No Spark to Plugs!!! Help asap

Discussion in 'Sparky's corner' started by 68Rivi_In_Cali, Jul 30, 2010.

  1. doc

    doc Well-Known Member

    how many miles on the engine????? If over 75,000 it could have jumped time..... take no 1 plug out and roll the engine over untill compression starts coming out... bring it on up to t d c and then see if the rotor points to no 1 spark plug wire tower on the dist cap.....
     
  2. 68Rivi_In_Cali

    68Rivi_In_Cali Well-Known Member

    That was on the back of my mind, its around 55000 miles, ran real strong, but would that explain the no spark? Ill give it a go, after work, im headed off to work, thanks everyone who has chimed in
     
  3. freak6264

    freak6264 Myotonic when confronted


    how are points set to 30 degrees? am I missing something here?
     
  4. william.ali.kay

    william.ali.kay Needs more cowbell!

    Engine running with a dwell meter I believe.
     
  5. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Isnt the problem that his car doesnt run?? So how did he set the points to 30 degrees?
     
  6. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Normally when the car doesnt run, you set the points with a .016 feeler gauge on the high step of the distributor cam. From there you can check it with a dwell meter with the engine running.
     
  7. william.ali.kay

    william.ali.kay Needs more cowbell!

    IDK how, but he said he did.:Do No:
    I thought maybe they were set in the same car he got the other coil from.
    Maybe he can share with us what he did.
     
  8. freak6264

    freak6264 Myotonic when confronted


    ding ding! thats what I'm sayin... I think the points are fried and he just needs to replace & set them properly....my .02 cents....
     
  9. 68Rivi_In_Cali

    68Rivi_In_Cali Well-Known Member

    Sorry guys was running around all day today, the set I had were off my old 68 Riv, I had set those to 30, before hand when I had it, Turns out those were gone too haha, I looked at the new ones currently in the distributor and yup BURNT!:spank:

    Now the one, the guy at the parts store gave me turns out to be the one with the condenser attached,:puzzled: I didn't check it right away because I knew the guy and he usually delivers, plus I was almost running out of time for work, So I didnt install them so I can get the new points correct for the Skylark.

    I will check tomorrow and hopefully that was it!

    This whole episode felt like CSI or a mystery haha, Everyone took a stab at it, Thanks for the input, All the procedures I can remember now when diagnosing if it were to ever happen again:TU:

    Well I wont get ahead of myself because I still need to Replace them and set them tomorrow
     
  10. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    The points with the condenser attached are perfectly acceptable. They will work just fine. I dont know if i would use you method of setting them on another car though. I dont know how accurate that would be.

    Install the points on your car, bump the engine over with the key till the high point of the distributor cam is on the rubbing block of the points. Then adjust the gap to .016
     
  11. RAbarrett

    RAbarrett Well-Known Member

    If the dwell settings are at 30 deg, try removing the coil wire to the dist cap and check for spark at that wire. If you have spark, the ignition is working correctly. I would try the rotor. I have frequently seen rotors burn the arrestor at the rotor contact, causing a no start. Also carefully check the cap, for tracks resembling pencil marks, either between contacts, or to the dist casting. If you can check the dwell, you have 12 volts, rotation and the ignition should work. Try that.
     
  12. doc

    doc Well-Known Member

    About all that is left is that the engine has jumped time at the timing chain....
     
  13. RAbarrett

    RAbarrett Well-Known Member

    There are two ways to determine that... 1. check the compression. If all cylinders are low, it is likely the chain. The other way is to put the crankshaft on tdc of compression of #1 cylinder (use the timing marks) and check the distributor rotor. It should be VERY close to #1 on the cap. If you are off 180 deg, the distributor should be near #6. Anything else indicates a chain issue, especially if the distributor still turns. If it does not, you may have broken the chain, or the distributor drive. Check compression to check the chain. Very frequently, it is easy to hear the jumped time, as the engine is VERY easy to turn, sometimes with no compression whatever. Ray
     
  14. gstewart

    gstewart Well-Known Member

    even if the u have jumped a tooth on the timing chain, u should at least get a backfire thru the carb.
     
  15. tom_gonzalez@ve

    tom_gonzalez@ve Well-Known Member

    Let's get back to K.I.S.S. basics before going too crazy here. You said you had power at the coil when cranking and also that the ignition switch was loose. Take a wire and connect one end to the coil input side and the other end to a hot feed. this will bypass the switch as far as feeding the coil is concerned. Crank the engine and see if it starts, if it does the problem is the switch. If not look at the more involved items mentioned in the other posts.
     
  16. 68Rivi_In_Cali

    68Rivi_In_Cali Well-Known Member

    Hey guys, Thanks for the input, I will attempt to bypass the ignition switch, I will be flying back into the country this friday, This whole time, ive been thinking what could possibly wrong, im hoping its the ignition switch!!!
     
  17. Matt S

    Matt S Matt

    I had simular problem when my resister wire went bad. The coil had spark but it was weak at the plugs so the car wouldn't run. Put a volt meter from the + of the coil to the - of the battery. When the key is in start position you should have a full 12 VDC when key is is run position you should have around 10 VDC. I believe 9.5 or lower and she won't run.

    To repair this I just ran a wire from the 12 V AUX terminal on the terminal block to a ballast(sp) resister and then from the other side of the resister to the plus side of the coil. You remove the current resistor wire, which I believe is brown, and just wraped it up to keep it from shorting out against something. I just mounted the ballast resister to the metal framing under the dash. Keep it away from wires or plastic as it will get hot and could melt something.

    Good luck!
    Matt
     
  18. Matt S

    Matt S Matt

    Any update? What did you find out?

    Matt
     
  19. 68Rivi_In_Cali

    68Rivi_In_Cali Well-Known Member

    Hey Guys, okay, today I i'm schedule for work and I dont have school until September 20th, I am going out to get a dwell meter and the voltmeter. I did get the steering wheel off and the I found out the the gear sector is broken too, It shouldn't really have affected the current right? I also pulled this plastic thing out with two prongs, it is supposed to be for the horn I read in a carcraft article, well here are pictures, and I am about to go get the tools! Wish me luck
    :grin: :blast: :Do No: :idea2: :laugh:

    As far as the resistor Wire, the car doesn't seem to have a ballast resister, I am a bit confused, yea dumb question but it's a chance to learn something new, does it mean the coil has an internal one?

    I was even contemplating ordering a whole new engine harness! But I have to get this car running again soon!

    Here are some pictures
     

    Attached Files:

  20. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    im thinking that 2 prong thing in your hand is for the buzzer that goes off when the keys are left in the car. Been along time sence I saw 1 of thoes
     

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