I posted earlier about the progressively harder starting in my '67 with 327/300hp., Stock configuration and new Holley 3810 carb installed last spring.

The car runs great once it starts. But starting the car has become a frustrating nightmare. Over time it has become harder and harder to start, cold, or hot.

This morning it started up fine, right away! Temps about 45 F.

Drove it to lunch, needed a few cranks to start. Hmmm.

This afternoon, after sitting for 3 hours - NO WAY WOULD IT START. I cranked and cranked, tried various combos of throttle, removed air cleaner and held throttle open for 4 minutes thinking I had flooded the car and it would help to ventilate the manifold. No dice. Nohing worked. Gave up and had it flat-decked to a repair shop that replaced the valve seals for me recently. The owner mechanic is an old schooll guy, 67 years old. He;s not a Corvette specialist, but, my engine is a base 327 so anyone who has worked on points-ignition cars should have a clue. Right?

So the car got flat decked to his shop, just before they closed. When the mechanic tried starting the car... IT STARTED! There goes the first $100 I paid for the towing

He didn't see anything obvious, and said he'd look into it tomorrow morning. He then asked if I had any spare ignition parts lying around for him to swap in case he finds something amiss with the ignition system.. That will save him time in waiting to order parts. He says perhaps the coil is going bad, or maybe the condenser, or distributor cap may be cracked? All just guesses at this point. So, tonight I'm rounding up some spares to bring to him tomorrow morning.

I have a spare Delco-Remy 1115202 coil. When I shake it I hear a dull sloshing sound. Does this mean the coil is bad?
I've read bad things about coils these days. If I need to get a new one, which should I buy? Does NAPA carry a decent replacement coil? Which Part #?

Could my problem be due to a bad or failing coil?

I'll buy a new uniset points, just in case.

I have a spare new high tension lead (from coil to distributor cap). So I'll give him that too.

I'll buy a new distributor cap, just in case. I have a lightly used one which looks good to me. Maybe he can try that one?

I don't really want to start replacing parts without knowing what is wrong. But what can I do? The mechanic said these things can be a process of elimination, to find what's causing the problem. Shouldn't he have equopment to test things to narrow the problem down before swapping in new parts?

I've gone between thinking this is an electrical issue, to wondering whether the carb is to blame. Real frustrating...

Could the fuel pump going bad? Are my symptoms consistent with a failing fuel pump?

As I said, the car runs fantastic once started. But starting it has become a 'pray' 'pump once (or twice), or don't pump, etc..' 'crank' 'pray' 'wait' 'curse' 'repeat' nightmare.

Any and all suggestions most welcome!

Alex

 

I would change the fuel pump/filter, coil, points, plugs and wires. These cars do need tune up maintenance every now and then.

Have your mechanic or you do those things and then report back. The fact that it still fires up after it sits points to a coil, I’d rather seriously doubt wiring at this point.

You can check to make sure the bulk head harness at the firewall is tight.

If it stops firing again, try to hold a screwdriver in a plug wire to see if you are getting spark or not.

 

AAA or your classic car insurance usually cover towing. Good advice in the prior post.

Don't use those crappy uniset points either, get good separate points and condensor; your mechanic should know the old trick of jumpering the + terminal of the battery to the + terminal of the ignition coil to try to start the car (but don't run long this way). He can also use a test light on the points to ensure there is ignition voltage.

He should try this after confirming the points are opening on the high point of the block and gas is squirting down the carb bores and the choke is operating correctly.

Then check that the fuel pump actuator arm pin is not "walking out"

 

I just read your other thread. That thread or this thread, I don't wee where you have done any trouble shooting at all other than pick, poke and look.

Intermittent issues can be a little frustrating. Go buy a good 12 volt test light. Next time the car doesn't want to start, get your new toy out and hook one end to the side of the coil that goes to the distributor. Ground the other end. Crank the engine. You should see the light flashing bright and then going off every time the points open and close. If this is what you see, you can disregard the ignition from the points back to the key switch. Next, pull the coil wire and hold it close to a ground and see if the coil is firing. If not, you likely have a bad coil.

If you get a dim/bright/dim/bright flash, your points are not making a breaking. Rest the point gap or clean/replace the points.

If you get no light, move your test light connections to the key switch side of the coil and crank the engine. You should see a bright light with the key on and the engine cranking or not cranking.

If you coil is open or shorted, I don't know that the test light will show that. Ohmmeter check with your meter will. Someone here can supply values.

Once you get the hood open, the checks I suggested above takes all of about one minute to perform and could very possibly pinpoint your problem.

You say the carburetor squirts a good shot of gasoline when it won't start, well, you can rule out the fuel pump. Of course, you could always have water in the gas.

 

This is what the pros do when the motor won't start.

Dan

 

I have a 57 Chevy that would start one day fine all day long then the next time I drove it it would not start. I then decided to change the points and condensor. That was when I found the the condensor wire had rubbed up against the bottom of the plate that the weights are attached rubbing the insulation cover off of the wire causing it to short out. Just a thought,

 

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That is also what we did in the assembly plant that had one of the fastest moving assembly lines in the world when a car/truck wouldn't start on the end of the line. One coming off every 45 seconds and you either got them going in a hurry or you shut the place down and then you were out of a job..

 

Hard starting '69 - Help!

I have that same problem in the morning.

After a pot of coffee, I feel fine.

 

Place one test lead from the ohms meter on the negative post and one on the positive post of the coil. it doesn't matter which lead goes on which post because you are measuring resistance, not amps or volts. The reading should be between .70 and 1.7 ohms. If it is outside that range, the coil is defective.

Place a lead from the ohmmeter on either side terminal and one in the center high tension terminal. Read the ohms off the meter. You are looking for 7500 to 10,500 ohms, and if the reading falls outside that range, it indicates a defective coil.

 

Just a suggestion take the ignition shield cover off for now so you don't have to deal with it while checking the voltages to the coil and distributor.

 

SOLVED - my problem was a faulty ignition coil.

I didn't suspect the coil at first because it was replaced about 18 months ago. I've since heard that replacement coils aren't made like the old ones and fail faster.

I dug around my parts stash and found an old used '202' Delco-Remy coil and swapped that in. Bingo, problem solved! Car starts every time, hot or cold!

Thanks everyone for your input and teachings on the subject of hard starting and it's many possible causes.

Alex