Not Starting.... Need Help

[windsor8]

Need help!!!!  Can’t get my all stock 41 Chrysler to start.  Was starting and running just fine up until about a month ago. Now not getting enough spark from the coil. I’ve tried two new coils and no luck.

Yes, I’ve checked, cleaned rechecked and recleaned the grounds. I even replaced the ground cable to the block. Also have cleaned the “hot” terminals. Battery is new at full power, 6.2 volts.

Engine cranks over just fine but the spark from the coil is so weak you can barely see it and I can hold on to the wire.

When cranking engine getting 5 volts to the coil. Is this normal?

I checked and secured the wires on the ignition switch.

 

[keithb7]

Is there anything else is tied into the 6V circuit when the key is turned on? For example electric fuel pump?

Check that the wire from the coil down to the distributor is in excellent condition, especially where it enters through the distributor housing and into the points. These little fibre washers in there have to be in place. Ensure the wire is not grounding out in this area.

[JerseyHarold]

Check the little thin wire going to the points inside the distributor.  It could have frayed or grounded-out.

[windsor8]

Nothing else seems to be on as the battery is staying up. Have checked the lead to the distributor but will check again.

Pretty sure the little thin wire in the distributor is ok. No fire from coil to distributor. 

 

Thanks for the replies.

[50mech]

I'd suspect the points not opening wide enough or the condenser , condenser more likely for sudden failure.

 

[50mech]

If you have a meter you can test the condenser by putting it on say 10k ohm range , touching the leads at each end then swapping the leads. Should indicate a change.  If it's digital should get a flash or two of a resistance, then limit. Analog should show needle movement.  Either way it should max out the resistance pretty quick but not immediately. In this case I'd suspect it's shorted. It will show low resistance if my guess is correct.

 

I get 5.5v cranking. I don't think 5 will matter on all stock. Only mattered when hot with my pertronix.

Edited March 20, 2020 by 50mech

[48ply1stcar]

Is your distributor loose, are your points set?  Need more information.

[Plymouthy Adams]

do a voltage drop test...could be as simple as dropping voltage also could be our starter is dragging.....if so........your current drain is great when starting and could therefore be depriving your ignition of the current it needs to generate a crisp spark...

[greg g]

Have you tried starting using a jumper wire from negative battery to negative coil?  This will rule out a problem in the ignition switch.

[windsor8]

13 minutes ago, greg g said:

Have you tried starting using a jumper wire from negative battery to negative coil?  This will rule out a problem in the ignition switch.

I've tried that but will try it again.

[BobDeSoto]

Try pushing.

[1949 Wraith]

My '41 Chrysler running fine and then it would not start. Replaced parts one at a time, coil, distrutor cap, and when I replaced the rotor she ran like a charm.

 

There did not look like any wear on the rotor but that was my no start issue. Replace your rotor and see if it works.

[Ulu]

To isolate starter issues from coil and switch issues, you can use a second battery on the garage floor, and a small one will do.

Use the Same voltage as your car, and observe the same polarity.

 

Unhook the coil powering wire  (the primary circuit, for which "automotive Primary Wire" is named),  leaving only the high voltage coil-to-distributor wire, and the coil-to-points wire attached.

 

Power the coil from the small battery with some small wire. Any old lamp cord will do for this.

Crank the car from the normal battery, the normal way.

 

This will give max power to the sparkplugs when starting, even if the starter is drawing a lot.

If you have fuel, and the engine spins over, even slowly, it should start.

 

BUT it still might not (anecdotal evidence follows...)

 

I had a 6v 1953 Pontiac that refused to start. It once had a short in the primary circuit, and the damaged wire was replaced.

The wire shorted right on the block while the car was idling.

 

It burned up the condenser immediately of course.

This usually happens if the primary circuit shorts.

Points, condenser, cap, rotor, plugs, wires, and battery were replaced, but it never ran.

 

UNTIL, I replaced the wire, and its little insulator that goes thru the body of the distributor, to the points.

 

Nothing looked bad with that wire and it tested zero ohms. But it was fried at the most insulated part: inside the insulator!

The insulator kept that bit the hottest, and it burned most of the strands apart. The remaining 1.5 strands of wire acted as a BIG resistor on the primary circuit, at all but the smallest of current (what an ohm meter uses. a very tiny current.)

 

That wire is a ground wire by function. When the points, close they ground the coil for a nanosecond, and it fires.

While they were open, that condensor charged up, and it fires too, boosting the spark.

 

 

 

[windsor8]

Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to respond to my question. I think I have located the problem. When I removed the wire (#19) from the distributor that goes to the "ignition interrupter switch"(LL) (for Vacamatic transmission control) my coil fired like it should. The point were going to ground all the time until I removed that wire.

Will now check wire for a ground and the switch.  I assume that this switch is located on the transmission .