Frustrated...continued spark issues

[Drdialtone]

OK, I'm at my wits end... I've had three failures resulting in tows home. First, OK, vacuum advance fails, and loose screw with points and condenser wire. Fixed, running fine. Second time, tiny wire in distributor broke, OK this make sense, made new one, all seems OK again. THIRD break down, no juice to the plugs, just POOF dead. Checked all connections, look good, no signs of shorts, just DEAD. Juice from the key to the coil, but nothing past that. Coil maybe? (scratching head). Any other common issues with the distributor that I am missing? Haven't replaced the coil yet, guess that is next. ARRRGGH!

[Greenbomb]

I'd say you're on the right track. Keep after it-you'll win.

[greg g]

condenser? Also check the terminal where the coil wire attaches to the coil. Maks sure there is no pathway to the dist body. A short there renders points usless. Also make sure the wire in the dist is ot grounding to the dist body.

[Robert Horne]

Recently my Coupe stalled in the driveway. The rotor button tip looked very bad. A little sandpaper to the tip, and car started right up. I keep a little test light, sandpaper, etc, in the glove box, and now, with a spare rotor button.

[Dodgeb4ya]

That tiny wire in the distributor needs to be made from a special extra fine strand wire because it flexes so much, otherwise it will break.

Bob

[DCurrent]

OK, I'm at my wits end... I've had three failures resulting in tows home. First, OK, vacuum advance fails, and loose screw with points and condenser wire. Fixed, running fine. Second time, tiny wire in distributor broke, OK this make sense, made new one, all seems OK again. THIRD break down, no juice to the plugs, just POOF dead. Checked all connections, look good, no signs of shorts, just DEAD. Juice from the key to the coil, but nothing past that. Coil maybe? (scratching head). Any other common issues with the distributor that I am missing? Haven't replaced the coil yet, guess that is next. ARRRGGH!

Replace the coil and keep it as a spare in the trunk if the problem persists, but it sounds like a bad one. 6v or 12v?

I feel your pain! I can't seem to locate the reason I have a miss. Replaced all ignition parts like the rotor, cap, condenser, wires, plugs points and still it persists. I still haven't timed it (kinda scares me to take the distributer out and place it in correctly), but that's all thats left. If that doesn't cure it I don't know what I'm gonna do.

[Niel Hoback]

DCurrent, if you think you've exhausted the electrical problems and it still has a steady miss, isolate the cylinder by shorting out each plug individually and then check the compression. If its even with the others then consider it good news. And start over. Don't forget to look for a vaccum leak at the manifold gasket too. Come to think of it, a leaky wiper hose did that to me once.

Scored three Felpro head gaskets today for $20. Wooohooo.

[DCurrent]

DCurrent, if you think you've exhausted the electrical problems and it still has a steady miss, isolate the cylinder by shorting out each plug individually and then check the compression. If its even with the others then consider it good news. And start over. Don't forget to look for a vaccum leak at the manifold gasket too. Come to think of it, a leaky wiper hose did that to me once.

Scored three Felpro head gaskets today for $20. Wooohooo.

Another good tip! Thanks

Darren

[Don Coatney]

Another good tip! Thanks

Darren

What brand of spark plugs are you using?

[flatheadtim]

If you have power to coil, check trigger side coil with test light it should flicker (turning on and off) when turning over if flickers could be coil or condenser. Also coil wire could be culprit but usually I would do condenser first then look at coil issue. Condenser cheapest.

Edited May 21, 2012 by flatheadtim

[Plymouthy Adams]

usually a mechanic will check the coil and condenser with a meter if point condition warrants the checking of capacitance...you folks make this simple circuit too complicated..

[Drdialtone]

That tiny wire in the distributor needs to be made from a special extra fine strand wire because it flexes so much, otherwise it will break.

Bob

Yup, first failure that was broken; replaced. Dead again!

[Drdialtone]

condenser? Also check the terminal where the coil wire attaches to the coil. Maks sure there is no pathway to the dist body. A short there renders points usless. Also make sure the wire in the dist is ot grounding to the dist body.

Checked that, all good.

[Drdialtone]

What brand of spark plugs are you using?

AC plugs... recommended brand?

[Drdialtone]

Replace the coil and keep it as a spare in the trunk if the problem persists, but it sounds like a bad one. 6v or 12v?

