Technical 6v battery dies in 5 seconds

is that how this is wired?

 

No, what I meant is the wire from the + side of the coil, which is connected to the outside of the dist. body, is delivering power to the inside of the dist. as tested at the condenser.

 

Assuming you've checked the simple stuff, does the point arm show continity to ground? It doesn't take long at all for crud to form esp. in humid weather. Run a point file carefully over them to remove the skunge.

 

I sprayed everything and blew it dry yesterday, but can file points. In fact, I have a new set of points but didn't install because 1. the points looked ok 2. never done it, afraid I would make my problem worse.

 

So in the pic, the "1" wire was not connected inside the dist. where the + wire from the coil connects on the outside of the dist. "2". So I reconnected that before re-installing dist. Was I correct in assuming that wire was supposed to be connected? No idea how long it was like that before I pulled the dist. on Saturday.

 

sorry, wrong pic, check this one

 

Here is a shot without the rotor, BEFORE replacing the condenser
thanks everyone!

 

here's the pic, wouldn't upload for some reason

 

Yes it has to be connected

 

thanks

 

Check for continuity when the points open and close between the moveable arm and the breaker plate. After connecting the wire back up, natch.

 

how do I check that, multimeter, or do I need something else?

 

A DVOM or multimeter would have that function. Or a test light. It looks like an ice pick with a bulb. Or just make one. Solder a length of wire to the terminals on a 12 volt bulb, alligator clips, and Bob's Yer Uncle.

 

Double check that ground wire. That the bare wire near the blue condenser strap. Can’t see where it goes in the pic. It is use to make a secure ground for the points plate.
Also check the blue insulation on the condenser. It appears to be real close to the disturber housing, almost rubbing on the housing. It moves, so it may have worn thin and letting the condenser strap short out or partially shorting out. Also what is that yellow thing on the lead in wire? Check all connections in the disturber. They can cause problems.






Bones

 

Cool, I have one of those already, thanks. And yes, but he used to be my aunt Roberta.

 

good info Bones, will pull the dist. tonight and check

 

That red wire looks like it has pulled away from it's connection point. It also looks to be too large and stiff. Remember the plate the points fasten to rotates when the vacuum advance pulls on it, so there has to be some slack in the red wire. And the wire needs to be flexible enough to let the plate rotate.

 

See, I thought that too, it's pretty thick stuff, as is the wire going from the + side of the coil to the outside of the dist. housing. I wonder if I can use smaller wire..10 gauge maybe? Will check wiring schematic to see if it says which gauge was used OEM

 

I meant 16 gauge, I think what's in there is 10 gauge. Just looked at the wiring diagram in the shop manual, calls for 16 gauge.

 

I would use 14 gauge wire, 16 is a little small. I rarely use 16 gauge or smaller anywhere on a vehicle. But that’s just me!





Bones

 

will do, got plenty of 14 gauge. If that doesn't work, I'll bring out the .12 gauge, and buy a new dist.

 

BJR makes a good point. There is no way the short red wire is going to let the points plate move like it should. Maybe you could find a picture of how it was originally wired. I would think maybe the input wire should go around the plate similar to the blue strap. That disturber is kinda crowded. . It is an original distributor?
I found some pics of some parts for your distributor, but not a good pic of the distributor, it self. But on pic showed a set of points with a tab to connect it to the other set, as a continuation of the wire, going the same way. Yours goes up and back. It used what looked like a 16/gauge wire with a clip. Might have to go with a lighter wire for flexibility. I tend to over wire stuff!




Bones

 

The red wire with the yellow crimp connector is much to stiff to allow the breaker plate to move, it needs to be a thin flexible stranded wire. Napa has them. Assure the wire and terminal coming from the coil are insulated from the body of the distributor an inadvertant ground there will not allow the points to make break the coil circuit.

 

It's been many years since I owned or worked on a Mopar with the Red Ram Hemi so I am not 100% sure if it came with a dual point distributor or not. I don't remember my '55 having dual points. With that being said, I would first check if that is the original style distributor. It should be an Auto-Lite distributor with part number 1AZ-4003 stamped on the plate that is riveted to the side of the housing.
When you said "it was running strong" after you sorted out the carb/timing issues, how long did it "run strong"? What did you do to it between the "it ran strong" and the current problem of it dying? If it was after you repaired or replaced something, that is where I would look. When you say that it die's, does it quit like you turned off the key or does it start sputtering and then dies? If it's the latter, I would say that it is a fuel issue.

 

To replace the red wire use a fine stranded wire, not regular automotive wire, Regular auto wire is still too stiff, the stock wire was about as flexible as a cotton string of the same size.

 

The fact that it will start when cold but not after it has warmed up leads me to believe that it is either the coil or condenser. Although I agree with what is being said about the wire being too stiff, it shouldn't cause it to not re-start after it die's.

 

It is the OEM dist But clearly somebody has changed out wires over time period but that was before I got the car, and I've never really had it running right. So this may explain a couple things.

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It is the original DE distributor according to the shop manual. I had it running strong one day after I sorted out some carb issues. But that's when it died, and I started having the issue where wood fire over 1 time Brown up the fuel in the carburetor and then not start again. So I've chased everything electrical that I can think of and now I'm to the distributor, because I'm not giving spark to my spark plugs. I know the battery is good, I know the cylon oi'd, the coil, and the generator and starter are good.

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I'll get that big wire inside the distributor replace today for sure thanks

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We figured it might be the condenser, so I replaced that period that's when I started giving the know start issue that I'm having now. I can't get it to start at all now.

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