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Hi everyone I've been lurking around for awhile now and have found the answers to tons of questions, but I'm having a hard time getting my truck started. It's a 66 with a 352. I went to start it this spring and it would turn over and fire but would immediately die. Last fall it ran a little rough so I was planning on rebuilding the carb so I started there. No luck. Next I replaced the starter solenoid and made a new set of battery cables to replace the old corroded ones. No luck. I was planning on eventually changing the points to a Igniter II so I did that. No luck. Since then I've changed plugs, distributor cap and rotor, and ignition switch and still have the same results.
I did the battery to coil test from the shop manual and I read greater than 7 volts.
I also did the starting ignition circuit test and the voltage drop is greater than 0.1 volts.
After failing both of these tests I'm a little intimidated due to my lack of electrical knowledge.
What direction should I take from here? Has anyone experienced this issue before? Is there something I can do or should I find some help?
I'm not sure what the tests are that you mentioned, but I'd start by checking the voltage at the coil + with the ignition on. Maybe that's the test you were talking about though. Should be about 6V. If not, there could be a break somewhere in the pink resistor wire coming from the ignition switch. Sounds like it's firing with the switch in the start position, but dies immediately after going to on position. That would make sense, since the coil gets 12V from the starter relay while cranking, but only 6V from the ignition switch while on. Here's the wiring diagram so you can see what I'm talking about.
Thanks for your help! I tested the voltage at coli + and am only reading 0.75 volts. This doesn't make much sense to me. I was trying to get a resistance reading on the resistor wire, but ran out of day light. I'll try and get one tomorrow after work
If the resistor wire is shot, you can replace it with a regular wire and a 1.4 ohm resistor. It's actually between 6 and 7V that you should end up with at the coil+.
It looks like the resistor wire goes directly into the main disconnect without a plug. Is this something I can splice in? I was getting about 1.7 ohms on the resistor wire and the same on the new one but it seemed to fluctuate a little so id like to change it anyway. I check the wire from the main disconnect to the coil and only had 0.5 ohms. Could it be something else?
That seems correct on the resistance, I would say it's probably not the resistor wire. But if you already got a new one, swap out out anyway I guess. You're not supposed to splice into it though. Changing the length changes the amount of resistance. Did you follow the whole length from the disconnect to the ignition switch? I bet the plug is in there somewhere.
Now, if your resistor wire is OK and you're not getting power to the coil+, why not? You said the ignition switch was new. Is it working and is it the correct one? The C post should have 12V with the switch in the ON position, and that's the one the resistor wire should be connected to. I'd check on that next. The new switch might not be labeled the same way as the diagram.
Can we go back to the carb? You said you rebuilt the carb. Did you just replace the parts or did you also tank the body and parts. AND use a can of carb cleaner with that little red plastic straw and make sure all the passages are clear.
You blow that stuff in every hole, it must come out somewhere else.
The reason I ask, fuel setting for a long time, turns to a hard dried varnish like stuff - plugging up passages in the carb body.
Just a thought. I've seen more than a few carbs over the years that were 'rebuilt' and didn't work because of fuel varnish.
If you're running an Ignitor II, why not run a Flamethrower coil too and bypass the resistor wire altogether. Or even just briefly for test purposes - are you getting a nice fat blue spark at the plugs that snaps in the air i.e. have you checked for a good spark?
Well after checking connections and voltages for a couple hours this afternoon I got the truck to start. I did put a flamethrower coil on when I put on the Igniter II and didn't read the directions well enough to see the resister wire had to be removed. I ran a wire direct from the ignition switch to coil +. Fired up immediately. I let it run for about 15 seconds then I could smell burning wire so I shut it down. The small wire that used to connect to the resistor wire was melting. Any ideas? It's the short piece on the bottom left in the picture.
Glad you got it figured out! Most of the way anyway. I would just replace that wire with a thicker gauge. The original was meant for a lower current, apparently it couldn't handle the change. Obviously double check that everything is hooked up correctly first.
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