The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay tune-up refresher course

I left the ignition on in my 51 3100 chevy with a '59 235. The battery went totally dead on me so I put the trickle charger on it overnight. Once I got the battery back I tried to start it. It wont fire so I looked at my points. Sure enough. They were fried. I replaced them but still no fire. Could that have burned out my coil?
I don't remember enough about this stuff to figure it out without a little help. thanks---Jack

if your batter was really dead not sure the trickle charge would charge it up good enough, does the engine spin over normal ??

what do you mean by no fire??

The battery is back up to snuff. It cranks quite well. By no fire I mean I get no ignition. It just cranks.

Take a close look at where the plastic meets the steel can on the coil for leaking oil or warped plastic. Check the resistance on the coil with a multimeter.

you got snow yet wood man ?
you might check all of your wires to see if any got zapped,
a coil an't that expensive........what do you haul around in your truck

get a helper to turn engine over while you pull a plug wire to see if it sparks, same with the coil wire, etc
your truck, looks like a paddy wagon

did you replace your condenser.. that little guy can cause one pain also
good spark

No snow here yet. They got some further north of me. I haul furniture. I build chairs. I use the truck to deliver finished chairs.
The truck came with a rotted flat bed. I built that bed for lack of a better idea. I would love a stepside short bed. Not alot of them around though.
Thanks for the input. I'll get a helper and do some checking once the rain stops. ---Jack

With the points open and the ignition turned on, shorting them together with the blade of a screwdriver should produce a spark. That is an easy test. You should see a little spark at the screwdriver blade too.

Solved! I couldn't see it because my coil is mounted with the contacts facing down but the coil case is cracked. When I took it out it rattled when I shook it.I don't think it's supposed to do that. I replaced it and my truck fired right off. Just in time it's getting a little too cold to be wrenching outdoors.---Jack