Need help with new guy mistake.

[Weaponsusmc]

I need help getting my A back on the road.
Today I was replacing the spark plugs on my car for the first time and I am embarrassed to say that I did not check my gap. After I installed the new plugs I tried to start my car and it would crank all day long but not start. After pulling the plugs I noticed my mistake. I re-installed the old plugs but my car still wouldn't start. My car was running and driving just fine up until I changed the plugs. The gap on the new plugs was too small, by a lot. Can anyone help me with this? Gas was on, key was on, just wouldn't catch. I am thinking along the lines of the condenser or coil, but those are just guesses.

[Al 29Tudor]

The first thing I would check is spark at the points. Rotate the engine with the crank and the distributor cap off until the points are closed. Turn the key on and open and close the points manually to see if you have sparking at the points.
Al

[Mitch//pa]

i am not trying to be a smart ass but did you turn the key on?
if no spark at the coil wire holding it close to a head nut then:::

if you have a fuse at the starter make sure it didnt blow

make sure rotor turns when cranking engine

clean and check point gap

[luckyal]

I am also not trying to be a smart guy but did yiou turn the gas valve on ?
Al

[Marvin/TN]

He did mention that the SW and gas was on

[Mitch//pa]

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Originally Posted by Marvin/TN

He did mention that the SW and gas was on

ahhah missed that part sorry

[Fred K-OR]

When messing with the spark plugs did you somehow get the distributor messed up? Like maybe the high voltage wire unplugged, etc.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Didn't happen to leave the rotor off, did you?
I've seen it happen more than once, and I've also done it.

[ford3]

were the plugs wet when you pulled the new ones?put plug wire on one plug and lay it against the head and turn engine over does the plug fire? if not go back to the start, make sure you have juice to switch, then to coil, then to dist, if yes then check condensor and coil

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

OUT OF GAS???????? Happend to me just after rebuilding the carb & wouldn't even FART, not even once!! (Dog's Laughin') Bill W.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

ahhah missed that part sorry

Mitchell, better let Parker read for you LODL!
Buster T.

[Tom Endy]

After cranking all day with the plugs that wouldn't fire you probably flooded the engine. Let it sit until tomorrow and try to start it with the old plugs. Open the throttle all the way while cranking.

Tom Endy

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Weaponsusmc

I need help getting my A back on the road.
Today I was replacing the spark plugs on my car for the first time and I am embarrassed to say that I did not check my gap. After I installed the new plugs I tried to start my car and it would crank all day long but not start. After pulling the plugs I noticed my mistake. I re-installed the old plugs but my car still wouldn't start. My car was running and driving just fine up until I changed the plugs. The gap on the new plugs was too small, by a lot. Can anyone help me with this? Gas was on, key was on, just wouldn't catch. I am thinking along the lines of the condenser or coil, but those are just guesses.

And you changed the plugs........why? LOL

I always start with the easiest check first, just hold the coil wire 1/4" from a head nut and see if you get a nice blue spark while cranking the engine.

Two years ago my car wouldn't fire after setting for 6 weeks during a very rainy season. I figured with the high humidity and setting for 6 weeks might have left some corrosion on the contacts so I sanded them, but still no go while using the starter. I hand cranked it and it fired right off on the first pull. After running a couple minutes I shut it off and tried the starter again. Everything was now fine.

[Willie Krash]

Re points I prefer to use a test light on the dist side of the coil. Crank the engine over and see if the light is going on and off...Now while your at it put the test on the other side of coil and see if it lights.

[Rock Hornbuckle]

OK Marine! Let's do it by the numbers...assuming the new plugs are correct.
You remember what the Corps taught us about assuming!
1. check battery voltage
2. turn key on
3. check voltage to the coil
4. check output of the coil
5. check pionts gapped properly
6. plugs gapped properly
7. check spark at plugs
8. check engine timing for #1 cylinder at TDC
9. gas valve open
10. start engine

This may sound crazy to you, but I would check the sides of the plugs to be sure they are clean. When I was a teenager I would prank my buddies by using a lead pencil and drawing a line down the side of their plugs, causing them much frustration when their cars wouldn't start.

