Lost the fight with my self canceling, push button turn signals, I wanted the column to be clean but it wasn’t meant to be. So on goes the old stand by… which actually doesn’t look too terrible. Finished up all the overhead wiring… one more thing off the list.
Hot rodded 40 pickup.... in the dark of night she’s a looker.
Spent yesterday pulling down the overhead and chasing a short...which of course turned out to be at the neutral safety switch. The B&M neutral switch is turning out to be a pain. The plate was slightly bent and the micro switch is making constant contact...so rather than only starting in N or P, it's starting in all gears and causing issues with the ignition switch. Truck tries to turn over in ACC, On and Run positions.. not ideal. At this point I'm ready to move on and delete the darn thing.
Wasn't all bad though as I had joined the exhaust cut outs power with the wiper switch, rather than the making the join with the gauge power wire… Needing to turn on the wipers so the cut outs work would have been interesting. So that got fixed while looking for the short
Things left on the wiring list... horn, neutral safety switch, and the wipers, which were working at one point. Just about time to fire it up
Hot rodded 40 pickup.... in the dark of night she’s a looker.
It’s been a few long days and a 99% failure rate. Started at filling the radiator with antifreeze.. forgot to put in a block off plug in the pump… dumped some liquid onto the concrete. Didn’t appear to have a plug so a quick run to the hardware store for a brass plug and it’s off to the races… later found 2new stainless plugs in an unopened Jegs package.
First attempt at firing up the truck and I had to chase a couple of fuel leaks.. killed the battery.
Put the truck on a charger overnight… spent the next day revising the timing and tracking down an issue… which turns out to be a partially functioning MSD box.
So annoyed at the MSD that I’m moving to basic points. Ripped out the distributor, the box and all the associated wiring. Needed to remove the floor to access the wiring and the rear carb in order to pull the distributor.
For the time being I’ve borrowed dad’s gm dizzy and ballast from his model A…
It’s pretty well back to where I started before the weekend…
Last edited by 32vsnake; Tue May 23 2023 01:26 AM.
Hot rodded 40 pickup.... in the dark of night she’s a looker.
I'm dealing with a similar problem on a BB F@#d, I have been chasing wiring gremlins in an original harness. The MSD A6 ignition is a proven product and is tried and true as long as it's wired correctly. In your case it just take time to source the issue. In my case I'm paying for the sins of everyone who has ever touched the wiring.
Craig
"Living life in the SLOW lane"
Come, Bleed or Blister something has got to give!!! '59 Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting) '58 Viking 4400, 235, 4 Speed (Thor)
Would be nice if that was the case... according to the MSD instructions the box is wired correctly, get 5 flashes in the run position, cranking flashes the LED... have power in the small red wire, coil has continuity, tested with another known coil... shorted the MSD green/purple plug and it fails the spark test. Last night the points distributor got hooked up and we got spark on the number 1 plug.
I'm convincing myself that an old points type ignition suits the theme of the truck a bit better. Ordered a small black cap and some black 8mm wires to go with the new dist.
This is my first time with a ballast resistor, turns out they get really warm. Going to have to space it out from the firewall or that paint will probably end up blistering .
Barring any other set backs...truck could be firing up pretty soon
Last edited by 32vsnake; Wed May 24 2023 02:26 PM.
Hot rodded 40 pickup.... in the dark of night she’s a looker.
Spent a little time tinkering tonight and determined that the carbs weren’t returning to closed… hence the race to 3k. Dad pulled them back after starting and the truck dropped into a 1000rpm idle…. Truck sounds sweet at idle.
Relocated the front return spring to get more leverage and that seams to have helped.
Pic with the new 8mm wires and points cap
Last edited by 32vsnake; Mon May 29 2023 02:37 AM.
Hot rodded 40 pickup.... in the dark of night she’s a looker.
I will post videos of the truck running before this thread is finished. Throttle linkage got resolved a couple of days ago... I think. Right now I'm waiting on a fan belt and fighting the brakes.
Spent yesterday replacing the wiper switch in the overhead panel (wipers now work) and attempting to bleed the brakes. I have an issue with the pedal/rod binding which wasn't present before, so currently the rod won't go deep enough to engage the front brake ports.
After that it's down to putting gas in the tank and looking/waiting for leaks...have been running the truck out of a jerry can, also need to verify that the alternator will charge the battery.
So very close, yet the truck is really fighting the last remaining items.
Hot rodded 40 pickup.... in the dark of night she’s a looker.
