[oldschoolrods]

Hey guys, I'm in desperate need of some help. I changed my points and condensor today on my 1969 ford f250, 360 v8 and now it won't fire, I have 12 volts to the coil and 12 volts to the points with the key on but I don't appear to be getting any spark. (I held a plug wire to the inner fender and saw nothing) I got the points up on a cam lobe and gapped them at .017 and all it does is turn over, although at one point it backfired out the carb. Please help, it was running fine until I decided to freshen it up with some new points. And please don't tell me I should upgrade to non points because I just need to get this fixed. Thanks.

 

[poncho62]

If you didn't move the distributer, or get the wires messed up, it has to be the points setting. Try .019 thou.

If you have a dwell meter hook it up and adjust for 30 degrees while cranking it.

 

[crazy larry]

with the cap off, have someone turn the motor over. are the points opening? is there a spark present when opening?
do you have a test light? hook the ground clip to something, and put the lead on the distributer side of the coil while cranking, any fire there?

did you remember to put the rotor back in?

 

[oldschoolrods]

Yeah I remembered to put the rotor back in. lol I don't have a test light but I have a multimeter, does that work? The points appear to be opening cause I've kicked the engine over after setting the points and when it hits a lobe they open...

 

[crazy larry]

if your not afraid of toasting your m/m, set it to it's highest dc voltage setting, and check it out.....:evil:

are you dead sure the points are opening? if theres voltage to the dist. side of the coil, there ought to be a spark........
use the m/m ohms setting to check for continuity in the wiring, that 30 year old crap goes bad time to time.....

 

[oldschoolrods]

Also should there be play in the cam...it seems there is quite a bit of play in it, can move from side to side pretty easily...

 

[poncho62]

If it was running before, it should run now................even if there is some play in the cam.

 

[crazy larry]

a few thousandths of deflection in the shaft would allow the points to remain closed...... I can't recall what the spec is on dist.shaft play...... less than a few thousandths i'm sure.... (0.003)

seriously, have someone turn the motor over while your watching the points, they should visably open and close with a spark occuring each time it does.

mine wouldn't start one morning, i popped the cap, hooked up the remote starter, bumped it around, the point gap was nonexistent. I hope it's that easy for you.:thumbup:

 

[Pony]

There is usually a small copper braided ground wire from the dist housing to one of the hold down screws for the points. If not hooked up it will result in a no fire condition. Also any dirt, grease, or oil from your fingers or feeler gage on the contacts will mess things up.

 

[oldschoolrods]

Just came back in from the garage, points open and spark occurs at the points. So then just for fun we pulled a plug hooked a wire to it and grounded it and it had a spark too. ain: Oh and the play in the cam is an up and down not side to side. Now I'm really confused

 

[docvette]

points

Doc hereimp:

Backfire on cranking usually indicates Too tight gap on the points...Bring the cam lobe up to the high spot and check the gap...17 thou should work...

Next, move the distributor lobe to a closed position..be sure the points FULLY close and aren't hanging on ANYTHING.

Make sure you removed the clear rubber sleeve they sometimes ship new points in...I know..but it happened to me once!

Then, turn the key on and with an insulated screwdriver manually open and close the points without grounding the screwdriver.....It should spark.

If not, Check your wires from the coil and capacitor...be sure they aren't shorted. If those are good, disconnect the capacitor and check manually for spark again as above, if you get spark, replace the capacitor.

Be sure you reinstalled the ground pigtail (if so equipped) to the points on the non~movable screw. And check your distributer IS grounded with your ohm meter.

If you still Can't get spark, Then the last option is the coil itself..try a known good one or just get a new one.

Hope you get it!

Doc imp:

Doc hereimp:

you posted your answer before I got done posting mine!

If you have spark, then you have no fuel...spray some starting fluid down the carb throat and start it..if it starts and dies right after, Look at your fuel filter, Fuel pump or the carb..

Doc imp:

 

[oldschoolrods]

Doc I changed the ignition coil about a month or 2 ago just as a maintence type deal. Like i said I appear to have spark now but still no fire, and gas can be smelt...

 

[docvette]

Plugs

Doc here imp:

Pull the plugs, Check to see if they are wet..(fuel)

While you have them out...Do a compression test...

If the compression is good (or acceptable 125-150) Then reinstall the DRY plugs and Try start fluid again...It should fire.

What color spark are you getting at the PLUGS ? Nice cool blue or an orange? If it's orange, change the wires and cap ... the spark may be too weak to fire.

Doc imp:

 

[oldschoolrods]

Hey guys I got it running this morning. I went out and jumped it cause at the end of the night last night the battery gave way and it fired right up, had to adjust the timing a little bit (cause i moved the distributor a few degrees :nono: ) But it runs great. Thanks for all your help. Turns out this was a case of son tries to put points in cause dad says its easy, son can't get them right, dad comes home and sets them properly, by that time the battery doesn't quite have enough juice to fire it, both of them overlook that. Son figures it out in the morning :thumbup: Thanks again.

 

[docvette]

KEWL!

Doc here:imp:

Thanks for posting back with the Fix!

Kewl to hear you got it Dude!

Now, you may want to re~think your secondary Ignition hook up, if it was weak on crank!

Doc imp: