ignition problems

[ShelbyDogg]

.016 pickup to reluctor gap.   To check the pickup, crank the engine so that the rotor stops with one of the 8 reluctor points just about to pass the pickup point. You should now be able to advance the rotor with your fingers so that the points cross each other by the advance weights fighting against the springs. Pull the center cap, plug wire and lay the end within 1/2" to a valve cover. Turn on the key, then start flipping the rotor side to side quickly.  It should spark everytime they cross.

Use a test light first and make sure that the light is on when touched to the + side of the coil!

[jason340]

ShelbyDogg
I'm not following your info. The distributor is still in the car so how can i advance the rotor to show spark? When i turn the engine over with the coil wire removed from the dist cap i get no spark to any ground. again we have replaced the ign module,coil and the ign ballast. With the ign switch on i get 6v to the + side of the coil but still no fire to the plugs. Thanks so far for all the suggestions. Keep them coming i know we can find an answer.

[Strawdawg]

pull the distributor out so you can turn it with your fingers instead of having to crank it over with the starter......

[ShelbyDogg]

ShelbyDogg
I'm not following your info. The distributor is still in the car so how can i advance the rotor to show spark? When i turn the engine over with the coil wire removed from the dist cap i get no spark to any ground. again we have replaced the ign module,coil and the ign ballast. With the ign switch on i get 6v to the + side of the coil but still no fire to the plugs. Thanks so far for all the suggestions. Keep them coming i know we can find an answer.

Pull the cap off and put your hand on the rotor and turn it side to side.  See how you can move it about a quarter inch? It is moving in the advance slots.   Now bump it with the starter so that the quarter inch is making the point of the reluctor pass the point of the pickup when you move it with your hand.      Sounds like you have a bad pickup anyway. Pick up a new one, plug it in, and swing a screwdriver or magnet across the point. The wave that generates should make your ECU ground your coil enough to generate a spark.  There really isn't too much to this circuit.

[Chryco Psycho]

I use .008 clearance

[ShelbyDogg]

I use .008 clearance

Don't get too close because that vacuum advance plate jumps all around and will "crash" it.

[jason340]

Can I use a regular flat feeler gauge (metal) or do I use something different.
Thanks again you guys have been great. Now if I can find the problem.

[ShelbyDogg]

I have a non magnetic .016 in my pocket knife of feeler guages but you don't have to use it. Use your metal one. We use what we have...

Just like I used to set points when you didn't have a feeler guage. An old Hot Rod said that a matchbook cover thickness was .017 so I used that, but who has matches these days anymore?

[Strawdawg]

I use .008 clearance

that is what the book says altho I have seen other sources that suggest a bit more.  I have found that some systems may not generate a spark at significantly wider gaps when cranked-particularly if the battery is not fully charged.  The same ones would generate a spark when I connected a spare distributor and spun the shaft.

All my feeler gauges have a .011 brass blade so I set it tight with one of those.

[jason340]

We have it running, it was the condenser. The auto part store said they didn't think you needed a condenser with an electronic ignition control. This is it: do we need one?

[dodj]

Nope.

[ShelbyDogg]

That was to filter out noise in the radio. It is a condenser but not the one the auto parts store was thingking.  Yours hooked to the Plus side, the other one was on the negative side and kept the points from arcing.   Glad that you finally got it running.

Was your condenser on the + side of the coil?

[jason340]

Yes, it was on the + side of the coil and bolted with the coil mounting bracke to the intake manifold. I must have had a direct short to ground because when you unbolted it the engine would run but the minute it touched a ground the engine died.

 Oh well, the good thing is almost all of the ign parts are new so maby no more problems?

Thanks again for all the help. You guys are great.

[ShelbyDogg]

 Oh well, the good thing is almost all of the ign parts are new so maby no more problems?

It"s the new parts that I worry about.  Does your new ECU say made in the USA, like the old one did? Keep it in your trunk for when the "new" one fails.

[jason340]

Actually I took the new ECU off. installed the old one and returned the new to the parts house and got a refund.