1953 electrical gremlin. Need help.
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1953 electrical gremlin. Need help.
I apoligize for having to introduce myself with a tech question. My name is Barry Smith II, I am located in central Va. I have purchased a 1953 f-100 with an in-line 6 cyl. and 3 spd on column. Truck is in really good shape but I have a problem I cannot fix. This is not my first rodeo but 6 volt is forgein to me. I have replaced the battery, plugs, wires, condensor, coil, and it will not fire. Turns over great but will not fire. Engine has excellent compression and is getting fuel. I have got power on the negative side of the coil, which I assume is leading to the ignition switch. Is there a secret to this. I am very lost. Thanks for all your help.
Barry Smith
Barry Smith
Roast em' if you got 'em
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From: Rio Rancho, NM
Welcome to the board!! We don't care how you introduce yourself as long as you introduce yoruself. We're glad you found this site, stick around for a bit and it will get addicting. This place is full of great people with great senses of humor, somewhat twisted at times but always amusing.
Regardless if its a positive or negative ground, with the key on you should have juice to one side of the coil. Since you have replaced all of the components then I would suspect a wiring problem between the coil and the distributor. The points are basically a switch opening and closing a path to ground. If I were you I would check the wire carerfully between the coil and the points. It could very well be shorted to ground or open. Keep in mind that the wires are as old as the rest of the truck, it could very well be broke somewhere and not look it (the common place would be on either end) A common place to short out is where the wire passes into the distributor.
Good luck
Bobby
Regardless if its a positive or negative ground, with the key on you should have juice to one side of the coil. Since you have replaced all of the components then I would suspect a wiring problem between the coil and the distributor. The points are basically a switch opening and closing a path to ground. If I were you I would check the wire carerfully between the coil and the points. It could very well be shorted to ground or open. Keep in mind that the wires are as old as the rest of the truck, it could very well be broke somewhere and not look it (the common place would be on either end) A common place to short out is where the wire passes into the distributor.
Good luck
Bobby
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From: New Mexico
With the key on and the distributor cap and rotor off, is there a spark between the gaps on the points? It will take a remote starter switch and a screwdriver to see this occurring. Can you spark test the plug wires too?
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From: New Mexico
By all means let us know. What happens often on these threads is that the problem will get solved but the writer doesn't write back to tell the rest of us what the solution was.
Welcome, by the way.
Welcome, by the way.
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From: Rural Southern Colorado
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Thanks for all the replies. The truck has an all new wiring harness from the engine, to the dash. I have the battery wired as follows. The wire that is bolted directly to the frame of the truck I have connected to the negative terminal. Also, the points do not spark, I checked that as well today. The wire going into the bottom of the distributor does look original and I will replace tommorow. If the battery is hooked up wrong please let me know. I appreciate all your help and am willing to try anything, I found a full wiring diagram for the truck online tonight and printed it out. Also is there a way for the plate in side of the distributor to be going to ground. Thanks again
Barry Smith II
Barry Smith II
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From: New Mexico
OK, sorry about these truncated messages. I keep having to race away.
How about this? Bypass the key switch by hotwiring the truck. Take a lead from the hot side of the starter/solenoid and run it to the other side of the coil post not running to the distributor-the opposite one. See if it will start. Don't run it too long like this or it will burn the points because a ballast resistor kicks down the running voltage. But at least you will see if the problem is in the switch wires. Get it started first and work backwards.
How about this? Bypass the key switch by hotwiring the truck. Take a lead from the hot side of the starter/solenoid and run it to the other side of the coil post not running to the distributor-the opposite one. See if it will start. Don't run it too long like this or it will burn the points because a ballast resistor kicks down the running voltage. But at least you will see if the problem is in the switch wires. Get it started first and work backwards.
Roast em' if you got 'em
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From: Rio Rancho, NM
Ah yea, I learned how to hot wire a Ford when I was about 8.
If it is supposed to be a postive ground then you have the battery hooked up backwards. I believe (don't quote me on this) that the ignition coil will work either way, its more efficient and you get better spark if its hooked up correctly but I think that it will give you some spark hooked up backwards.
dffay's suggestion is a great one! Hot wire the thing and see what kind of spark you get.
Bobby
If it is supposed to be a postive ground then you have the battery hooked up backwards. I believe (don't quote me on this) that the ignition coil will work either way, its more efficient and you get better spark if its hooked up correctly but I think that it will give you some spark hooked up backwards.
dffay's suggestion is a great one! Hot wire the thing and see what kind of spark you get.
Bobby
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From: Kalispell, MT
Originally Posted by bsmi16490
...... I have replaced the battery, plugs, wires, condensor, coil, and it will not fire. Turns over great but will not fire. Engine has excellent compression and is getting fuel. I have got power on the negative side of the coil, which I assume is leading to the ignition switch. ....... The wire that is bolted directly to the frame of the truck I have connected to the negative terminal.........Also is there a way for the plate in side of the distributor to be going to ground. Thanks again
Barry Smith
Barry Smith
If the insulation on the wire going into the bottom of the distributor is broken, then yes the plate inside is likely grounding out. That's often where the rub comes in. (pardon the pun)
Reading over the original post you have juice to the neg side of the coil. With positive grnd you are right to assume the (-) wire goes to the ignition switch. The (+) post on the coil should go to the distributor.
Once you get the wiring sorted out, it could still be condenser problems. Even new ones are junk sometimes. I'd make sure to buy one from NAPA - it's your best bet for a good one.
I'm having the same trouble with a 52. I have yet to change the wire into the dist but I'm 95% sure that's where my trouble is.
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truck runs great!!!! Wire that runs inside of the distributor from the coil to the terminal on the points was bare and grounding the plate inside the distributor, my grandfather, 78 years olds came over and fixed in ten minutes, hell of anold mechanic. Thanks for everyones help and I will post a pic of the truck in a few. Thanks again.
Roast em' if you got 'em
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From: Rio Rancho, NM
Originally Posted by bsmi16490
truck runs great!!!! Wire that runs inside of the distributor from the coil to the terminal on the points was bare and grounding the plate inside the distributor, my grandfather, 78 years olds came over and fixed in ten minutes, hell of anold mechanic. Thanks for everyones help and I will post a pic of the truck in a few. Thanks again.
Glad to hear that it was something simple
Bobby