Car won't start after electrical work

[Guest chieflander]

The generator is charging fine now, on the 49 NY'er, but now that I've reversed everything (coil/battery), the motor won't fire. The car cranks, but it never catches and starts. There's plenty of fuel, and it's not leaking from the pump/carb. Is there something I've left undone? I've reversed the wiring on the coil, and on the battery, and now it just won't start. It cranks fine, but it's not firing.

[mrpushbutton]

check for spark

[Guest chieflander]

how?

[Guest JDHolmes]

There are many ways but the simplest and easiest is to take off #1 spark plug wire, put a screwdriver in it that fits the metal plug connector. Then, holding the rubber part of the screwdriver and with your hands touching no metal of the screwdriver, hold the screwdriver near the engine head. Have someone try and start the car. You should see a spark from the screwdriver to the head.

Another way, more expensive but easier for non-mechanic is to go to the local auto parts store and buy a spark plug firing tester...actually the same thing as above but has a nice little light to tell if there is fire.

On another note, when doing something like this, when things happen which are worse than what was happening before, go back to the point where they were better. Clearly, this car was wired MORE correctly before it got modified. Change back all the wiring changes you made and see if it will start again. ( i fear you torched your coil now)

[mrpushbutton]

Sorry I didn't expain this--JD did, thanks. I would add to his instructions that you should hold the metal part of the screwdriver approx. 1/16th of an inch (no more) from a good block ground, like a bolt, generator bracket, etc. and, as he stated, don't touch the metal part of the screwdriver yourself while making this test. Hve someone crank the car over with the ignition "on" if you are getting spark, you will see it jump the 1/16th inch gap. I'm betting you have no spark.

[Guest chieflander]

I don't have any spark. I had a mechanic come around yesterday, to look at my friend's Volkswagen, and he looked into mine. He said that it would be best to go back to the previous configuration. I did, and, again, no spark. A friend suggested that the coil need to be in an upright position, instead of laying down. (vertical, instead of horizontal) The coil is no more, I'd say. The mechanic felt that it sounded like the timing was off. I haven't messed with the distributor myself, so I'd say it's alright. Would a bad coil resemble a timing problem? I found another one for nothing, so I got that to try in its place. My guess would be that I fried it in all of the battery turmoil. Oh, well. At least the replacement was not expensive! I should have just let well enough alone.

[mrpushbutton]

the coil doesn't care how it is mounted, upside down, sideways, whatever, it will work just fine. sounds like it might be fried. Referesh our memory--were you converting the car back to positive ground?

[Guest chieflander]

Yes. The car has been plugged up backwards since I've had it. The ammeter has not read properly, until I switched everything. Oddly, after I switched everything around, it seemed to crank slower. When I changed everything back, it cranked better, but it sounded much different. Would a burnt coil change the way the engine cranked? Would rotating the coil cause any problems in the distributor?

[Jan Arnett]

Get rid of the so called mechanic. Spark and timing are unrelated. There are many thing involved in the spark circuit and they can go bad just sitting. You have the high tension circuit consisting of the coil, the distibutor cap, rotor, condensor, coil and plug wires and the spark plugs. The low tension circuit consisting of the switch and wireing. The first thing to do is pull the wire from the distributor top and hold it with insulated pliers near the block and see if you have a spark about 1/2 inch. No spark probably a LT problem. Take a VOM and check the voltage between the terminal marked SW or + on the coil. If it is zero or low you have a problem with the wireing or switch. If you have power pull cap and examine the rotor button, points and cap. Next check to see that the wires are clean going into the case. If they are good the odds are you have a bad coil. There are tests you can do but it is easher to just change out the coil and see what happens. I think this will solve your problem.

[mrpushbutton]

Do you have a braided ground cable? has someone changed the battery cables, and used 12V (smaller gauge) cables? it matters.

[Guest brh]

Is it possible you fried the condensor as well? The cranking issue (faster v.s. slower) could simply be that there is less load from the electrical system. Its hard to say if its been goofed around with. Just my 2 cents.

[Guest chieflander]

I've replaced the coil, and charged the battery, but it still sounds like it's not firing at the right time. it's been sitting, so I cranked a while to get enough fuel to the engine, but it has fuel now, and it still has a very unusual cranking sound. It's a lot different from what it was before. I know I connected the coil properly, and the battery is hooked up as it was before. Any suggestions?

[dlh61olds]

With that old distibutor it's possible the points are not opening. I don't know what all you did but if the points don't open properly all the coils and every thing downstream from the points will not function at all. One way to check is with the distributor cap removed. Put a test light across the points and crank the engine. If the test light flashes the points are O.K. If not, the points are stuck or the condensor is shorted. Give that a try and let us know what you find. You can also look at the points while cranking in the dark and you should see a slight arcing if they are O.K.

I would get the points to work and then move downstream from there. Good luck, Dave

[Guest chieflander]

I am going to have to stop drinking in the morning, I think...... You know why it didn't start with the new coil?! I over-looked a wire in the installation process. It started on the first crank once connected. Oddly, after it started, it ran really rough, and I couldn't get it started again. I left it for a while, came back, and it fired up again, this time, it ran better than when I first got it. Bizarre.....

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

Glad things are looking up. Keep us posted on how she does.