No spark.
 

I tried to start my car the other day after it had been sitting for a few weeks. No luck, it cranks over and it gets fuel but there is no spark. I first checked the plugs, nothing. Then I checked coming from the plug wires, nothing from them either. So then I checked coming from the coil. It seams that nothings coming from it. So I replaced it and still nothing. Where else do I go from there? I don't know where else to look? Click on the link in my sig. to see my cars info.

Steve

Are you getting power to the coil?

Well, if it cranks over and your coil isn't getting juice then isn't that the batteries fault? Maybe you just have to charge your battery:confused:

ignition module

Whoops, my bad, if the starter gets juice then it can't be the battery. What about the distributor? Cap and rotor need changing?

i 2nd checking the ignition module.

No, the cap and rotor are after the coil. If the coil isn't sending a spark out then the distributor isn't going to get a spark.

The ignition module might be it, considering it is 19 years old. Can that be replaced with say an MSD unit or something like that, or do I need to run the stock one?

Thanks everyone.

Steve

For the money, I prefer the Crane HI-6, but an MSD box will work as well. I didn't see your reply to the first question: Are you getting power to the coil?

You say it sat for 2 weeks, did it run fine before?

Is there gas in it?, check all grounds and wiring, it could be a bad TFI module, take it off and have it tested at Autozone.

It doesn't have a TFI (that was my first thought, too).

Take care,
-Chris

Well I broke my volt meter last week and haven't replaced it yet, so I am relying on a bulb tester for this one. When I clip the ground onto the coil negative and probe the positive I get no juice. If I clip onto the positive side of the coil and touch the battery I get very little juice. If I clip onto the Negative of the coil and touch the battery I get tons of juice. I don't know if this helps any but wihout voltmeter I don't know. Oh yeah its carbed.

There is plenty of gas in the tank and plenty getting to the carb and coming out of the carb.

Thanks, Steve

Forget the negative side of the coil for now. Take your "test light", and attach the ground to engine ground, turn the key on, and touch the other end to the coil pos. post. Does it light up bright? If it does, then attach the neg side of your tester to the neg side of the coil, with the pos side to the pos side of the coil. Crank the engine. Does the light flicker?

Steve, is there anyone who can check it out for you? A mechanic or someone else? What about your engine builder? By the way, I'm almost ready to build my motor. I'll find you when I'm ready.

OK well I did what you said, and the light lit up but very dim... so i then had my dad crank it over and it flickered bright and fast... but it still wouldn't start, no spark coming from the distributor... so i pulled the cap and rotor and cleaned them up a bit... rechecked everything, and she fired right up... the cap and rotor were in almost perfect condition so i don't know it that was what was killing it or not, might have just been loose connections someplace... but whatever it is its going again... thanks guys...

I never even mentioned that I don't have an ignition box... my car is set up without even the stock DURASPARK... somewhere along the line someone removed it, so all i have is the coil and dist. maybe i should think about getting one huh? what brands do you recomend... i was thinking MSD but is that the best?

Steve

Phantom, I highly discourage the use of a MSD ignition. Their nothing but JUNK. I have a full MSD ignition with the 7A-L box, and the MSD Pro Billet Distributor that i use with my crank trigger. I have replaced the distributor twice, both times the magnetic pickup didn't work, and the msd box went bad. I finally got some good working parts, but not after a long trial and error process. hope this helps.

Eric

if your running a staight coil then you should have a balast connected to it. I know those can go bad. this is only if you have further problems. Glade to here you got it going.

Thad-
I saw that you tried to PM me today, but my mailbox was full. It's empty now. :)

Phantom-
Just FYI, what I had you do was verify that the coil received power when you turned the key on. That eliminates your entire wiring system as suspect, and focuses on the coil itself, the distributor, or the wires. The second part of the test you did, where the light flickered, ruled out the distributor internals, and the trigger that tells the coil when to fire. That left the cap and rotor and the wires. It sounds like there was either too much build up on the contacts, or you had a coil wire loose at the cap. Either way, I'd replace the cap and rotor with your next paycheck. If you do, buy a cap and rotor with brass contacts. They cost a few bucks more, but they virtually eliminate the kind of problem you had from happening again. As far as an ignition box, I still stand by my first recommendation: Crane HI-6.

Take care,
-Chris

The problem.
 

Thanks Chris, I appreciate when people explain stuff. I am still and always will be learning just like everyone else. But thats good news I think.

The only problem I have is the STUPID Mallory I am running. The cap is hard to find at local performance shops and if they have it in stock and don't need to order it, it's pretty expensive. It has a poorly designed rotor/coil contact inside (in my opinion). It has a spring loaded nipple design that extends down from the cap and rides on the rotor but after some use the contact snaps off leaving a nipple/slug to bounce around when you try and start it. It also has the old 1970 302 style terminals, female terminals on the cap, so getting plug wires is expensive too.

On the positive side, the only cap and rotor I can ever even find is one with brass terminals. Probably partly why its so expensive.

If I redo it all then should I get a Crane Distributor as well?

Steve

Honestly, I don't even know if Crane makes distributors, but I would definately get rid of the Mallory (you left out that little tid-bit)! I hate Mallory, and have seen nothing but junk from them. Their stickers are cool, though.

Take care,
-Chris