The car won’t start, fuel is getting into the carb, air is good. The starter is turning the engine over. The car is not firing off. I am getting electrical power to the coil. But, it seems that no power is coming out of the coil, today.

I replaced the plugs, wires, cap, rotor and coil in May. I replaced the coil yesterday. I replaced the points and condenser today. Gapped per the instructions by the older gentleman at napa, "about as thick as this cardboard box" I don't have a feller gauge to set to a specific setting, yet.

Yesterday I used a 10 gauge wire to check the coil. I got a spark three separate times.

Today I tested for spark at the end of the plug wires and didn’t see a spark. I also tested for spark out of the coil, didn’t see a spark. I’ve heard about brand new parts being bad, could my new coil be bad? I tested all three coils I have, each produced the same results. But I am getting power into the coil.

Tomorrow

I am going to recheck the coil again with a better ground and see if I get a different result.

I am going to test distributor and rotor, to see if they allow electricity to flow through.




What else should I test or try?


This is a picture of the points from yesterday. It looks the same, except with new points and condenser replaced exactly as these. With the exception of that the points are now gapped.



I'm still using my vette as my daily driver so any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

maybe the timing is waaay off........

check your main ground under the car near the battery pocket.......


b

 

It is possible that the timing is of, but that would affect idle and acceleration and not starting correct?

I can't even get a single chamber to get a combustion. I got no spark of life!

I'll check that ground tomorrow. But honestly I don't think that's going to change anything. I've got a test light and haven't had a problem finding good grounds for it.

 

The point gap of a cardboard box could be too wide. If you used a thick box it's too much. A business card is about the correct thickness. Best way to set them is with a dwell meter anyway.

 

I have a dwell meter, but doesn't the car have to be running to use the dwell meter?

 

Did you make sure the point tab was on a high spot of the distributor shaft when you set the gap?

 

No, I forgot about that part while I was working on the car and remember after I had everything put away and was inside for the night. I will adjust that tomorrow. I'll try to get a more current picture posted tomorrow also. Any more ideas?

 

Yes, but can get close not running with feeler guage. As for the Vette not running, GET USED TO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Part of the ownership deal......................

 

You should just switch over to an HEI. summits got 'em for 80 bucks right now (allways actually). just gotta bypass the resistance wire, with 50,000 volts, you shouldn't have any spark problems then. be there in 3 days.

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...115+4294925073

 

the condenser mite be bad

 

Is the rotor turning when you crank it? Might be a broken timing chain.

 

just set the points @ .016/.018 on high side of dis. cam and it will probably run.

 

I got some help from a local mechanic and got her running again.

The new points were bad.

Thanks guys.