Jkent Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 I’ve hooked everything up , new distributor coil , plugs and wires but not getting spark . Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Check your wiring..................Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vermontboy Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Where are you not getting spark - at the points or at the spark plugs or both ?? Was the vehicle running before you installed all the new items and hooked them up ?? Did you clean and tighten your ground straps ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 I helped a friend with a 1937 Ford a while back. The ignition coil resistor drove us crazy. The car would not run and we replaced almost everything in the ignition circuit before we discovered the ignition coil resistor was the problem. I would suggest you make sure it is in good shape with nice clean terminals. If it has developed rusty terminals over the years, it won't pass enough current and you could scratch your head for a long time before figuring it out. If you don't know what it looks like. Look under the dash for an item like the one in the link: http://dennis-carpenter.com/ignition-coil-resistor/p/18-12250/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkent Posted March 31, 2018 Author Share Posted March 31, 2018 I bypassed everything. I installed a new battery and cables because there weren’t any to begin with . The motor cranks over . Do I NEED to go through the resistor in order for the coil to function properly? It’s a new coil btw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol' yeller Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Make sure the points aren't grounded out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkent Posted March 31, 2018 Author Share Posted March 31, 2018 Ok . I’ll pull it and check it again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercer09 Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 where is your timing? Often the culprit in these fords. Best when strobed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 (edited) Break the system down to its simplest form and check each part of it in a systematic way. Is the battery fully charged? Are you getting power to the coil when the key is on? Are you getting power to the points? Do the points switch the power off and on when you open and close them? In other words, the points should ground the circuit when closed but there should be no current flow when they are open. Are the points set to the right gap? If those things are working, when the points open do you get a spark from the coil? If the coil is working do you get sparks from all the spark plug wires when the engine is turning over? Do all the spark plugs give you a nice spark? Are the plugs clean and properly gapped? Is the spark happening at the right time? TDC is a good starting point if you don't know exactly where to set the timing. Or a couple of degrees before TDC. If all these things check out good your ignition is good. If not, when you get to the stage where things aren't working it is easy to know what to do. If you don't know what to do, do all the tests above and come back and tell us exactly where the fault is. Edited March 31, 2018 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 I will say it would be a lot simpler and easier if you hadn't torn everything up and started replacing random parts. Now you have things messed up to where you have to go through the whole system and adjust points gap, timing, spark plug gap, check firing order, and can't take anything for granted. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 It should run without a resistor. Without a resistor you get a hotter spark for easier starting. The resistor is there to protect the coil from overheating, not a big concern until you are driving for several hours at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 But just for anybody else who might be reading this, if the connections on the resistor are rusty and not flowing current properly, you won't get any spark. For the current poster, I suggest you get the wiring diagram out and make sure that you have everything connected as it was originally. The easiest way to find and fix the problem will be easiest when everything is hooked up as it was when new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike36 Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 The coil being New is no guarantee. I had a new one last summer that was no good and spent a lot of time checking everything else until I determined it had to be the coil. Put an old used one on and it fired right up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahartley Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Somewhere along the line, the VCCA forum I think, I was told 6 volt coils do not require a resistor.......only 12 volt coils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikefit Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Note you can not get the timing off as the dis. will only bolt up one way shaft key is cut off center and the timing adj. will only move 8* so thats not it . got to have spark to run use a test night and rule out each one power to the coil points making and breaking ect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC38dls Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Check your new coil. If it is Chinese it has a good chance of being no good. I had a 49 Ford I finally found a good one but it was the third one I tried. Good luck. Have fun Dave S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikefit Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 yes ford used a resistor it was on the back of the inst. panel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidAU Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 First off, check to make sure you have power to the coil when the ignition is turned on. If you do (and I assume you have already checked) contact this guy. http://www.bubbasignition.com/ He knows more about flathead ignition systems and distributers than most other people and he will put you on the right path. Maybe send your distributor to him and have it set up properly. If it has a crack in the rotor (which happens) or the coil etc. is dead, the only way to find it is on a distributor machine. Once it is set up properly it will give years of reliable service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Harmatuk Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Haven't heard anybody mention the rotor. Check for continuity. Check that the little contact on top of the rotor is connecting with the distributer cap contact inside the cap. Hold a sparkplug wire connector in your hand and turn the motor over. Just kidding. Bill H 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahartley Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 ^ Excellent observation! Upon the first start of my '32 Chev EVERYTHING was checked and the coil was producing a spark that jumped a 1/2" gap.......I kid you not. We were all set for the big moment and.........nothing....... Knowing everything else was good a friend popped the distributor cap and found the conductor at the end of the rotor was loose....... One shot with a center punch tightened the rivet and zoom zoom zoom....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkent Posted April 1, 2018 Author Share Posted April 1, 2018 The trucks wiring is shot and need to get a new wire harness. Pulled the distributor again and the rotor is cracked. Just ordered a whole new set up . I really appreciate everyone’s input . It’s all really helpful . I’ll keep y’all updated . Should have the parts soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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