Will turn over but won't start

[31 ford]

A friend has a 31 Model A that has spark all the way to the points but the spark stops there. There is no spark leaving from there to the plug connectors ,therfeore ,no spark to spark plugs ! Help please ! ! THANK YOU

[Bob C]

If you hold the coil wire 1/4" from the head and open the points do you get a spark at the coil wire?

[Jim/GA]

Push the wire up into the nose of the coil. Se if it will go in more. They sometimes work loose and do not connect.

If it still won't start, take the other end of that wire out of the top of the distributor and hold it about 1/8" from a head nut while someone cranks the engine with the key on. You should see a spark there.

If you see a spark there, inspect the rotor. IS the little black flat spring piece in place?

With #1 cylinder at TDC (use timing in) where does rotor point to inside the distributor body?

[1955cj5]

You might also clean the point contacts themselves. Sometimes they corrode if it's been sitting for a while.

I need to clean mine every spring.

Use a tungsten point file or sandpaper.

[chrs1961815]

I would say it is probably the points. To clean the points, use a point file or emery paper because it does not leave magnetic particles unlike regular sandpaper.

[31 ford]

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Thank you for your suggestions. Yes, removed coil wire from distributor and place near head and have strong spark. Have 6 volts at red wire on positive terminal (passenger side). With key on, manually open points and do have spark at points .
Problem is there is no power from spark plug connectors to plugs.
I don't understand why -except- could it be the wire connecting the lower plate to upper plate in distributor ?

[Bob C]

Could be the rotor is shorting to the distributor shaft.

[Big hammer]

I was fiddling with my A, it would turn over but no start. I found I had laid the rotor down in a dark spot, placed the rotor back in place, I then went for A nice ride.

[1955cj5]

Did you pull a sparkplug?

Was it wet or dry?

Could it just be severely flooded?

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

If you use a screwdriver from a head nut to a quarter inch off of one of the distributor nubs for the plug wire, do you get a spark? Is your timing set correctly?

[chrs1961815]

The lower plate wire could possibly be shorting out against the side of the housing if not installed correctly. It is also possible that the lower plate lug is bent and shorting against the housing from the ignition cable being screwed in too far.

[Jim/GA]

Originally Posted by 31 ford

Thank you for your suggestions. Yes, removed coil wire from distributor and place near head and have strong spark. Have 6 volts at red wire on positive terminal (passenger side). With key on, manually open points and do have spark at points .
Problem is there is no power from spark plug connectors to plugs.
I don't understand why -except- could it be the wire connecting the lower plate to upper plate in distributor ?

Bad rotor or timing is WAY off, so that the rotor tab is not even close to the pin inside the distributor body that it is supposed to fire to.

[1931 flamingo]

Even if timing was way off it should still "spark".
Paul in CT

[Jacksonlll]

I just ran into a crazy one. All was good with distributor housing and cap off. With the cap on, no spark. With the cap off, we then pushed down on the ball of the upper plate and things shorted out. When the housing was held in place, it pushed the upper plate down and that caused the problem. Have not had a chance to see what was shorting out, but it was tough to find.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

[QUOTE=31 ford;1901599]Thank you for your suggestions. Yes, removed coil wire from distributor and place near head and have strong spark.



This seems to indicate the ignition is working.



A further test is to take a spark plug lead off a spark plug and space it about 1/8 inch from the plug terminal. Ignition on, use the starter rod to turn over the motor and see if the gap sparks. If yes next step. This indicates the spark plug has spark.



With the timing pin locating TDC cylinder 1, is the rotor pointing correctly at cylinder 1? If not familiar with proper rotor position take and post a picture here of the Distributor with the Distributor cap removed.



If yes then adjust the distributor cam so the points just open on one of the 4 distributor cam lobes.


This does not include gaping the points, but can repeat including gaping the points once it is running.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

If no spark at the plugs above, also check that the Cap springs up slightly before clamping it down with the distributor straps. If not, the contact on the rotor may need to be sprung up so it contacts the button contact on the distributor cap, also inspect the button contact on the cap to insure it is good/OK.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by Jacksonlll

I just ran into a crazy one. All was good with distributor housing and cap off. With the cap on, no spark. With the cap off, we then pushed down on the ball of the upper plate and things shorted out. When the housing was held in place, it pushed the upper plate down and that caused the problem. Have not had a chance to see what was shorting out, but it was tough to find.

Hi Jackson,


Had something not exactly the same, but similar. Previously someone had installed the wire between the plates incorrectly. The lug was installed and bent over incorrectly and occasionally the wire shorted. Hope this is helpful.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Also I assume that when you take the distributor cap off, you see the rotor turning while somebody cranks the engine. If not you probably have a bad timing gear. Elementary but good idea to check.

[31 ford]

Thank you all for your suggestions on trouble shooting this starting problem. Will try them all by the end of week and will then give "status update" . Thank you for the help.

[Marshall V. Daut]

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Marshall