Another Starting Woes thread...

Post by **Linda** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 9:12 am

Cameron,
Condensor is the little silver cylinder with a wire coming out the end attached to the outside of your distributor below the clip in picture #1. Try replacing it and sand the rust off of where it connects to get better contact.
Linda 68 1600

Maggie · Post by **Maggie** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 9:24 am

That sounds alot like what happened to me. My problem turned out to be a clogged fuel filter.

Maggie

camronware · Post by **camronware** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 9:54 am

That's what I assumed, but just wanted to be sure.
Is the condensor a pretty common part? As in, can I find an interchangeable part at autozone?

camronware · Post by **camronware** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 5:00 pm

Ok, I've replaced the condensor, still no spark.

I was reading in another thread about the points. When the points are open, should there be continuity or not? I held them open by hand and DID get continuity. What's that about? I've replaced the point wire that connects from the point to the outside distributor screw deal. I have continuity from the main ground wire on the outside of the distributor, all the way to the point wire connection.

camronware · Post by **camronware** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 7:32 pm

ok, one more fact...

I do NOT get continuity between the points (when they are open) when the main ground wire (from the negative side of the coil) is OFF.

DELETED · Post by **DELETED** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 7:49 pm

DELETED

camronware · Post by **camronware** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 7:51 pm

yes,

point wire->side of distributor-> negative side on coil.

Continuity all the way.

Post by **dbrick** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:04 am

The condensor absorbs and stores the voltage spike ( arcing) created when the points open. This prevents the points from pitting. As long as it is not shorted to ground, it will not prevent the car from starting.

OK, if you turn on the ignition and use a test light , 1 side on coil + other on coil -. When points are closed, light should be on. points open, light off. It should blink when you crank the engine. If there is no light when points are closed, leave the clip of the test light on coil + and ignition on work backwards towards the battery with the other end of test light, go to wire connection on dist, then to wire connection on points, then wire from point mounting screw to dist body, then to dist body itself. When the light comes on, you found ground. the connection from where the light came on to the next component towards the coil is the problem.

If the light won't go off when the points open, something is grounded.

To check coil, disconnect all wires on negative side of coil. turn on ignition. Connect a piece of wire to coil negative. When you ground the other side of this wire, the coil should charge up, when you disconnect it from ground the coil will spark. (you are bypasing the entire distrubutor and points). No spark, likley bad coil.

camronware · Post by **camronware** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 11:18 am

Alright, so a quick recap..

I have spark coming out of the coil wire to the distributor, but that is where it stops.

My question is now this:

With all the internal wires hooked up properly in the distributor; and the points held open with my voltage tester leads, should I have continuity or not? (because I do when they are open)
When I unplug the main dizzy ground wire, the open-point continuity goes away.

Any ideas? Thanks so much!

Post by **Datrock** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 1:03 pm

Are you talking about the high voltage coil wire going to the cap or the low voltage wire going to the side of the distributor? Have you cleaned the plastic connection (insulator) on the side of the distributor, where the small wire connects. If it's oil soaked or cracked it could be grounding out. I've had this happen in the past.
In the photos it looks like the connections in the distributor might be close to grounding out too. Nothing touching the backing Plate??? It sounds like something might be grounded out, like touching the backing plate or dist housing. I would double check these areas. Do you have another dist. that you could drop in and try? Bill

camronware · Post by **camronware** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 3:03 pm

I have spark coming from the high voltage coil wire. And I don't have another distributor unfortunatley.

All the contacts are clean. To be honest, I have no idea what it SHOULD look like in there, so it's kinda hard for me. Does anyone have a pic of inside a functioning distributor?

I'm thinking the plastic insulator could be at fault. I'll double check that and make sure nothing is touching the plate. Thanks

Post by **dbrick** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 3:04 pm

Well, if you have spark at the coil wire, the points and coil are working. It should be a nice fat blue spark that will jump 1/2 inch.

Next thing to look at is the cap and rotor (is the rotor in there?) The center button can break off the cap, rotor blade fell off. If the cap is ok there should be spark at the plug wire terminals of the cap

The timing can be grossly off so it won't start, but you would still have spark at the plugs

If you left the rotor out, make up a good lie and post it

I think we've all done it once, me at least three times.

camronware · Post by **camronware** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 3:52 pm

hehe..

The cap and rotor are new, I check that everytime I go out to the car to figure this out.

I'm still wondering about my question:

With all the internal wires hooked up properly in the distributor; and the points held open with my voltage tester leads, should I have continuity or not? (because I do when they are open)
When I unplug the main dizzy ground wire, the open-point continuity goes away.

If I find that out, that would surely help. It just doesn't make sense to me that I have continuity when points are held open.

Post by **dbrick** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:53 pm

You can't check continuity properly on an energized circuit, it gets all thrown off. You end up reading back through the coil to the ign switch etc. It also depends where the leads are on the continuity tester. Basically the coil neg terminal should have continuity to ground , 0 ohms, with the points closed and you should read an open circuit from coil neg to ground with points open. Best readings are with either pos or neg wire to coil disconnected. When the points are closed, voltage charges the coil. When the points open, the coil discharges the energy through the coil wire. The condenser absorbs the arc at the points.

Did you try grounding a piece of scrap wire and putting in near one of the plug wire terminals on the dist cap? A spark would show the cap/rotor working.

camronware · Post by **camronware** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 5:13 pm

I've actually been away from home for the last two days, so I havn't been able to try any of the suggested tips posted recently.

Engergized circuit? I didn't think the points had electricity unless cap is on, and engine running/cranking.
My engine was off, key out during that test. My tester leads were: one on each of the point arms, as close to the actual point as I could get.
(Do they even get energy from anywhere while the engine is off?)

Sorry for the newbiness...I appreciate the help so much!! I'm learning a lot...