Technical 6v battery dies in 5 seconds

Thanks Bones. Will try it.

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Will check, they were gapped yesterday at
.017, book calls for .015 to .018.
Thanks

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Run some very fine, like 400 grit sand paper through the points. Some new points have oxidation on them and keep them from making a good connection. Cost nothing and can make a big difference in the spark quality. Most times you cannot see the oxidation, but it's there.

 

Thanx to all who are taking time to help in this...it's truly appreciated!
Two Questions occurred to me...
1) I know my motor spins clockwise, but when trying to find TDC on the compression stroke, I'm manually turning the fan assembly COUNTER CLOCKWISE, because it will not spin clockwise by hand...is this causing me to install the distributor 180 out, or does it matter?
2) I have been installing the distributor with #1 at what I think is TDC compression, but my car typically runs at about 12 BEFORE TDC, should I try installing the dist. at 12 BTDC instead?

 

You need to turn the distributor back and forth, some when trying to start it as you will never get it installed perfectly in time. This is always a process that is needed whenever you've had the distributor removed! Taking it to a mechanic would have likely saved you a lot of money, as you've replaced a lot of parts unnecessarily, hoping that they would fix the problem.

 

Thanks for the input, I specifically didn't go to a mechanic because I decided if I was going to own a classic car, I needed to figure out how to do some of this stuff, so that going forward I can keep my hot rod on the road by myself. Obviously if something major were to happen I would have to let someone else handle it.
While there's been a ton of frustration along the way, it hasn't been without it's rewards. This car has a story behind it that's very important to me. Getting it on the road will finally close the loop on that story.

Again, thanx to all who have and continue to answer my questions. Your knowledge is both impressive and well received.

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For a novice, you picked a complicated part of the engine to first learn on! Lol. I’ve seen “ seasoned “ mechanics have trouble understanding this part of engines.
As far as which way you turn the engine to get it to Tdc direction makes no difference, as long as your sure your on compression stroke. Turning the wrong way could give you a false reading as to compression.
If you are going to mess with old cars buy/ build a remote starter switch. Mighty handy!
As for set the timing at 12 degrees before tdc instead of straight up that’s no problem. Set your crank at 12 btc , hook up a test light to your distributor terminal on your coil, turn your distributor untill the light comes on. Your real close there.






Bones

 

Thanks Bones

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Bones is right, get a remote starter switch which basically nothing more than an old ford starter button and 2 wires and 2 alligator clips, 1 clip to the large battery cable at the starter and the othe to the smaller wire connection on the starter solenoid usually a #14 wire size coming from the ignition sw then you won't need you sister anymore. Ralphie
PS make sure the car is out of gear.

 

Thanks Ralphie

 

The trouble with points and condensers (i.e. capacitors) is that the materials used today are beyond awful. Most likely they are made offshore as there isn't a huge market for these parts. Some people are going to go apeshit over this, but here goes anyway.
To get your timing right, get the engine to as close to your desired initial advance mark on your balancer (or whatever) on the compression stroke as mentioned earlier.
Second, drop your distributer into the engine and get the oil pump drive engaged. You actually don't need to fool around trying to get the rotor pointed in the right place. The trick is to use wherever the rotor is pointing as #1, and rewire the high tension leads on the cap so they follow the correct firing order, based on your new starting point.
Using your trusty test light, you want to find the instant the points open because that's where the big induced current in the coil comes from. So the circuit from the points to the coil will keep the test light lit as long as the points are closed right? If you rotate the distributor till you hit the exact instant the points open, you have timed the engine to precisely the advance you have on your balancer.

 

Yep, I disagree. As long as your points are closed your test light will NOT light. It will light up as soon as the point break!
Also I try to put the distributor in as the factory recommends . Not that it won’t run anywhere as long as it wired right, that just confuses everyone. Especially the next guy working on it!
Other than that, we spot on!





Bones

 

Took a break for a couple days, felt my OCD kicking in big time. Anyway, will put the test light on it tonite and see what I get. Thanks guys.

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If this kind of work is "unfamiliar" to you, here's a good source for learning about basic ignition systems and diagnosis.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/hot-rod-technical-library-basic-ignition-systems.983424/

 

Thanks ClayMart, appreciate it. The more I hang out around here, the more I enjoy hanging out around here.

 

Yeah. It's a sickness. And it's contagious.

 

SHE'S ALIVE!!! Albeit very sluggishly. But she started. I think I may still have an issue with something in the dist cuz the spark is so weak. But at least it's time well enough that it fired. Also have to figure out what the loud, electrical whine is while the motor is running. Almost sounds like it's coming from down low, starter motor?
Anyway, thanks Bones, Ralphie, BJR, Squirrel, Grumpy and the rest of you who took the time to help and make suggestions, truly appreciated.
Josh

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Exactly how it felt Truck64!

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[QUOTE="Also have to figure out what the loud, electrical whine is while the motor is running. Almost sounds like it's coming from down low, starter motor?
Anyway, thanks Bones, Ralphie, BJR, Squirrel, Grumpy and the rest of you who took the time to help and make suggestions, truly appreciated.
Josh

Sent from my SM-G975U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app[/QUOTE]

Starter hanging up?

Ben

 

Be careful, thst could be starter hang up, like firstinsteele said! If so, it could gernade your starter! I could also be your alternator/ generator making a little noise while it is working real hard!
Congratulations!! Your a mechanic! !! Isn’t it wonderful???!







Bones

 

Ha, not even close Bones! But it is nice to see some progress, and it is cool to learn some of this stuff.

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what trans do you have? noise could be T/C or ?? ( torque converter)

 

3 Speed manual (column shift)

 

Make sure the starter is disengaged, try to track down the noise, possibly from the generator. I like to use a piece of heater hose or a long wooden dowel to listen with.

 

By disengaged, do you mean unhook the cable and wire going to it?

 

Think he means not hanging up on the flywheel starter gear.

Ben

 

Another question guys: following Squirrel's advice, I hook a spark plug to the coil plug wire and set it on the block to test spark when turning the distributor, ("turning the distributor in to the rotor"). That worked great, but the spark was pretty weak. Obviously nothing else was hooked up on the dist yet. Does this mean I'm getting weak spark from the coil and therefore that's where I should begin with diagnosing the weak spark issue?

 

Yep..... you have to have strong spark at the coil before it will be strong at the plug!






Bones

 

Update: Sorry it's been a while, life got in the way of play time. Messed with the car this weekend. Crawled through all of my wiring and electrical from battery to dist. points and everything appears to be as it should. However, still getting what seems like poor spark. Finally got the dist. put back in with the rotor pointed at #1 on TDC compression, new set of plugs, etc. Went to fire and now I'm getting zero fuel from the carb.

The previous attempt to start resulted in a big backfire through the carb that sent the dogs running for the hills. The last time I tried to fire it, it sounded different which my wife (bless her) said was the carb caughing and hissing. Come to find out, getting ZERO fuel. Can feel pressure all the way up to the regulator just before it goes in to the carb. So just for good measure, I have the 97 torn apart and giving it a good cleaning, etc. Will take another run at it tonite and post what I find.

Thanks