I feel your pain! I can't seem to locate the reason I have a miss. Replaced all ignition parts like the rotor, cap, condenser, wires, plugs points and still it persists. I still haven't timed it (kinda scares me to take the distributer out and place it in correctly), but that's all thats left. If that doesn't cure it I don't know what I'm gonna do.

Mine is 6v. The coil is the only thing that has not been replaced. Good idea to go ahead and replace, and keep the current one for a back up, along with a spare condenser, points, rotor, cap, and wires!

[Drdialtone]

I believe my distributor is an Autolite...anyone know if there is an alternate brand? I want to have the Petronics HEI conversion, but they don't do my existing distributor. Any ideas? Anyone have one they would like to sell?

[1941Rick]

Convert to a slant six electronic system....very easy to do....do a search here for slant six conversion and follow the steps....doing mine right now and was surprised how easy is is.....good luck

[Drdialtone]

Convert to a slant six electronic system....very easy to do....do a search here for slant six conversion and follow the steps....doing mine right now and was surprised how easy is is.....good luck

Thanks Rick!! Looks to be many pictures (helpful for a knucklehead like me). Let me know how yours turns out! Thanks, Kirk

[flatheadtim]

usually a mechanic will check the coil and condenser with a meter if point condition warrants the checking of capacitance...you folks make this simple circuit too complicated..

Not meaning to contradict you but I believe you have to check the condenser with a megger (not many people have these) thats to complicated. I would think if you have trigger (on--off from points on the points side of coil with test light flickering while turning over eng.) and 12 volts to coil on other post then you should have spark out of coil if the spark is intermittant check the condenser if not probably the coil. It takes me 2 minutes to check this with a test light once at trigger side of coil then at 12v side of coil then output high kv. You can also ohm the coil but this is not always reliable.

[Tom Skinner]

It dat coil no good man.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Not meaning to contradict you but I believe you have to check the condenser with a megger (not many people have these) thats to complicated. I would think if you have trigger (on--off from points on the points side of coil with test light flickering while turning over eng.) and 12 volts to coil on other post then you should have spark out of coil if the spark is intermittant check the condenser if not probably the coil. It takes me 2 minutes to check this with a test light once at trigger side of coil then at 12v side of coil then output high kv. You can also ohm the coil but this is not always reliable.

there is not a need to go to the extreme of testing the condenser with a megger..but if you feel better doing so go for it..simple DVOM will usually point you in the right direction..the megger would point out only what the condenser itself will tell you when bad..it will idle smoothly and rev to no end but will break down under load...I repeat, it's not near as hard as you people are making this out to be...read a bit..use your tools..if you don't have them..suggest you purchase them..if you wish to continue this hobby and do your own work, there is no substitute for tools..

[DCurrent]

What brand of spark plugs are you using?

I'm using the ones you recomended. I think they are AC 45

Darren

[flatheadtim]

there is not a need to go to the extreme of testing the condenser with a megger..but if you feel better doing so go for it..simple DVOM will usually point you in the right direction..the megger would point out only what the condenser itself will tell you when bad..it will idle smoothly and rev to no end but will break down under load...I repeat, it's not near as hard as you people are making this out to be...read a bit..use your tools..if you don't have them..suggest you purchase them..if you wish to continue this hobby and do your own work, there is no substitute for tools..

I use my fluke DVOM plenty but a DVOM will tell you, you have 12 volts on a single strand ready to break where the test light will glow dim indicating a problem. Anyways check out Dons post for show your tools to get a better idea about me

[Drdialtone]

I believe my distributor is an Autolite...anyone know if there is an alternate brand? I want to have the Petronics HEI conversion, but they don't do my existing distributor. Any ideas? Anyone have one they would like to sell?

So, can anyone tell me the model number/brand of distributor that works? Also, was Delco or any other brand of distributor used versus the Autolite that I currently have in my flattie?

[Drdialtone]

So, are there no other distributor options besides the Autolite that came with the engine or the slant 6 distributor? I'm hearing that the slant 6 distributor requires 12v, and I don't want to change everything from the 6v system that I already have in the car. Any other distributors that work? Looking for as many options possible, and trying to maintain all of the other systems...am I up "you know what creek?" ;->