Alaska48 Posted May 23, 2008 Report Posted May 23, 2008 After weeks of begging and pleading with friends, I finally may have my shot at an actual start on my Plymouth.... I'm still stuck on the "car will turn over but no spark" phase, so I'm at the point where I need a second person to turn over while I check for spark.... I have one friend who has a 66 Impala and another dude who is very mechanically inclined... however, neither have them have been available to come over and help me... its so hard to find good friends these days. My neighbor has a 57 Bel Air but i'm too chicken to go over and talk to him cause his car is in near mint condition and I feel inferior to him.... So hopefully this weekend I will be in business.... its so depressing waiting, but I suppose I have nobody to blame but myself Quote
blueskies Posted May 23, 2008 Report Posted May 23, 2008 My neighbor has a 57 Bel Air but i'm too chicken to go over and talk to him cause his car is in near mint condition and I feel inferior to him.... Maybe you should talk this guy into coming over to hold onto the spark plug while you turn the key... :D:D Quote
woodscavenger Posted May 23, 2008 Report Posted May 23, 2008 If he has a mint 57 Bel Air then he will appreciate your guts. Ask him!!! Good luck with the startup. Quote
Norm's Coupe Posted May 23, 2008 Report Posted May 23, 2008 If he has a mint 57 Bel Air then he will appreciate your guts. Ask him!!!Good luck with the startup. I agree, if the guy owns a mint 57 Chevy it means one thing. He's an old car nut just like you and the rest of us. I'll bet he'd be more than happy to come over for a close up look at your car, even if it's nowhere as nice as his is. Most old car people even like looking at junkers beyond repair sunk in the mud in some field, just as much as a restored one. So........don't be bashful. I'll bet he'd even be more than happy to pick up a wrench and go to work on yours with you. Anyway, nothing ventured, is nothing gained. Whats he going to do if he doesn't want to. He'll just say no. That doesn't hurt anyone. I doubt that he'll say no though. Quote
Arthur1947 Posted May 23, 2008 Report Posted May 23, 2008 After weeks of begging and pleading with friends, I finally may have my shot at an actual start on my Plymouth.... I'm still stuck on the "car will turn over but no spark" phase, so I'm at the point where I need a second person to turn over while I check for spark.... I have one friend who has a 66 Impala and another dude who is very mechanically inclined... however, neither have them have been available to come over and help me... its so hard to find good friends these days. My neighbor has a 57 Bel Air but i'm too chicken to go over and talk to him cause his car is in near mint condition and I feel inferior to him....So hopefully this weekend I will be in business.... its so depressing waiting, but I suppose I have nobody to blame but myself Never forfeit the opportunity to work with someone more skilled than you are. That's the best way to learn. Best. ARTHUR Quote
Grandadeo Posted May 23, 2008 Report Posted May 23, 2008 Tell the neighbor that you have some friends coming over to poke at your old Plymouth and he's welcome to drop by and have a (______) fill in the blank, with ya'll and meet the guys if he wants. Good ice breaker (Alaska pun) and you never know, he may roll up his sleeves and jump right in. Lee Quote
PatS.... Posted May 23, 2008 Report Posted May 23, 2008 I used to have a jumper wire to put from the battery to the distributor side of the coil and big honkin screwdriver to start my 49 Chrysler way back when. Short out the starter with the screwdriver and away it went. If you can't find anyone to turn it over using the key you could try that... Quote
RobertKB Posted May 23, 2008 Report Posted May 23, 2008 Maybe you should talk this guy into coming over to hold onto the spark plug while you turn the key... :D:D Feel inferior? You have a P15. He should feel inferior! Good luck with the start up!! Quote
Heavy Flat Head Posted May 24, 2008 Report Posted May 24, 2008 Feel inferior? You have a P15. He should feel inferior! Good luck with the start up!! Second on this end, he has a (very hard to say) C------H-----E------V. We all have real cars. MOPARS. There is a lot of information on how to start one of these cars with out using a key, just ask. Turn the key on and use a screwdriver on the solenoid (touch the small post to the large post that goes to the battery) on the fender and she will turn over. This way you can watch for a spark as you are right on top of it. On these motors the wire that goes from the coil to the dist develops bare spots. If your wire is like this either tape or replace it. You do not have to get fancy just to get her to run, A lot of us have run jumper wires to by pass a lot of the wiring harness just to get them to run. As been said before run a wire from the battery to the coil and make sure the wire to the dist is in good shape. If still no spark look at the points first than the coil . If you do not have a feller gage take a dime and use it to set the points. Make sure the points are on the lobe in the dist when you set them. Did you install a new set of points and condenser? If you did not get a new set. The condenser can go out and she will not have any spark and this part will deteriorate over time if not used. A lot of us on this board have been able to return these to life just by cleaning and resetting the points and using jumper wires to fire them up. After they start than we do the repair work to have her run like a kitten. Good Luck and remember enjoy this time. Ed. Quote
Lou Earle Posted May 25, 2008 Report Posted May 25, 2008 Do this: 1 make up 2 jumper wires with alligator clips on all ends. U will find several uses for them later. 2 hook one to ignition side of coil and to neg side of battery. Now coil and ignition are hot. 3 hook the other alligator clip jumper to the SMALL POST ON SOLENOID. 4 now touch the other end to the battery neg side or just touch it ti the hot side of the solenoid. 5 if does not fire- remove cap and look and see if spark occurs when u crank it again. if not problem is likely in points and condenser. 6 If spark then re install cap and pull a plug re attach it to the wire ground it and then crank again- you should see a spark. Also you can remove the 6 v battery and install a 12 volt if u have one to get her going. do the same thing. I have run a car - 6 volt - in driveway at high idle fro an hour on 12 v no problem- DO NOT HAVE RADIO OR LIGHTS ON!! Good luck Lou Quote
John Mulders Posted May 25, 2008 Report Posted May 25, 2008 ask your neighbor, he probably is waiting for it ! says to his wife, jeez, this guy is working on a mopar and he probably doesn't want me to touch it because of the Chevy... Dutch saying : better to have a good neighbor than a far (living away) friend. Good luckn with the startup John Quote
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