[Cougar_is_Grr8]

I figured a running Cougar will sell better then a non-running Cougar so I started tinkering on her this week.

I replaced the starter and cable and all spark plugs with Autolite AP45's.

If you remember she wasn't kicking over since I attempted to do a Petronix swap.

I had to put the original coil back in the belief that I had blown the Petronix coil by crossing the wires on install but I still have the Petronix unit in the distribitor.

I pulled a spark plug and had the wife crank the engine and there was spark.

With the new starter and plugs on I poured some gas into the carb and tried it.
She cranks just fine but it won't fire.

A: Do I buy a new Petronix coil?
B: Do I swap back to points & condensor?
C: ???

 

[Smith Brother]

If you have GOOD spark then I wouldn't think you need a coil.

Did you try moving the dist. a tad while someone is engaging the starter? Does it even attempt to run, like BUCK or POP etc?

What has been done to the engine SINCE IT LAST RAN?

Dale in Indy

 

[Cougar_is_Grr8]

A: When the wife was cranking the engine for the spark test it tried to catch
B: Everything I listed in my question

 

[Harvey]

Fuel, spark = fire? If you have spark are you getting fuel? try a little starting fluid? Then I would wonder on the timing. Do you have to remove the distributor to add the pentronix stuff? Maybe she is just way out of timing?

 

[Zen Dog]

If that spark is coming out of a plug wire, and will jump a half an inch, your coil is fine. Since it is sputtering, and almost starting, I suspect late timing. Put a timing light on it and see where the timing is. If it is late by more than 10 degrees you may have a chain issue, or that petronix is set late. Better yet, first, try advancing the timing about 10-15 degrees, (about an inch at the end of the advance), and cranking. If it fires, you most likely have an issue with the petronix triggering late, or the timing chain has slipped a tooth. If the car ran fine before installing the petronix, and you did not pull the distributor I would suspect the petronix setting. You should just be able to advance the distributor to make up the difference. If it fires, just set the timing to the proper setting.

 

[Cougar_is_Grr8]

I did not remove the distributor so I'll give it a try.

BTW: Should the grounding strap from the points and condenser still be on the distributor?

 

[xr7g428]

Yes it should.

 

[Cougar_is_Grr8]

Today, after installing a new window regulator on my daily driver and trying a headlight restore kit with limited results, I turned my attention back to the Cougar. I really only had enough time to re-install the ground strap in the distributor and attempt a start. Nothing yet. I almost think that although there is spark, the stock coil may not be producing enough juice with the Petronix. The spark I saw from the plug didn't seem like a whole lot in retrospect.

 

[Bad69cat]

I doubt it's the coil since it was running - do you have a solid 13V or better to the PERTRONIX? They don't like less than that. If your going to sell it just swap back the points and give them the pertronix unit....that will confirm your suspicions.

 

[Yahooligan]

For what it's worth, when I switched from points to the Pertronix Ignitor II my timing did change, but not enough to cause the engine not to run. I had it set to 10* BTDC and after the swap it became 13* BTDC, so I set it back to 10*. The engine runs SO much smoother and responds much quicker with the Pertronix, plus it got rid of an off-idle, low-load misfire I was experiencing.

And yes, I made sure the pin in the Pertronix was properly set in the screw hole from the points.

OP should pull one of the plugs after trying to start and see if it's dry or fuel fouled, that will answer the question about if it's getting fuel or not.

 

[Cougar_is_Grr8]

Oh I smelled fuel after the last attempt so I know it's there. No time to get back to it today as I pulled a 13 hr shift.

 

[Cougar_is_Grr8]

Got off work at a decent hour so I tinkered on my Jimmy and refilled the rear diff, next on that project is re-installing the gas tank.

I put a new battery in my Tlvdatsi and tried again with a remote starter and some gas poured down the carb. No pops, no gasps... nothing. I pulled a spark plug and seems like it came out of the box. Cranked it again and verified that I do have spark. I just don't get it.

 

[Bad69cat]

You saying you don't even smell/see fuel on the plug?

 

[Cougar_is_Grr8]

I am going to run a compression test on her sometime over the weekend. Could it be a pour contact on the engine ground?
It seems to me that when I pulled the plug out the check spark, I didn't get one unless I held it close to the shock tower.

 

[Bad69cat]

Keep in mind the plug does need ground to work well - you should get a nice bright spark as long as the electrode does not touch ground - only the outer threaded part....

 

[Hoss]

If you find TDC, does your rotor point to #1 cylinder?
Also, You almost never have a warning when your car jumps timing, It can be running fine one minute shut it off , then it happens the next time to try to start it up.

 

[Cougar_is_Grr8]

Keep in mind the plug does need ground to work well - you should get a nice bright spark as long as the electrode does not touch ground - only the outer threaded part....

I didn't get a spark until I was very close to the shock tower. If I just held it up in my thickly gloved hand I did not see a spark.

 

[70Houndstooth]

Mine did that too.
Pop the cap and make sure the gap is not too large between the rotor and the reciever. that little plastic gap tool they give ya is kinda flippy.

 

[Yahooligan]

I didn't get a spark until I was very close to the shock tower. If I just held it up in my thickly gloved hand I did not see a spark.

That's normal, the plug must be grounded in order for there to be a spark, otherwise the electricity has no place to go. When the plug is in the block, the spark jumps from the center electrode to the ground electrode (The part you bend to adjust the gap). Just holding it in your hand doesn't ground the plug, so no spark. To test for spark you need to either have the plug threads or ground electrode itself touching the block or some other grounded piece of metal.

 

[Cougar_is_Grr8]

Today, I popped the cap off and noticed that the metal on top of the rotor was bent. Replaced that, checked the gap, and loosened up the distributor. I then hooked up the remote starter, poured some fuel into the carb and cranked it over. Nothing, so I started to turn the distributor back and forth and .. nothing. I am going to take the coil I bought with the Petronix and have it tested tomorrow.

What I would love to see is an engine bay shot of the wiring. Since I have spark it might come down to what charge I am really getting.