[Arlen]

If nothing was changed but plugs, it has to be something really simple like a blown fuse. Do the headlights or horn work? It's possible that the coil or ignition switch etc crapped out on you but what's the odds of that happening at the exact moment you changed the plugs. Your car didn't fall apart because of the simple act of changing the plugs. Again not being an ass but when you put the plugs back in, you did reattach the copper plug wires?

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Hornbuckle, you were a rascallion!! Me too! I would put a tiny pebble inside the valve stem cap & screw it on tight!!----------a VERY slow sssssssssssssst & flat!!! Oh & those car bombs with 2 skinny wires, one to a plug connector & one to a ground!! Installed in 7 seconds & don't slam the hood hard or they'll catch you & beat the CRAP out of you!! Bill W. (Sorta' like the guy was fightin' with his wife & said, "I don't want to see you for 2 weeks"! After 13 1/2 days, he could barely see a slit of light from his left eye!)

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Yo, Marine Dude, Chief always gapped points with a WORN dime & gapped the plugs with a "FRESH" nickle, seriously!
Bill W.

[Farrell In Vancouver]

I did myself in last weekend after replacing some wiring she would not start. I grab a diagram, removed and replaced the wires in the junction box 5 times, still no pop.
Then dad walks over and asks me why the coil wire was not attached..........
AAARRRRGH!

[steve s]

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

Yo, Marine Dude, Chief always gapped points with a WORN dime & gapped the plugs with a "FRESH" nickle, seriously!
Bill W.

wow, haven't heard that for a long time. My dad also used to tell me to use a thin dime to set the points.

Steve

[eagle]

Start simple first. Check spark on spark plug wire, if spark then check for gas at carb. If no spark then check for spark at coil wire. If spark there check rotor, if no spark then check for power on one side of coil and pulsing grd on other side. If no pulse then check points and switch. Those basic steps will tell you whats wrong. On another note, incorrectly gapped plugs can cause hard starting and poor running but would not normally cause no fire at all. Methinks you must have had a drivability issue to begin with so you replaced the plugs??? If you can't figure it out, most any "old garage mechanic" can look at it. Ask around, someone will know of an "old guy" who can fix it for you. Find an old grubby car repair shop to start asking at. Forget any dealership or too nice of a place. They just will have the "technicians" there, and thats NOT what you need. By the way, you heard what the man said when his horse died? "Never done that before"!

[Rock Hornbuckle]

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

Yo, Marine Dude, Chief always gapped points with a WORN dime & gapped the plugs with a "FRESH" nickle, seriously!
Bill W.

My Dad would use a match book cover for the points and the thickness of the paper match for the plugs.

[CarlG]

What's a dime?

[Weaponsusmc]

when holding coil wire to head bolt, no spark.

[Fred K-OR]

Is the other end plugged into the coil well? Not trying to be smart but sometime they will slide out. If OK then do some of the checks mentioned above.

[Tom Wesenberg]

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Originally Posted by Weaponsusmc

when holding coil wire to head bolt, no spark.

That's good, now you know where to start. Start backtracking the voltage. Do you have 6 volts at the OPEN points contact? If no, go back to the coil terminals and you should have 6 volts at both terminals with the key off or with the points open. The key connects the ground side to the points, which when closed will ground one side of the coil, so you should then show 6 volts on one terminal and 0 volts on the other coil terminal.

Before checking voltage, I'd just try jumping the open points contacts with the blade of a screwdriver so see if the points are just dirty and need to be cleaned. Key on of course.

[Purdy Swoft]

It could be that the spark plugs were too cold and the gap was wrong. I had problems with the motorcraft plugs being too cold and would flood easily. After trying to crank a flooded engine with weak spark, the six volt battery gets weak. A weak six volt battery won't have enough power to turn the starter and fire the plugs with enough spark to crank the engine.