Cranks but won't start - faulty kill switch?

[dave73chally]

There is a kill switch installed on the underside of my dash by the previous owner, it's a 2 way toggle. I was fooling with the radio wiring today and now the car won't start. It cranks but won't start. Initially I must have hit the kill switch to the on position because the car wouldn't crank at all. I turned the kill off and it cranks but no start. I then toggled the switch to the off position and it still cranked, so I'm thinking the issue may be the kill switch? The car has started no problem for the last 6+ months. I'm going to trace the kill switch wires tomorrow and try to remove the entire setup. I'm assuming it's wired into the coil, would this result in it cranking but no spark?

Anything else I should look for? It has a rebuilt carb, new fuel pump, new battery, new coil, cleaned up starter relay.

[anlauto]

If the switch has two wires on it and you join those two wires together isn't that the same as by-passing the switch ?

[dave73chally]

Didn't think of that but it makes sense, I'll try tomorrow.

[jimynick]

While you're checking the current flow, check to see if there's continuity across the ballast resistor, since they commonly fail and will give you a crank/no start result. Good luck

[ToxicWolf]

While you're checking the current flow, check to see if there's continuity across the ballast resistor, since they commonly fail and will give you a crank/no start result. Good luck

I keep a spare resistor in my glove box just in case. I have had that problem before and it fixed it.

[dave73chally]

Removed the kill switch, it's not the issue. Ordered a new ballast resistor to try tomorrow. Is the ballast resistor part if the starting circuit? I thought it was only part of the run phase.

[anlauto]

You can also jump the ballast resistor by hooking the two wires together just to see if that's the problem.
With the ballast resistor faulty the car usually runs when you hold the key in the start position, but stalls as soon as the key is in the run position

[dave73chally]

Jumped the ballast resistor, that's not the problem. First attempt today the car cranked slower than normal, hesitated like it was about to start then just didn't. Has been cranking without any success since. Car just ran earlier in the week.

Yesterday I installed a flip top gas cap and locking cap. When I removed it today, there was a lot of pressure releasing that I've never experienced before. I've since put back the oem body color cap. Did I mess up something in the fuel system by installing a non-vented cap? I also smell raw fuel on occasion now. Is this connected to my no start issue? The cap is all that was different from the last time I drove it a few days ago.

[anlauto]

Well you would have to determine if the car is not running due to lack of spark or lack of fuel....The gas cap theory doesn't really sound plausible to me.....but you never know...

[tman]

Pump accelerator lever from carb and see if it pumps fuel into bowl.  If that is good, then see if there is spark going to distributor.  I take off center wire from distributor and put it near ground.  Should see good spark. 

[dave73chally]

Tested the battery, its reading 12.33v at rest. Hooked up the battery tender to charge it, seems odd though since it's a relatively brand new battery. Also gas tank is reading a 1/4 but maybe that's not accurate, will add a few gallons as well.

[burdar]

Check the basics.  You need power at the brown wire coming out of the steering column.  That is your ignition power while "cranking".  The blue wire is ignition power in the "start" position.  Disconnect the yellow wire on the starter relay while you do your tests.  Make sure you have power all the way through the bulkhead connector.

[dave73chally]

Car started first attempt tonight, hesitated and ran rough for a few seconds but smoothed out. Drove normal and battery has a good charge. The only thing I can think of I hosed it down Saturday, maybe water got in the distributor and it needed to dry out? My cap doesn't have a rubber gasket, I'm going to try to find one.

Can I rule out the locking fuel cap theory? It was only on for about 3 hours on a hot day, when removed a lot of pressure released. I just want to make sure I wasn't creating a vaccum that caused the fuel pump to overwork with a lower fuel level and created fuel starvation.

Thanks guys!

[Chryco Psycho]

There is no rubber gasket for the dist cap , but silicone spray will eliminate the moisture quickly
Gas cap should be vented in 70 but pressure is better than vacuum

[Topcat]

There is no rubber gasket for the dist cap

OEM 70-71 caps and probably other years makes/models with beige caps had a rubber gasket inside where they sit.

I have one.