I'll check the resistance. Thanks for the tip on the flamethrower. Will do.

 

I got a little time to play with it this morning. I used a friend's known working coil and coil wire. The indicator light is cut out of the circuit. It's still arcing. It's too bright out to see the arc, but I can hear it. I'm now leaning towards the MSD box. If I could get it started, I would take it out to my sister's garage, but as it is, it looks like it is destined to spend the winter in the back yard, behind my garage. The funds aren't there right now, and I've just about lost all interest. You'd think one day I'd learn to leave well enough alone.

 

Try replacing the coil wire. If the spark can't leave the coil do to a bad coil wire it has to go somewhere. So it will arc to the nearest circuit trying to fine a ground.

 

I already have. I borrowed my friend's coil and coil wire. I've tried three coil wires and two coils with the same results.

 

Try taking the MSD box out of the circuit.

 

I'd focus on the harness, although the arcing has me confused. I presume you are using the typical Ford starter solenoid that has a power feed direct to ignition ("I" terminal) while cranking, and then the ignition switch provides power when it's running? (With an MSD you may not need that switchover?) Something could be amiss there.

Re: the arcing; are you saying you can hear a high-voltage arc snapping? Wait til night and crank it then, you'll see it quickly.

 

Honestly, at this point with winter coming on, if I am recalling the situation correctly, I'd remove whatever it was that you changed out, and return it to the configuration it was in before when it ran.

Get it running and sheltered, then start changing out things with the new components - one at a time - and testing the set up each time you change one thing.

 

well i had a few engines that would not start because fuel washed out cyl walls. ie lost half the compression. mix up a oil can with gas and oil give each cyl small shot. dont have head over carb when she belches if timing is off.. then you will know if its firing.

 

Right on Princess. That is what I would do at this point.

 

Good advice.

Only thing to add - sometimes, in my experience and fwiw, engines "forget" how to run. I've had success on several occasions by towing a rig on a gravel road - put the trans in second, get it rolling and slowly release the clutch. I've had to drag them the better part of a mile before they "remember".

I know this isn't the mechanic's choice but it has worked for me when nothing else would. (of course your mileage may vary)

 

How old is the gas in your rig ? Todays fuel doesn't store very well. Did you check your plugs to see if there gas fouled ? If there wet you may have to replace them, You can try drying them out but I have found once there wet down real good there shot. Some fresh gas might be all you need and a set of plugs. I hate to use it but when trying to start an engine in the salvage yard that has set a while it has been nessasary to give it a shot of starting fluid as it won't fire on the old gas.

Just some thoughts ------ Hotwrench

 

I didn't check the plugs, but I wondered about the gas. It last ran on Memorial Day in May, so that would be going on six months now. The worst part is, I have a bottle of sta-bil on the shelf right next to it, and am kind of absent minded at times. When I'd think about it, I wasn't near the garage, when I was in the garage, I didn't think about it.

 

One idea would be to disconnect the fuel line and try some starting fluid spray and see if it will at least fire. Do you have good flow of gas up to the carb?

 

I have a clear filter that is filling up when I crank it. I can hear the spray when I pump it with my hand. I'm going to take the MSD box out and put a standard Motocraft ignition box in there.

 

Yesterday at the pick N pull, I got a Duraspark II box and all of the wiring. I hooked it up per the drawing below, and tried to start it. There's no more arcing from the coil, but there's still no start. I hooked an inline tester from the coil to the distributor and I get a good bright spark. When I hook the same tester from the distributor to #1 cylinder, I get no spark at all.

1) Does the fact that I'm getting spark from the coil prove that the Duraspark box is good? If not, is there a way to test the box?

2) Is it easy to accidentally wreck a distributor? The engine was running fine before I rewired the truck. Now, I'm not having any luck.

3) While at the boneyard, I noticed a '73 Mercury with a 460. It has a complete points distributor in it and the ballast resistor and wiring. I've read that I can swap the gear and use the distributor in my 351W. Is this true? The housing looked almost identical to me, but the gear was noticeably larger in diameter. Should I just go back to points?