I also posted this in the Sparky's Corner section. I have not gotten my engine to start after three days of it being in after a rebuild. I cannot seem to get a spark from the coil from some reason. Here's what I have replaced so far, to correct the problem and just cause I rebuilt my motor. It has a new battery,starter,coil,wires,points and condensor set,dist. cap and rotor. I tested the coil wire while trying to crank it with a spark plug tester. No spark. However, the positive side of the coil is getting power! So I replaced the points and cond. and still no spark. What else could it be. I am severely frustrated and not quite experienced on cars so far. Please help any way possible. Thanks.:ball:
What do you mean by the grounding of the dist. If you are talking about the wire that goes to the negative side of the coil into the dist. then yes. And I already had two used coils that worked when I took them off the vehicles and the one I have on is about two hours old, bought today.
What I meant was to make sure the distributor was actually conducting to the block. Also, what's your points gap at?
If you take a 12v test light and hold this at the coil, to the terminal that connects to the points at the distributor. It is supposed to be flashing when cranking the engine. If it goes constant light, there is no connection to the points, or the points dont close the gap at all. Also check the ground wire between the plate the points are attached to, and the vacuum canister mounting screw (closest to the canister). There is more than one that forgotten to reconnect it after making work on the distr. If there is on light: short circuit or points does not open up the gap. All this assuming the coil is ok! Hope this helped :TU: Lars
Thanks, I will re-check the spark plug gap. Can you tell me what dist. dwell means? And do you need to set that prior to starting the engine? I tested everything else and it still seems fine. Getting spark to the no. 1 wire, points gap is set at 0.16(I check this at points full open correct?). Will the wire going from the points plate to the vacuum advance screw or the vacuum advance being bad also keep the engine from turning over? I know this is a lot but I am severely frustrated. No one I know who comes over to look at it can figure it out either. I know the timing is corect, I reset it four times now and dropped the dist back in. I will try the spark plugs.
Another question real quick. I checked the spark plug gap and they are correct. When you install the distributor in initially at the no. 1 firing position do you set it with the point open or closed before starting?
Dwell: something like this, the time factor the coil is charging. I common words: an electrical and more accurate measurement of the points gap. Engine must be running to check dwell Lars
the way you "set" the gap is ok, But isn't the the point's gap suposed to be 0,016' =(0,4mm)?:error: That wire being bad will disturb firing, nothing to do with turning over (rotate when turning the ign. key) Is it not tuning ower or not firing? if not turning ower i go with JTY, allo check the ground wire(negative wire to the reinstalled engine) Lars
Thanks all but I got it going finally! The points weren't at the right place for firing the no. 1 cylinder when I set the timing at top dead center. I rotated the dist. body around while holding the spark plug wire for no. 1 to a ground to tell exactly when the spark occured as the points closed! With that I just carefully took of the dist. cap to see where the rotor was positioned and then put the cap back on just rotating my wires until the no. 1 was at where the rotor was and the rest of them in their respective places off of no.1! A little trick someone at work finally told me. Turned over instantly. I am a happy troop now! Thanks.:grin:
