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| | | | Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 17 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 17 | I have a 1946 chevy half ton pickup that I'm restoring.It has a 216 straight six cylynder engine. Originally when I brought it home It had seized on me. I kept pooring marvel mystery oil down the cylinders,purchased a six volt battery and tryed to start it. It turned over but would not run. I have a mechanic friend working with me to try to start the engine. At first se thought it wasn't getting gas and it seemed like the fuel pump was gone. I ordered a new one through Jim carters online and replaced it. We tryed again and again it turned over but did not start.The end of the wire on the ignition lock was burned so my friend spliced a piecce on and I purchased new plugs (which I gapped according to the reproduction shop manual I ordered) and a new six volt coil.I put all of this on (i replaced one plug at a time so the wires would not get crossed.We tried to start it and still it turns over but wont start. Almost like its getting no spark. My friend took the coil wire off of the distributor snd ground it against the block. There was no spark.In my manual it makes mention of a reversing switch that according to the manual sits on the top of the starting motor that is essential for the primary current through the ignition system. When I look at my starter motor there is no switch there and no marks where something may have been mounted there.There are two wires on the distributor. One goes from onwe part of the distributor to the othere and the other wire goes from the distributor to the negative terminal on the coil. Every diagram i;ve seen references this switch when wiring but I don't have a trace of one. Does anyone have any ideas before my pride and joy becomes a glorified lawn ornament. | | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | Jimferrar,
Unless you are going for a stock show trophy you don't want to replace the polarity reversing switch on your rig..this assumes it had on in the first place.
The breaker plate that holds the points was insulated from the distributor body and the points found ground through the reversing switch located on the starter. That's why your distributor has the funny two wires hooked to it.
If I remember correctly, to bypass this funky setup, you need to ground the breaker plate through that second terminal sticking out of the side. Your coil - should go to one terminal and the other terminal needs to be wired to a screw or bolt on the engine...it needs to ground the breaker plate.
Before you do this, pull the distributor cap, turn the key to ON and with a small screwdriver, wiggle the points apart. There should be NO spark.
Now ground the terminal that doesn't have the point spring attached to it as I mentioned above. Do the same drill with the key ON and open the points with the little screwdriver...they should spark.
The points have to be in good shape and gapped correctly for the engine to start. The condenser has to be good too! If either of these are goofy, no amount of good coils will make a ZAP! The points are the brains of the outfit...they tell the dumb coil what to do.
Try these things and let us know what happens.
Stuart | | |
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