Spark Issues... After the car sits a while.. HELP?

[Action Girl]

Hey there gang...

A few weeks back I was having issues with getting fuel to my carb. That's been resolved with a carb cleaning/rebuild. That thing was disgusting (about 1/4" of crap in the bottom of my carb)

Now I've got another thing going on...

I typically pick up my car on Friday nights and return it to the garage on Sunday nights. I won't commute in it because I work in downtown Baltimore and the lot where I have to park "eats" cars (my Beetle has been hit 5 times in 2 years parking there!) During the week my car sits at my Dad's garage... On Friday when I go to get it I have a bitch of a time getting it to go because I'm not getting spark. Once it gets started and warms up, it starts up all weekend with no problems on the first attempt. To get it to start I'm running a wire from the battery to the coil which works like a charm. This is obviously not ideal although it's not a huge pain. My dad thinks that I've got a switch going bad. What do you guys think? If it is a switch which one? Any other ideas? As always, your help is appreciated.

I'm baffled cause I can't for the life of me figure how a switch could be bad once a week and then work again once the car is running. The car is a 51 Chevy- completely stock.

[C9]

Are you sure it's not simply an empty fuel bowl and it takes a bit of cranking to get it to light off?

As an experiment, get some starter fluid in a spray can and shoot a small amount down the carb throat after the car has been sitting for the week.
If it lights right off I'd say it was a fuel supply problem.

My roadster does the same after sitting for a week or two during the rainy season.
Takes a few seconds before it lights off.

As far as the ignition goes, a total shot in the dark would be to install a new - good quality - condenser.
Not the one with the cardboard ends, rather the one with the molded rubber - and better quality - ends.

Might want to check the point gap as well.
Many times an overly close point gap can look like a carburetion problem.

Are you still running 6 volts?
I believe there were some 6 volt ballast resistor schemes, but they're more commonly found on 12 volt systems.
The 12 V systems knock the voltage back to 7 volts or so for running when the switch is in the run position, but a full 12 volts is supplied when the switch is in the start position.
Makes starting easier at 12 volts and the 7 volt bit saves the points from an early death.

If you do have 12 Volts, check the voltage at the coil with ignition on prior to cranking.
Should show 7 volts or so.
If you show zero volts at the coil when cranking that may be your problem - indicated by the car starting when "hot-wired."

[cadlights]

Yep, fuel. prime carb before trying to start on friday or get an electric fuel pump, works wonders.

[choprods]

I agree with the posts above- sounds like fuel issue.

[Zippy]

If it's an original coil it maybe fitted with a ballast resistor. This drops the voltage to the coil during normal running. When engine starting the ballast resistor is by-passed via a contact in the starter solonoid - this then gives a higher voltage to the coil for easier starting during engine cranking.

Check to see if you have a ballast resistor in the supply line to the coil - if so then it will probably be the contact in the starter solonoid sticking or bad contact. Could be after the starter has turned a few time the contact is good again.

Not too sure on the orig chevy if it has this set-up but sounds like it could be.

Have fun

[Action Girl]

Ok...

It's not a fuel thing for sure because there's plenty of fuel in the carb when I try to fire it. We've also tried starter fluid and that didn't help. The last time it happened we checked the spark and there wasn't any. We did check the points which needed almost no adjustment. When I tried to start the car yesterday, I had plenty of fuel in the carb, hit the button and it cranked for some time and didn't make any attempt at catching. I hot wired it and it started immediately.

I'll check the things on the lists above and see what pans out. This is a 6 volt system...

Thanks Guys...

Stacey