Click on image for the lowdown. 
====
| | |
8 members (NJC, cmayna, Hotrod Lincoln, lumbersawyer, JW51, 3B, cshades, 1 invisible),
100
guests, and
6
robots. | | Key: Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod | | | Forums66 Topics128,064 Posts1,055,860 Members48,428 | | Most Online14,466
Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
| | THANKS!
For helping keep this great
old truck web site
on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down
with Ads!  Again, thanks!
| | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 48 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 48 | Hi, Guys! I just picked up a 51 3100 with a 216 to spruce up a bit and give to my 76 year old dad who still talks about the one he had to sell when one of us kids was born.
I made an eBay buy and the old owner said he had the truck for years and just tooled around with it a bit. One day in December 06 he went to start it and it wouldn't fire. He apparently replaced the coil and battery and still couldn't get it to fire, so he eBayed it.
I've searched this forum but can't find the answer I need, so here goes...
When the ignition key is on, I have power to the + side of the coil. The points are connected to the - side of the coil. On the other side of the distributor, there is a lonely 'ol wire that just hangs there forlornly, not knowing where to go, and I don't know where to put it, or how important it is. Can anyone help? ThanX!! | | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | RodGuyinCo,
Welcome to the Stovebolt. I am going to take a wild stab at this and say it is the wire that was once connected to a polarity reversing switch. I sure didn't think they were around in '51, but maybe someone swapped distributors. Try attaching that loose wire to a good ground and see what happens. If the engine explodes and burns down the neighborhood, I will plead the 5th!
Stuart | | | | | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,029 Member | | Member Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,029 | Is there a condenser on/in the distributor? | | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 48 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 48 | The condenser is IN the distributor. The wire I'm talking about is connected to (the exterior of the dist body) to a screw that holds the dist/points plate in place. Hmmm, that sounds good when I write it, but does that make any sense to you? Thanx! | | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 48 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 48 | Oh yeah, Atomarc, I thought of that too (about just grounding the wire), but wanted to wait before I burned the truck down or made some early fireworks...  | | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | RodGuyinCo,
Your picture says "this wires does nothing". It looks like it was something someone put on to make sure the distributor was grounded....not necessary. With this info, you could trouble shoot the points/condenser, OR, just replace them as they might need it anyway. When you replace them, be sure to set them perfectly at the recommended gap. I think it's .019 or so.
There are components down stream from the points that could result in a no fire situation. You can replace the points and condenser and give it a go, or fiddle around and try to pinpoint the exact cause of the problem. The points and condenser aren't expensive so R&R'ing them to find the problem isn't cheating.
Stuart | | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 48 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 48 | Thanks, Stuart. I'll drop by Napa in the next day or two and R&R 'em. It's getting to be about 100 degrees right now so I think it's time to call it quits for the day anyway (I live in Western Colorado--high desert...). Once it cools down in the evening, you have to deal with the skeeters so I don't work on anything then either. I think it's Miller time for now. Stay tuned and we'll see what happens maybe sometime this week...  Of course, if anyone else has got some ideas, hey, I'm WIDE OPEN! Thanks again! | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 119 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: May 2006 Posts: 119 | Have you checked for spark at the plugs? Also hook that wire to a ground and see if it starts. If it starts I would take a good look to make sure you have a good ground from engine to frame and also from battery to frame, because you shouldn't need a ground to the distributor. | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 256 Member | | Member Joined: May 2006 Posts: 256 | HEY..I KNOW WERE THAT WIRE GOES...It goes to the gas sending unit...any trouble with your gas guage.. ha ha ha Just had to add that...m/g
HURRY UP AND WAIT 55 235 3/4
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 20 Member | | Member Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 20 | Rodguy you say you have an ign feed when the key is on but you need to check and see if you still have a feed whilst the engine is cranking,i don't know the way these trucks are wired but if it has an ign ballast resistor either in the harness or remote mounted and it is U/S it wont start mate.Happy hunting
Where there is a will, there is a relative!
The 4 stroke cycle(suck,squeeze,bang,blow)
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 48 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 48 | Hmmm, well to bring everyone up to speed, it turns out I am now getting spark at the plug, but still no fire. Just took a compression test and all the cylinders are running about 35-50# per cylinder with a very strong smell of gas--very bad... I guess I'll be running over to the engine forum and check some things out and maybe ask a question or two, like, am I going to be rebuilding this little 216? Thanks, Guys! | | | | | Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,602 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,602 | Seems to me when ever I smell gas, it is always the carb float. I'm not expert but I've always found the carb to be the odor source.
| | |
|
|
