[jessekauk]

Hello all, nice to meet you I'm new in town so to speak. Picked myself up a '67 cat a few months back and have enjoyed it alot as it's been a nice difference and change from my '69 mustang!

Anyway here's the issue: A few weeks ago my cat just plain wouldnt start. Drove it to the office and back, parked messed around for about 2 hours (not on the car) went back out to leave in the cat and it just wouldnt start.

Here's the heart of the matter: With a brand new coil, points, dizzy, cap, rotor and wires, with everything connected properly, point gap set correctly, firing order proper, I have spark leaving the coil, proven by pulling the coil wire and seeing spark when held close to bare metal, but I dont have spark getting to the plugs. There's power at the points and all grounds check out. I'm completely baffled. I have modified/changed nothing. I'm beginning to think there is something amiss with the ignition circuit itself but I cannot for the life of me tell what it may be. Any old wisdom out there that might shed some light on the issue at hand? Thanks in advance!

 

[Harvey]

Have you pulled a plug and checked for spark. Pull one out and ground it on the block to see if there is spark to the plugs. If so then sounds like a fuel problem. have you tried starting fluid? careful as it might backfire and start a fire but that way you would know it was lack of fuel. Could be as simple as a fuel pump. I take it the engine is turning over fine as you have checked the points.

 

[xr7g428]

Bad rotor. If you have spark from the coil wire to ground, and no spark at the plug wires, then the problem is either the rotor, or the cap.

 

[jessekauk]

I appreciate the quick response Harvey. Indeed I've done the spark plug check and it was not hopeful (there is no spark.) Which is the real problem I dont understand. Electrical components are all brand new and connected properly. Indeed I did set the point gap properly too.

While I tend to never call anything impossible, I doubt fuel is the issue. There is fuel in the tank, and fuel in the carb and squirts nice and evenly when you manipulate the throttle linkage.

 

[Harvey]

Well you have ruled out fuel so What Bill Said! Cap and or rotor. Check that the brass on the rotor is punched down flat. Saw that before.

 

[yeloxr7]

Check to see if the rotor is turning. Possibly the timing gear went poof.

 

[xr7g428]

If the timing gear was not turning he would not get spark from the coil wire.

I have spark leaving the coil, proven by pulling the coil wire and seeing spark when held close to bare metal, but I dont have spark getting to the plugs.

My guess is that the rotor contact strip is bent or not touching the contact inside the cap or they gave him the wrong rotor and it is now pushed down too far to touch cap contact, or the brass tip fell out.

 

[jessekauk]

Gents, all good suggestions! But cap and rotor have been ruled out as well since they've been replaced since this issue came about. Im sorry I wasnt more specific, but when I noted that I have a new coil, cap, rotor, plug wires, and points I mean they are new since this problem surfaced.

That's the real real fishy part about all of this, thus why I'm reaching out. I'm completely stumped.

Timing gear is good. Rotor is pointing at #1 cylinder on the cap at TDC...

I've been thinking the old girl might be haunted...but I think more specifically haunted by faulty wiring? Thoughts?

 

[quickcat]

Check the voltage at the coil when starting. What about the condenser? Check the wiring between the ignition switch and check the switch. I have had strange troubles with the ignition switch before.

Matt

 

[Bad69cat]

Re-check your points. Possible the screw is stripped/loose or the plate is sloppy....

 

[xr7g428]

New parts doesn't always mean the parts are correct or good.

IF you have a good spark at the end of the coil wire, and then no spark coming out of ANY spark plug wire, then the break in continuity is the cap or the rotor, or possibly the plug wire.

Is this a nice hot spark that can jump a good 1/4 of an inch? It should be from the coil wire.

If you are getting a spark at the end of the coil wire it means: the distributor must be turning, to open and close the points. The coil must be working to raise the voltage enough to generate the spark.

You can check the plug wire by plugging it into the coil (remove the coil wire and replace it with a spark plug wire) ground the base of the spark plug and look for a spark.

Mistakes that people make that can cause your problem:

The cap is not indexed properly to the distributor. There is a rectangular opening in the base of the cap. It should line up with one of the screws for the vacuum advance module.

Wrong cap for your distributor. Cap can be too tall for the distributor, indexed wrong.

Wrong rotor for your distributor. Too short to reach the inside cap contact, rotor arm too short, etc.

Cut to fit or DIY plug wires not properly terminated.

Compare the new parts to the old parts and substitute to find the problem.

 

[Harvey]

Ya learn quick to keep the old stuff around for a while, at least till problem is solved, I used to throw stuff away as soon as I got the new stuff, what a mistake that was! That and trusting part stores to be correct!