Ignition puzzler
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2014
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Ignition puzzler
I'm trying to figure out what is going on with my truck's ignition and I'm puzzled. First off, it's a 1964 F100 with a 223 straight 6. I have a new coil, new spark plug wires, new enough points, new condenser and new wire from coil to points. The timing is good and the point gap is set at .025. I checked the distributer ground wire and it looks good. The problem is, the truck doesn't start (when it does, it barely stays alive and fills my neighborhood with black smoke) I noticed a spark jumping from the coil's positive terminal to the center distributer line so i taped that up and stopped it. I now see that the points either spark like they should or there's a spark between the points and breaker plate. I'm at a loss as to what to do next. Any ideas as to what is going on? Is my pink wire resister line not working? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 234
From: Southern California
I'm trying to figure out what is going on with my truck's ignition and I'm puzzled. First off, it's a 1964 F100 with a 223 straight 6. I have a new coil, new spark plug wires, new enough points, new condenser and new wire from coil to points. The timing is good and the point gap is set at .025. I checked the distributer ground wire and it looks good. The problem is, the truck doesn't start (when it does, it barely stays alive and fills my neighborhood with black smoke) I noticed a spark jumping from the coil's positive terminal to the center distributer line so i taped that up and stopped it. I now see that the points either spark like they should or there's a spark between the points and breaker plate. I'm at a loss as to what to do next. Any ideas as to what is going on? Is my pink wire resister line not working? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2014
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Negative is going to the points and I just removed and cleaned up the ground wire in the distributer as well as the two bolts holding the distributer to the engine block. Still getting a jump from + on coil to middle coil out to cap. Do I need to pull the distributer and clean further? The two bolts were pretty oil gunked up but now are super clean. I also got the paint off the block but it worked before so not sure that would change anything. Could this coil be bad? It's brand new
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2014
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OK, I'm going to chalk up the + terminal to middle coil ground as me just not knowing what i'm doing. I just checked a spark plug line and I am getting spark to the plugs (at least #1) Going to take JJ's suggestion and re-check the point gap and maybe another condenser. Thanks for the help! Definitely going to switch to electronic points.
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 274
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FWIW: If a coil ever gets a spark from one of the small wire terminals to the large center one. It's either wet or a crack in the coil. That is my experience with truck and motorcycles with single coils. Do you have another coil to try? Even a used one?
Tom
Tom
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Mountain Pass
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See A Man About A Horse
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Mariposa, Ca.
I am enjoying following this.
I’ve seen numerous threads involving members here that buy up NOS and NORS USA made condensers whenever they are able, having little confidence in most of the stuff made offshore. Points sets also, if I recall. It’s a good strategy, I think. Good to have people to walk you through this. I gladly switched to pointless ignition, because I grew tired of scenarios just like this, and have never looked backward. You’ll get it solved.
I’ve seen numerous threads involving members here that buy up NOS and NORS USA made condensers whenever they are able, having little confidence in most of the stuff made offshore. Points sets also, if I recall. It’s a good strategy, I think. Good to have people to walk you through this. I gladly switched to pointless ignition, because I grew tired of scenarios just like this, and have never looked backward. You’ll get it solved.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2014
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That is the problem, isn't it? You can't trust the parts you get these days. It's the same for my old Honda bike. I'm with you though, pointless ignition, never look back. I've had the points screw me too many times. Did you install a resister too? Did you run into any snags installing them? Or easy?
See A Man About A Horse
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,899
Likes: 656
From: Mariposa, Ca.
That is the problem, isn't it? You can't trust the parts you get these days. It's the same for my old Honda bike. I'm with you though, pointless ignition, never look back. I've had the points screw me too many times. Did you install a resister too? Did you run into any snags installing them? Or easy?
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,876
Likes: 4,115
From: Angier, NC
Remember electricity like water will always find the shortest route and in this case to ground.
If you have high resistance in the wires or plugs that the spark has a hard time going through it will find ground and this case at the coil.
What is the plug gap? If to wide it is harder for the spark to jump it.
High resistance plug wires will add to the issue of spark going to ground.
Last would be cap & rotor. Is the out side clean of oil & dirt? What dose the inside look like? Is the rotor the right one and not to short so as the spark has to jump a gap in the distributor.
If you are getting spark shorting at the coil the points & condenser are good. The issue is getting the spark from coil to the end of plugs with the least amount of resistance.
Dave. ----
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