New guy w/ starting problems!

[Djhall1950]

Just joined the site and it's seems like a huge wealth of knowledge so I thought I'd see if anybody could give me any ideas.

I have a stock 1950 Plymouth Special Deluxe. The car was driven into a pole barn 20+ years ago and parked due to brake issues. Well now I've acquired the car and am trying to get her back on the road. I've changed the battery, plugs, wires, coil, put a little oil down each cylinder, drained all the old gas, and cleaned the points. It turns over but it seems to turn over slow and isn't getting any fire. Any advice would be much appreciated!

[busycoupe]

You did not say that you cleaned the battery and starter cable connections, or if you checked the fuel pump or carburetor. All of these need to be checked. Remember, all an engine needs to kick over is fuel, spark, air, compression and timing. ... Start there.

[Plymouthy Adams]

cleaning the points is step one but you got to ensure that there is voltage at the coil and the other side of the coil to the distributor is not shorted to ground which is very common with the ground strap inside the distributor...ensure with key on and points open you can short across the points with a screwdriver and when you remove the screwdriver there is a secondary spark from the coil tower...this will be step one on getting it to fire

Edited March 17, 2014 by Plymouthy Adams

[Dave72dt]

Ignition system consists of a primary and secondary system. Is the primary system functioning correctly? If it is not, the secondary part will not work. Do you have spark at the points when it is turning over? If not, back track the system and find out where you have power and where you do not. Diagnosing the ignition system is a relatively simple exercise in common sense and logic. Test it before throwing parts at it. You may throw the correct parts at it but you won't learn anything about how it works.

[_shel_ny]

Even with good battery connections your engine will turn slower than a modern engine.

 

Remember, unless modified, the battery is positive ground.

 

Once you determine you have the ignition portion functional with spark where it belongs you can try using a 12 volt battery to start the vehicle. Isolate, or remove the 6 volt battery when doing this. Be sure lights and other things are OFF when doing this.

[greg g]

Did you wire the batter for positive ground? Do you have nice thick battery cables or did some one swap in some whimpy 12V thin ones? Is there power to the coil? Is the coil wired ignition in to negative and positive to points? Is your dist cap on properly and the rotor properly seated? Are you spark plugs wired properly according to firing order? Is the rotor pointed to Number one dist cap tower when #1 is at TDC onthe compression stroke?

[ChrisRice]

I know this doesn't relate to firing, but I found after a while of trying to get mine started that it just seems to refuse to run on ethenal fuel. I have to get it non-ethanol and it fires fine. Oh and the first time I got it to crank, I put a 12v on it just to have enough power to turn it over. I also had to isolate everything down to only what was needed, and then "bumped" the starter with a screwdriver while watching everything else that was going on.

[Djhall1950]

Well, I've replaced the points, condenser, rotor, coil, plugs, wires, and still not getting any spark. There's no spark coming from the coil.

[Dave72dt]

Ignition system consists of a primary and secondary system. Is the primary system functioning correctly? If it is not, the secondary part will not work. Do you have spark at the points when it is turning over? If not, back track the system and find out where you have power and where you do not. Diagnosing the ignition system is a relatively simple exercise in common sense and logic. Test it before throwing parts at it. You may throw the correct parts at it but you won't learn anything about how it works.

Repeat! 

 

Where do you have power and where do you not?

[soth122003]

Did you gap the points properly? Thats what I forgot, but once it was done, I had spark.

[Merle Coggins]

An easy test light test. The test light should light up when probing the ignition switch side of the coil. When probing the distributor side of the coil the light should blink when cranking the engine. This indicates that the points are functioning properly, making and breaking the ground. If the light is ON steady than there is a disconnect somewhere between the coil and the ground through the distributor. (broken wire, bad connection, points not making contact properly, bad ground) If the light won't light up on the distributor side that indicates that your wire is shorted out through the distributor causing a constant ground. (check the short wire between the distributor housing connection and the points)

 

Merle

[Tom Skinner]

Dj,

I know you are probably overloaded with information here, but I'll chime in.

Can you find Top Dead Center (First Piston at top of first Cylinder). Then Static time it.

This will find the Spark your looking for. Check to see she's getting fresh fuel (disconnect fuel line)

and put it in a jar of fresh gas to see if it is moving through the fuel pump) This should make her start. Get an old timer to lend a hand

You might be happy at how smart we really are L.O.L.

Good Luck.

Tom

[jeffsunzeri]

At least you can get it to turn over!

A little checklist for you:

 

1. Pull all the spark plugs.

2. Make sure the battery positive (+) is connected to ground, preferably to the engine block.

3. Remove all the spark plugs.

4. Check compression on all six cylinders. A dead (0 lbs compression) cylinder is likely to be a stuck valve which is very common, and will keep the engine from starting.

5. If all cylinders have compression (50 lbs or more), you're good. Squirting oil in the spark plug holes is not good with this engine. It will only oil up the valve faces and maybe trickle into the intake or exhaust.

6. Keep your spark plugs out, and connect a wire from your negative battery post directly to the (-) pole of the coil (the (+) pole will go to the points).

7. Have someone turn the engine over while you watch for the plugs (grounded well to the head) spark.

8. If no spark, your problem is in the distributor. Check your points/condenser installation.

9. If you get spark at step 7, then your problem was between the ignition switch and the coil.

 

Some assumptions are being made. They are:

- Your coil is a 6 volt and in good condition.

- Your distributor is turning when the starter is engaged and running.

- The cap and rotor are correctly matched.

 

 

Let us know what happens.

Edited March 24, 2014 by jeffsunzeri