help, wont start , sometimes
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 528
Likes: 5
From: Templeton Ca
help, wont start , sometimes
Just took my '66 out this weekend , ran fine on a 3 hr drive to Yosemite. next morning it wouldn't start. I didn't have any tools to check it with so I just wiggled wires ,probably flooded the engine, waited, waited some more and finally it started. It would crank all day but no fire. Lots of gas.
Now i'm home (ran fine coming back) getting ready to pull it out of the garage and ..... It wont start . ARRRRRGGGGHH
I checked and there is 12v to both terminals of the coil with the key on. And it seems that sometimes I can get a spark from the coil to distributer wire if held near a ground. I'm working alone so its hard to crank it and watch for spark at the same time .
The car is equipped with Pertronix II ignition and has run great until now. The distributor is on tight and hasn't moved at all .
Where, what and how should I check next ??? I also was messing around with the headlight up/dn switch cleaning the contacts before all this started could that have something to do with it ? I keep editing this post as I think of things so bear with me ... what about the plugs at the firewall (fuse box) , seems years ago I had a problem with them shutting the car off .
Now i'm home (ran fine coming back) getting ready to pull it out of the garage and ..... It wont start . ARRRRRGGGGHH
I checked and there is 12v to both terminals of the coil with the key on. And it seems that sometimes I can get a spark from the coil to distributer wire if held near a ground. I'm working alone so its hard to crank it and watch for spark at the same time .
The car is equipped with Pertronix II ignition and has run great until now. The distributor is on tight and hasn't moved at all .
Where, what and how should I check next ??? I also was messing around with the headlight up/dn switch cleaning the contacts before all this started could that have something to do with it ? I keep editing this post as I think of things so bear with me ... what about the plugs at the firewall (fuse box) , seems years ago I had a problem with them shutting the car off .
Last edited by 1Redctoo; Sep 8, 2008 at 06:54 PM. Reason: more info
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 352
Likes: 0
From: Greensboro NC
Same thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago. Car would spin but wouldn't crank. My problem was that someone left the switch on while they installed a radio. Knocked out the Pertronix system and/or coil. I replaced both and car fired right up. The guys here were extremely helpful. Once they figured out I had fuel they explained it had to be in the ignition system. I wish I would have tried a new coil before installing a new Pertronix ignition as it could have just been the coil.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,984
Likes: 185
From: CT
Check the coil, but also check the terminals from the coil to dist cap. I had a couple of cars that had some corrosion on the terminals making it hard to start, and even start to miss at times. Check to see that all contacts are shiny clean
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 768
Likes: 3
From: Chicago Burbs IL
Fuel...
have a similar problem after letting the car sit for 8 hours or more. Won't start unless I prime the carb with a bit of fuel. I believe I have a gasket or sealing issue in the carb. Apparently the fuel bowls drain into the intake while setting.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 528
Likes: 5
From: Templeton Ca
wont start
I'll try to check the coil terminals and voltages tomorrow . It gets plenty of fuel so Im pretty sure its in the ignition circuit . I do have 12v to both leads to the coil with the key on . Im not sure how to check the out going voltages . looking at the AIM didnt help much other than seeing the circuit printed out . maybe something in the distributer cap ??
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,946
Likes: 28
From: Long Beach CA
If you have or can get your hands on an electronic tachometer/dwell meter, you can hook it up to the coil and see if it registers rpm when you crank. That will tell you if the coil is getting triggered by the pertronix unit or not. If yes, but there's no spark to the plugs, I'd suspect the coil. If no trigger, it could be the pertronix.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 528
Likes: 5
From: Templeton Ca
got spark , sometimes
Ok, checked the spark from the coil wire this morning before heading off to work . I have spark but only intermittently . Now what ?
I'm off work tomorrow and plan on getting it running for a car show Saturday so I'll probably be buggin' Forum members alot for more advice ! Thankx in advance
I'm off work tomorrow and plan on getting it running for a car show Saturday so I'll probably be buggin' Forum members alot for more advice ! Thankx in advance
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
If you have or can get your hands on an electronic tachometer/dwell meter, you can hook it up to the coil and see if it registers rpm when you crank. That will tell you if the coil is getting triggered by the pertronix unit or not. If yes, but there's no spark to the plugs, I'd suspect the coil. If no trigger, it could be the pertronix.
It would be sweet if you had a spare coil to swap in to nail it down. If you were on this coast I'd loan you mine....
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 11,593
Likes: 173
From: Clayton NC
I would replace the coil. This the cheapest part in the system and the easiest. You can always check the coil fields. However without a megger you can not simulate actual live load situations.
Da?e
Da?e
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 528
Likes: 5
From: Templeton Ca
it starts
Thanks everyone ! I got up this morning and replaced the pertronix
Flamethrower coil with an old MSD Blaster II that I had . The car fired right up . I don't know if I should use the resistor with this coil or not but I didn't have it inline with the Pertronix coil so I didn't use it now .
I'm just glad it runs and I can go to the local car show tomorrow .
Flamethrower coil with an old MSD Blaster II that I had . The car fired right up . I don't know if I should use the resistor with this coil or not but I didn't have it inline with the Pertronix coil so I didn't use it now .
I'm just glad it runs and I can go to the local car show tomorrow .
