensor where the screws that holds it, spins. Probably should't but I am not sure if it is defective. Should I use a upper plate with the modern condensor?

Lastly what would cause the negative side off the coil to be hot when the point are closed and the ignition on?

[edmondclinton]

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Originally Posted by Dbbc

To answer some of the questios, the rotor does turn, I get a spark from the distributor cap to the head nut. I took the copper wire off the spark plug (new spark plugs, champion w16) and I have spark on 2,3,4 but not on one ( closest to radiator)

I will order a condensor and both plates in the distributor. By the way the copper end of the condensor where the screws that holds it, spins. Probably should't but I am not sure if it is defective. Should I use a upper plate with the modern condensor?

Lastly what would cause the negative side off the coil to be hot when the point are closed and the ignition on?

Do you get a consistent spark from the coil wire to a head nut every time your work the points? If so what does it look like?

[George Miller]

By the way the copper end of the condensor where the screws that holds it, spins.

That is not a good thing, you need to replace it. But if you get a good blue spark on 2,3,4 you have points that are not opening on one cylinder, or you got a bad dist body. Need to check play in dist shaft, make sure the points are opening on all 4 cam positions.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Dbbc

To answer some of the questios, the rotor does turn, I get a spark from the distributor cap to the head nut. I took the copper wire off the spark plug (new spark plugs, champion w16) and I have spark on 2,3,4 but not on one ( closest to radiator)

I will order a condensor and both plates in the distributor. By the way the copper end of the condensor where the screws that holds it, spins. Probably should't but I am not sure if it is defective. Should I use a upper plate with the modern condensor?

Lastly what would cause the negative side off the coil to be hot when the point are closed and the ignition on?

The condenser is shot if the terminal spins. Be sure to use the insulating washer under the head of the terminal screw, or the screw may bottom out and turn the terminal instead of tightening on the strap.

When the points are closed and the key is on, you have about 4 amps going through the coil and that will heat it up. If it still heats up with the points open or the key off, then you have a problem, such as the ignition switch terminal touching the gas tank.

[Mitch//pa]

the condenser screw should not spin so take toms advice and change it and use the fiber washer under the screw head...

so you say no spark to #1 ok that should not be but with having spark to 2,3,4
the engine should still run but with a miss.... did you try bringing it to TDC with the timing pin and make sure your rotor is pointing to #1? maybe the dist cam slipped position or there is a timing gear issue and it jumped.
maybe the spark is crossfiring in the dist body
some food for thought