Well, there should probably be a Step 0 in Jerry's list for knuckleheads like me, and that would be, Have your battery checked. Knowing how I've neglected this battery (and the entire truck) over the last 3-ish years, including a possible change in polarity twice (once by accident, once intentionally to correct it, if I had, indeed, reversed it.....long story), I took it in for a check. It was producing a whopping 170 cranking amps. This, of course, explains the sluggish starter. So I dropped $95 at NAPA for a new one.
Brought it home, hooked it up, cleaned the points with a business card, got a spark from the coil wire, reassembled the distributor cap, and pulled a plug to see if I could observe a spark. You can imagine my surprise when the truck rumbled for about 3 seconds with the #1 plug removed, the cylinder puffing compression into my face. Definitely an "oh crap" moment.
So, I don't know if the ultimate problem was the battery, or dirty points, but it's running as we speak. Thanks everybody for your help. I've never done those kind of electrical checks before, so it was kind of fun.
You may see me pop up in other forums over the next few days, because my brakes no longer work (no pressure at the pedal, hoping it just needs fluid), and I've had a long-standing problem where she only runs when the vacuum line is disconnected from the wiper assembly. But I'll search the forums before bothering you fine people again.
Many thanks, and happy motoring!
Last edited by ol_red; 08/29/2017 10:10 PM.
