She's runnin but not good

[Vanspeed]

Will it ever end! Today I went out and tried to see if I could get her running again to diagnose some more carb issues and now it won't even start. I had the battery charged and the guy said it is still a great battery. Just over a year old. I tried cranking it a couple times and nothing. Noticed that the battery seemed low. Is my coil fried and draining my battery? Nothing else is hooked up that could draw power. I tried cranking it over by hand to see if I had spark at the coil wire and it does not seem to have spark. Are both terminals on the coil suppossed to be hot with the key on or off? Mine are.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Vanspeed,
Are you SURE, double SURE, that your kzhaust is not partly constipated??? Bill W.

[Vanspeed]

Just went out to see and check if it had spark. Took the coil wire off, turned the iginition on and used a screwdriver to open the points. No spark at a head nut. Took the wire off my coil from the coupe and swapped it to the truck. I now have spark when maunally opening the points. My battery is now dead however, won't even turn the motor over. I only tried to start this a handful of times with the charged battery and never crank it more than five times. What is draining the battery? No wire light harness hooked up yet, only engine harness.

[[email protected]]

One of my local club members just had something similar.
He was killing off a new Farm & Fleet 6 volt battery every night. They were replacing them upto #3 before they started asking questions...
He ended up with three issues that needed to be fixed.
1. The ignition armored cable was way too tight in the disti. ( Just Loosened it up )
2. Internals of the ammeter were bad. (Replaced with different one ).
3. Had a remote battery disconnect that was only working intermittenly and with about 4 foot of extra cabling. (Got rid of it and went to Henry's way with an extra ground to the transmission.)
Running like a top now........

[Fred K-OR]

Hate to say this but are the battery cables hooked to the right battery terminal? I am sure you have checked this so sorry if I insulted you on this.

The reason I question it is that I hooked my old D2 Cat up wrong, had just put in a new battery and ran it for a day that way. It discharged the battery and it ended up I had to buy a new battery again.

Hope this doesn't sound to simple and insulting.

[Vanspeed]

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Nope, hooked up positive ground. I only started this thing three times on this fully charger battery. The ammeter would shoot to the right when I gave it gas so I assume it is working and the generator is charging. Made sure ignition was off every time I was not trying to start it. This truck is turning into a headache fast. How tight should the armored ignition cable be?

[Tom Wesenberg]

Is the brake light switch sticking on, or shorted inside?
You could remove the light/horn wire from the cutout for a few days and see if you are still having problems.

[[email protected]]

Originally Posted by Vanspeed

Nope, hooked up positive ground. I only started this thing three times on this fully charger battery. The ammeter would shoot to the right when I gave it gas so I assume it is working and the generator is charging. Made sure ignition was off every time I was not trying to start it. This truck is turning into a headache fast. How tight should the armored ignition cable be?

It should be in far enough for the brass button to make contact with some spring tension to the disti lower plate AND no more. You run the risk of creating a short inside the disti if you crank it in using all of the threads.

[IrishHills]

Pull the neg cable off the batt terminal and hook up a test light btwn them, if it lights with key off you have a drain.

Also if you have a good charger kick it up to 12 volts to start, the starter don't care if it's not for an extended time.. (or you can jump from 12 volt batt)

[29ModelA]

Originally Posted by Vanspeed

Will it ever end! Today I went out and tried to see if I could get her running again to diagnose some more carb issues and now it won't even start. I had the battery charged and the guy said it is still a great battery. Just over a year old. I tried cranking it a couple times and nothing. Noticed that the battery seemed low. Is my coil fried and draining my battery? Nothing else is hooked up that could draw power. I tried cranking it over by hand to see if I had spark at the coil wire and it does not seem to have spark. Are both terminals on the coil suppossed to be hot with the key on or off? Mine are.

I'd open the terminal box up, and pop your dash off and check the wiring. One wire to the coil from the ignition switch, and the rest of the switch depends on if you have the original armor cable or not. I bought the $27 replica, but if the original armor cable is shorting to ground I believe it would keep your coil live (and kill the battery).

I see it in my head correctly anyway....

[Tom Wesenberg]

Both sides of the coil primary terminals should show battery voltage until the ignition key is turned on and the points close, then one side will be grounded. A repro ignition switch touching the gas tank can also ground the coil. A bad wire inside the original popout cable can also ground the coil full time if the key is on.

[IrishHills]

Wiring diagram..

http://www.webjunk.com/modela/wp-con...amcolor2sm.jpg

[Vanspeed]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Is the brake light switch sticking on, or shorted inside?
You could remove the light/horn wire from the cutout for a few days and see if you are still having problems.

No other wires are hooked up other than engine, I have no light harness at the moment. I am taking the battery back up to the shop today to charge it up. When it is out, I will look for areas that may be shorting. The armored cable is touching the head, could that be a problem? Anybody want to buy a nice 29 CCPU?? lol!

[1931 flamingo]

How much???? Seriously, depending on the history of your battery I would be inclined to purchase a new one, clean your grounds GOOD and start from there. JMO
Paul in CT It get's frustrating doesn't it??

[Vanspeed]

Took the battery up to the store I bought it and the guy teseted it again. He said it was fully charged but showing no amps, it was dead. He apologized and sold me a new one for half off. I was 6 months past the warranty on the old one. Pulled the instrument panel off and everything is where it should be as far as wires. Checked everything I could and put the new battery in. Fired right up but likes the gav out more than normal but I said screw it, and jumped in and took it for a drive. I had no backfires, no popping and got it all the way into 3rd gear. I know things are not set where they are suppossed to be but the truck runs good I think. My wife took a video of me coming back, I willt try to upload it if I can.

[1931 flamingo]

Good news!!
Paul in CT

[Tom Wesenberg]

Shine the lights on your garage door at night with the engine at fast idle, then kill the engine with the lights still on. If the lights dim a bit then the generator is putting out. Or you can use a volt meter and see if the voltage at the battery posts comes up by 2 or 3 tenths of a volt when the engine is started and run at fast idle.

[Vanspeed]

When I buy the light harness and get it hooked up, I will do that! Thanks Tom.