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| | | | Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 12 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 12 | Truck started all winter in 0 degree temps and now suddenly won't start. Engine cranks. We checked the battery. Cleaned contact on rotor, tried again and got one spark, tried again no spark. I dressed and reset the point gap. Got spark. Then no spark. Any ideas? The truck is a 1950 Chevy 3600 216 if that's any help. Thank you. | | | | | Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 295 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 295 | Disconnect regular power and jump direct from battery. See if that corrects.
Do not leave jumper hooked up for too long. I would not leave on for more than minute or two.
6 or 12 volt? Do you have a ballast resistor?
If corrects then coil distributor and all that should be OK and you have a problem in wiring between coil and all. First place I would suspect is worn ignition switch. Check all connections for tight and clean and good crimps.
If you have VOM do a wire by wire resistance check. All readings should be 1 ohm or less except coil.
Dan Bentler | | | | | Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 158 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 158 | Do you have power on the coil when key is turned on? Get a light tester which is the easiest way to check to make sure you have power to the coil. Sounds like a supply problem to me. Make sure you have power from switch.
Steve in I-DA-HO | | | | | Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 12 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 12 | Leitmotif - Thank you for your response. What exactly do you mean by "Disconnect regular power and jump direct from battery"? It's a 6 volt system. Electric was never my thing. I'll give all this a try.
Bigdog58 - Thanks for your reply. We'll give that a try. We tried to bypass the ignition switch from the + battery terminal to the + coil terminal but we didn't have 10 gauge wire/would it have to be solid core as opposed to stranded, would that make a difference?
Last edited by tc50trk; 04/05/2011 3:22 AM.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,769 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,769 | 16 gauge wire should be plenty to carry ignition primary current, no need for the heavy stuff. Find a source of direct battery voltage like the big cable terminal at the starter, or the Battery terminal at the voltage regulator, and run a jumper wire from there to the coil terminal that DOES NOT connect to the distrtibutor. On a Chevy it will be the (+) terminal. With the jumper in place, the coil should produce a spark when the engine is cranked, regardless of the position of the ignition switch. Don't leave the jumper connected with the engine stopped and the points closed- - - -it will burn the points in a short time.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
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| | | | | Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 12 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 12 | Thanks for yor input, took your advice and used the test light.The light lit when the ignition switch was turned to the on position.Where do I go from here? | | |
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