The Ford Barn

31 ford · 04-08-2019, 09:16 PM

Model A ran great day before. The next day ,it will not start. It will crank over, headlights work and horn works. No spark from coil wire. No movement in ammeter.
Replaced coil - still no spark . Placed test light clips on both ends of ignition switch terminals. When Kill switch was off, test light stayed off. Put kill switch on and test light went on. With kill switch on, turned ignition switch on and test light went off.Repeated test with same result.Did test again and now with kill switch on, the test light will not go on.
Replaced coil wire to distributor , kill switch, points, condenser, rotor, distributor cap,cleaned and re-gap spark plugs and re-timed.
Several months ago a new wiring harness installed and new distributor center shaft and bearing and new conduit wire from ignition to lower distributor.
Fuse not blown.
Has Nu-Rex advance with modern upper plate with 9inch wire from lower distributor plate. My Model A has run perfectly until this occurred.
Trying to purchase a new ignition switch but having difficulty where to buy a quality one . In the meantime, any one have thoughts because I am not sure what else to do. Thank you.

Mike V. Florida · 04-08-2019, 09:32 PM

Best to start from the beginning, https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showp...42&postcount=5

Bill G · 04-08-2019, 09:55 PM

I hesitate posting for fear that it will sound blunt. But here goes. Too many things have changed since the original problem. Rather than just shooting from the hip and replacing everything, we need to isolate and work with the existing symptoms. Otherwise, you will just fix it with luck and not knowing what the issue was to begin with. Now, so much has changed that probably nobody on a forum can tell you exactly what to do without hands on. Like Mike V says, you should start from the beginning. It sounds harsh, but that is from harsh experience.

But, do check to see that the points are opening and closing and that you have a good condenser. Besides having power to the coil, the points and the condenser are key to generating spark

Welcome to the forum, by the way!

eagle · 04-09-2019, 07:44 AM

Put your test light on the distributor side of the coil, then with ignition switch ON, slowly turn the engine over with the hand crank. The light should turn on and off as the points close and open. You can take the top parts of the ditributor off so you can see the points. And do yourself a big favor next time, DON'T replace parts until you verify what's broken.

Chuck Sea/Tac · 04-10-2019, 10:04 PM

Your kill switch, ignition switch test shows power is going through them both. So the problem is probably in the armored cable or distributor.

Purdy Swoft · 04-11-2019, 09:53 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Try sanding the contacts on the points . I always sand new points when I install them .

31 ford · 04-15-2019, 08:12 PM

Just need to thank all who replied to my starting problem.
Mike - I did stop and started from the beginning.
Magicbox51- parts were replace one at a time.
Eagle-parts were getting due for a tune up.
ChuckSea- the third(last test) did show the kill switch had intermittent current interruption. Bench test ignition switch also tested high Ohms. Kill switch and ignition switch replaced.
Purdy- Points sanded.
Today car started quickly ! Thank you all for your suggestions and possibly my car's starting problem and then fix, might help someone else with a similar issue.

04-08-2019, 09:16 PM	#1
31 ford Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 39	Will not start Model A ran great day before. The next day ,it will not start. It will crank over, headlights work and horn works. No spark from coil wire. No movement in ammeter. Replaced coil - still no spark . Placed test light clips on both ends of ignition switch terminals. When Kill switch was off, test light stayed off. Put kill switch on and test light went on. With kill switch on, turned ignition switch on and test light went off.Repeated test with same result.Did test again and now with kill switch on, the test light will not go on. Replaced coil wire to distributor , kill switch, points, condenser, rotor, distributor cap,cleaned and re-gap spark plugs and re-timed. Several months ago a new wiring harness installed and new distributor center shaft and bearing and new conduit wire from ignition to lower distributor. Fuse not blown. Has Nu-Rex advance with modern upper plate with 9inch wire from lower distributor plate. My Model A has run perfectly until this occurred. Trying to purchase a new ignition switch but having difficulty where to buy a quality one . In the meantime, any one have thoughts because I am not sure what else to do. Thank you.

04-08-2019, 09:32 PM	#2
Mike V. Florida Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Florida Posts: 14,054	Re: Will not start Best to start from the beginning, https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showp...42&postcount=5 __________________ What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II

04-08-2019, 09:55 PM	#3
Bill G Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Walla Walla, WA Posts: 1,045	Re: Will not start I hesitate posting for fear that it will sound blunt. But here goes. Too many things have changed since the original problem. Rather than just shooting from the hip and replacing everything, we need to isolate and work with the existing symptoms. Otherwise, you will just fix it with luck and not knowing what the issue was to begin with. Now, so much has changed that probably nobody on a forum can tell you exactly what to do without hands on. Like Mike V says, you should start from the beginning. It sounds harsh, but that is from harsh experience. But, do check to see that the points are opening and closing and that you have a good condenser. Besides having power to the coil, the points and the condenser are key to generating spark Welcome to the forum, by the way!

04-09-2019, 07:44 AM	#4
eagle Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Eagle Bend, MN Posts: 2,025	Re: Will not start Put your test light on the distributor side of the coil, then with ignition switch ON, slowly turn the engine over with the hand crank. The light should turn on and off as the points close and open. You can take the top parts of the ditributor off so you can see the points. And do yourself a big favor next time, DON'T replace parts until you verify what's broken. __________________ "There are some that can destroy an anvil with a teaspoon and shouldn't be allowed to touch anything resembling a tool."

04-10-2019, 10:04 PM	#5
Chuck Sea/Tac Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Between Seattle & Tacoma Posts: 2,354	Re: Will not start Your kill switch, ignition switch test shows power is going through them both. So the problem is probably in the armored cable or distributor.

04-11-2019, 09:53 AM	#6
Purdy Swoft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 8,099	Re: Will not start Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Try sanding the contacts on the points . I always sand new points when I install them .

04-15-2019, 08:12 PM	#7
31 ford Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 39	Re: Will not start Just need to thank all who replied to my starting problem. Mike - I did stop and started from the beginning. Magicbox51- parts were replace one at a time. Eagle-parts were getting due for a tune up. ChuckSea- the third(last test) did show the kill switch had intermittent current interruption. Bench test ignition switch also tested high Ohms. Kill switch and ignition switch replaced. Purdy- Points sanded. Today car started quickly ! Thank you all for your suggestions and possibly my car's starting problem and then fix, might help someone else with a similar issue.