Mooseflex Posted August 23, 2015 Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 Hi There, This looks like a great site, lots of helpful information. Thanks. Here is my problem was wondering if anybody could help me. I'm working on a 51' Wayfarer flathead six, 6v negative ground. I was in perfect working condition and was then parked in a barn for a year not being run. I turned right over but would not start so I began trouble shooting it. It has no spark coming from the ignition coil. So here is what I've done. The point gap is fine .020 and when I test the point side of coil with a test light in goes on and off and it opens and closes as the engine rotates. It appears to be opening and closing fine. I tried bypassing the ignition switch and ran power from the negative terminal of battery directly to the coil but and tried arcing to the engine block but just not getting a spark form the coil. I tested the coil and it seemed a bit out of range so I bought a new coil and tried that, same thing. Also bought a now coil wire. There is just the tiniest little spark. I have an inline spark plug tester and it does flash very dimly at when everything is connected. I can't figure out what is going on. The barn was damp and there was some oil seepage on the engine block so figure maybe something is shorting to ground, maybe oil got on distributor? Any help or things to try would be great. At this point I've spent hours messing around with it and would like to see it through before I have to give up and send it to a professional. Thanks so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper50 Posted August 23, 2015 Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 first thing I'd do is clean the battery connections at both ends really well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooseflex Posted August 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 Sorry, it's positive ground. Thanks, I actually replaced the the battery cables, so they are good but I'll double check it. It cranks strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted August 23, 2015 Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 with all due respect, have you followed the trouble shooting guide in the book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooseflex Posted August 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 Unfortunetly I don't have a book on it. Are you referring to the shop manual? I saw one on eBay for $40 which I was going to get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted August 23, 2015 Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 Three things are needed to start an engine. Compression, fuel, and spark delivered at the correct time. Of these 3 things what are you missing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyHarold Posted August 23, 2015 Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 Try running a jumper lead from the negative (ungrounded) side of the battery to the ungrounded primary terminal on the coil. If the engine fires, you know it's a bad connection somewhere along the line. It can also be a bad ground. You might also want to try putting one jumper cable from the positive (ground) terminal on the battery to the engine block to see if that helps.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted August 23, 2015 Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 New Cables, correct gauge for 6V? Make sure the internal wire in the distributor is in good condition. Needs to be flexible, proberly insulated and correctly connected. Over the years thes can look great in the dist, but have breaks in the insulation that allows the spark to ground before getting to the points. Also make sure the terminal for the dist to coil wire is in good shape . An inadvertent ground there can cause the same problem. The best way to service the distributor is out of the car.on the bench or clamped in the vise, Easy to remove. just make reference marks for the rotor position,to the dist body, and the vacuum advance chamber to the block. Then detach the wire, the vacuum advance line, unscrew the retaining bolt and pull everything out. Then you can see what your are doing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solution _shel_ny Posted August 24, 2015 Solution Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 Has anyone said condenser, or is that eliminated by the facts already stated? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooseflex Posted August 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 Ok thanks will try these things. Have already tried jumping the primary from the battery, didn't work. I'm using 15" 2 gauge cables for battery. No nobody had said condenser yet, it there a way to test it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desoto1939 Posted August 24, 2015 Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 Just replace it its not worth the effort to test. If by replacing the condenser then it was a bad condenser. Rich Hartung Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooseflex Posted August 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 Thanks Shel! It was the condenser! got a new one in there and it started right up! I read a bit about them so it must of been compromised from the moisture in the barn. Was not a good place to store it but that explains why it ran fine when it was parked there and wouldn't start a year later. Greg G thanks for the info about removing the distributor. That is really good to know and even installing the condenser was a royal pain in the you know what leaning over the side. Thanks all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooseflex Posted August 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 Thanks Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conroe Powdercoating Posted August 24, 2015 Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 I fought mine (51) forever and then I installed pertronix and couldnt be happier, mine has never ran nor started so nicely before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conroe Powdercoating Posted August 24, 2015 Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 Thanks Shel! It was the condenser! got a new one in there and it started right up! I read a bit about them so it must of been compromised from the moisture in the barn. Was not a good place to store it but that explains why it ran fine when it was parked there and wouldn't start a year later. Greg G thanks for the info about removing the distributor. That is really good to know and even installing the condenser was a royal pain in the you know what leaning over the side. Thanks all! another thing I learned is because they are new, doesnt mean they are good. I went through a few of 'em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted August 24, 2015 Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 carry a condenser in your travel kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooseflex Posted August 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Thanks conroe, greg & all this is amazingly helpful. I will look into that pertronix. When this was running I a year ago I guess there were problems with it not starting gain when it was hot. Sounds like the pertain might help this too. Is there any drawback to converting to 12v? All the wires insulation is basically no good, all cracked and wires exposed. Taillights are so dim you can barley see them. All wires need to be replaced so figured I'd just convert it to 12v while I'm doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 The tail lights are not dim because of 6 volts, but because of bad ground. Add grounding straps from the sockets to the fenders, from the fenders to the body, from the body to the engine, from the frame to the engine, etc., and things will get much brighter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_shel_ny Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Now your tail lights could be dim because of 6 volts.............................. if someone stuck 12 volt bulbs in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 (edited) but you would be dimmer for not picking up on the fact they are 12 volt unit on a 6 volt system....two sides to every coin... Edited August 25, 2015 by Plymouthy Adams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conroe Powdercoating Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 check grounds, and all connections, like battery cables and where they connect to and also make sure the engine has a good ground strap to frame, well in this case it is a "positive" strap, also check and clean bulb connections etc. my 6v headlights are def bright enough to piss people off if they are not aimed correctly, l learned that myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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