lost all spark

[brad@elevated.org]

Two weeks ago my motor ran fine, except it overheated. I replaced the entire FW cooling system. To do so, I needed to remove my alternator, starter, and distributor.

I’ve hooked everything back up after retiming the distributor by bringing #1 to TDC of compression and aligning the rotor away from the block. I also made sure I labeled all the SP wires. Points were rusty so I replaced them as well as new spark plugs.

I attempted to start. No start
Checked plugs, not spark, re check point adjustment no spark, check high tension from coil no spark.

There are only other two wires leading from the Coil a - and +. The – goes to the side of the distrib, the + goes to the ign/kill switch. I've tested the coil and voltage are the coil

I have one wire leading from the regulator that I'm uncertain about--and the regulator dosen't look like the wiring diagrams I have.

Totally lost-

Brad

[Don Moyer]

Brad,

Since the engine ran OK before removing the ignition components, it is virtually certain that you have:

1. overlooked some small item as you retimed the engine, or
2. misconnected one of the leads to your coil.

In terms of retiming the engine, the most common oversight is to miss the top dead center point in the rotation of the engine, and end up at the bottom dead center location of the first piston (the one at the flywheel end of the engine). Here are the basic steps in finding TDC:

The TDC position of the No. 1 cylinder is most easily found by holding a finger over the spark plug hole in the first cylinder, while manually turning the flywheel counterclockwise. As soon as compression is felt, stop turning and look at the position of the roll pin in front of the crankshaft. Continue turning until the roll pin is perfectly vertical. The piston will then be at TDC.

It's very easy to overshoot the TDC position while trying to be certain of a positive indication of compression. In this case, the engine will be rotated a full 1/2 revolution before the roll pin lines up vertically again, and the piston will be at the bottom-most point in its travel (instead of TDC).

In terms of misconnecting a wire to the coil, the wire that you mentioned from the regulator of the alternator is the "exciter" wire which supplies 12 volts DC from the positive terminal of the coil to the fields of the alternator to bring the alternator on line after the engine is started. This wire is actually not necessary to start the engine, but if it is connected to the negative terminal, it will interfere with the proper functioning of the coil.

Of these two general possibilities, my guess is that you've missed finding TDC.

If all of the above fails to correct your problem, you might check to be sure that your point gap is correct (.025" gap when the points are held open to their widest point by the lobes on the rotor).

Best regards,

Don Moyer

[brad@elevated.org]

Don

I must have misread the manual--I turned clockwise-so I'll fix that. But how do I explain no spark coming out of the hi-tension wire of the coil? I should be able to see a spark right? Would that be caused by the neg wire to the distributer grounding out?

Brad

[Don Moyer]

Brad,

Yes, grounding out the negative lead to the coil would result in no discharge from the secondary coil lead.

Until you get things squared away, I suggest you remove anything that might be connected to your coil except for the following leads:

1. A lead to the positive terminal coming from your ignition switch.
2. A lead to the negative terminal coming from the points.
3. A lead from the positive terminal of the coil going to the fuel pump circuit, in the event that you have an electric fuel pump.

Don

[brad@elevated.org]

Don-

Looks like I lost/broke the insulating washer on the outside of the neg lead from the distributor, so that could explain the lack of spark. I also did have it timed wrong, so that's fixed.

I inspected the distributor and found that under the top plate there was lots of rust and only the remenants of springs. I have no idea how it ran??!!

I'll visit the commercial end of the site to purchse the rebuld parts.
Other than what's in your manual, any advice about disassembling the distributor for cleaning?

Thanks, Don-

Brad

[Don Moyer]

Brad,

I was thinking that you had a Delco distributor from something you said earlier. From your most recent report regarding an insulating washer outside of the housing of the distributor, I assume you have an early model Prestolite. Assuming that's the case, here is a set of instructions for replacing the insulator kit in a Prestolite that might help:

The following steps will work, but you'll sometimes feel as though you'll need a second pair of hands:

1) Install the fixed part of the points onto the tab on the breaker plate.

2) Slip the square-headed terminal bolt through the folded insulating piece, one of the fiber washers, then the small tubular insulator piece. Then this whole assembly gets slipped through the hole in the housing from the inside, so that the small tubular insulating piece ends up lining the hole in the housing.

3) Slip another fiber washer on the outside of the housing, and then a small metal flat washer on the outside of the outer fiber washer.

4) With the nut installed loosely on the outside of the terminal bolt (simply to help keep everything in place), slip the "U" slotted spring of the points directly behind the square end of the terminal bolt, and then tighten the hex nut on the outside of the assembly. Do not over-tighten the nut, since it is fairly easy to pull the terminal bolt out of the square head on the inside of the housing.

5) If you have an ohmmeter, it would be a good idea to check to be sure that there is no continuity between the terminal bolt and the housing of the distributor, nor between the spring assembly of the points and the housing of the distributor.

Best regards,

Don