[Burgertime]

This has been a fun one. The day before yesterday, I tried to secure an improper radiator with some flexible metal wire. As I was getting wrapped around and twisted, I brushed it on the battery's positive post and/or terminal.. a couple of times.. I eventually clipped that metal wire out, as it wasn't doing a good job at securing that radiator.

The next morning, I fired up the car. It started the way it normally did, and sputtered out. This usually happens on my first run of the day. When I tried to start it up again, it refused to spark.

So, I replaced the starter solenoid, the voltage regulator, the ignition coil, the spark plugs, investigated the wiring.. I even had the starter tested, and it's good. Fuses are good. My ground connections are no different than they were before. I tried running the positive on the battery to the positive on the ignition coil. No luck.

The last idea that I've got is replacing the ignition switch, which I'm doing in the morning.

I'd like to add that the sparks from the plugs and the points are laughable. I'd also like to add that the last time I had a successful ride, I drove 30 miles without a single problem.

It feels like I'm overlooking something, but this issues feels electrical. If I'm still having troubles with this after I replace the switch, I'll borrow up a multimeter and start feeling around. Should've done that first, huh? :bong:

Suggestions, concerns, comments? :wave: Got a 69 standard here. 351W.

 

[Bad69cat]

SO are you saying you have a weak spark at the plugs?.... Try double checking that you have a solid ground from block to frame/body. Don't depend on factory one. Check you voltages out with the meter first, see what you have/where. Check battery volts, volts at the relay, etc....

 

[Burgertime]

A new ignition switch did nothing.

On top of it, my damn near new points were cooked too. No spark there. I put some piddly $6 points there to hold me over while I get this figured out. It still isn't starting, but I am getting lots of spark. I tried twisting the distributor while trying to start it up. Out of all of the attempts, it popped once and sent a little bit of smoke out the carb.

I'll be sure to go overboard with the grounding. No big deal. I'll bug someone about a meter after I set all of that up.

I am like.. pretty much out of ideas. How might the condenser play into this? Maybe I cooked that too.

 

[Bad69cat]

Lets start from scratch and be sure things are correct....if you have spark then you are half way home. Now it's a matter of getting your timing correct first. check that you are at TDC (on the correct stroke) and you rotor should be on cyl 1 on the cap (assuming you haven't crossed any wires here too). Then be sure you have spark at the plug by having it out where you can see it and still touching a ground and be sure you have a nice spark jumping. (make sure your gaps are right too) Once you are sure you have good results here, lets look at the fuel/carb/choke and vaccum - you should have a shot of fuel when you step on it? The choke should be about closed at this point, and you should have no open vac lines anywhere....now you should have at least a sputter, if not then we need to back track a bit and see if it's fuel or spark. As far as the points/condensor goes, you should never "see" sparks on the points? If they are looking burnt then you need to swap out the condensor and double check that dwell is set correct. If you at least have spark at the plugs they are working good enough to get you started - the rest is timing/fuel/vacuum for the mos part.

 

[cougarshaman]

If I'm still having troubles with this after I replace the switch, I'll borrow up a multimeter and start feeling around. Should've done that first, huh? :bong:

Diagnose first, then buy parts.

Go buy a cheap meter or make one from a 12v taillamp and some wire, solder, and alligator clips. MacGyver it.

 

[panellax2]

Woahoah, and i thought my problems were bad. Good luck!

 

[Burgertime]

So, I got down to business today. The electrical checks out. All of the plugs are now set at .035. The situation did not change.

There's a nice twist to all of this. I noticed that my oil stinks like paint thinner. I also found out that the squiggly seals for the intake manifold popped themselves out a bit. I have removed my intake manifold and valve covers. Everything looks okay under the valve covers (save for that nasty oil). When I pulled out the manifold and looked down into the engine, I found what looks like coolant and a thinner liquid that smells kinda like gas.

When I was emptying the gas out of the carb, a whole bunch of it got on my hands. I took a sniff. The gas smells like paint thinner too. Feeling 98% certain that it was no good, I took a lighter to my gas soaked hands. Nothing happened. Period.

I'm going to empty a quarter cup or so of gas into something and try to light it up. The gas isn't even two weeks old, so it's not like it has been sitting forever.

What a conundrum. :bloated:

Oh, and I really appreciate everyone's help. Just a whole bunch. :wave:

 

[Burgertime]

Update: The gas in the tank is good. I emptied some into a bottle and fired it up. Instaburn.

Double update: My engine is now naked. The intake manifold gaskets, exhaust manifold gaskets, exhaust rings, valve cover gaskets, thermostat housing gasket, and head gaskets are toast. There was extreme blockage in the water passages. The pronblem seems a bit clear now. Clean, replace, reassemble.

Case closed, gentlemen?

 

[DeMaxx1]

I'm glad you found the water blockage. that would have nothing to do with it not starting. If the engine was turning over, you wasted your money on the starter and solenoid. A engine need 3 things to run 1)Compression. 2)fuel. 3) spark. 3 simple test should have saved you a lot of time and money. first check and see if the car is getting spark. you can do this with a spark plus and a rubber gripped pair of pliers. if you have a good blue spark then spray a little starting fluid in the carb. if it then tries to start. then you have a fuel problem. If that doesn't produce any results, then do a compression check on each cylinder. I hope this helps.

Dwight