Nailhead - I'm Embarrased to admit it........

We brought home an unmolested '63 Buick LeSabre Convertible
for the nailhead.

Got looking at it and the engine turns over. So we threw in a battery and it cranks nicely but no spark.

So here's the emabrassing part.

It's been so long since I worked on an engine with points etc. I'm haveing trouble shooting the problem.

Can somone direct me to a real basic ignition trouble shooting website?

We want to hear this thing make noise.

PS.

The body is a total rust buck but PM me if you need some convert. parts .

 

Try a new coil and set of points, will be readily available at yer local parts house and a cheap easy place to start..if all you get at first is lumpy backfires your firing order is off or you need to re-set your timing...

 

try new points

 

you could just give it to me, then you wouldint be having problems right?

 

Take off your distributor cap and open up the points to see if they are burnt. If so, you could file them until they are looking like new, and then regap them...a matchbook works as a gapper if you don't have feeler gauges. The other thing you can check is the coil with a voltage tester with the key on. Hope that helps...

 

not nearly as good as my suggestion.... but it'll do.

 

At the very least save those killer hubcaps!!

 

Try this, Ignition key in the on position, remove coil wire @ dist cap, position it close to intake manifold, but not touching. Turn engine over, got spark? Check cap, rotor button, wires, no spark, carefully take a small screwdriver, and with the points in the closed position, open the points, got spark? if you do, prolly points gap needs to be adjusted, no spark? try to ground the points with the shank of the screwdriver inside the distributor. you should have spark doing this, indicating point needs to be filed or replaced.

tc

 

Sweet find ! Did you get it from the guy on winterburn road ? Any plans to keep it and fix her up ? There nice cars, they remind me of my ol '64 Wildcat convertible.

Todd

 

dude, i cant believe this. i had a guy call me today at my shop and asked me if i knew anybody who wanted this 1963 buick convertable with a rebuilt 401 nailhead some guy abandoned at his shop about 5 years ago. he said he knew i was into these "old" klunkers and thought of me first! i told him for a couple of hundred bucks i'd take it off his hands. i pick it up in the morning! old klunker my ass!

 

Okay, I posted pictures of mine. So post pics of yours when you get it home.

 

I see everyone mention everything but the condensor. If you replace the points, do the condensor too. You probably already knew. It usually goes without saying but I didn't see any one spell it out. I have had at least two cars I fixed that cleaning the points didn't work, but swapping on another condensor brought back the spark so I could get it home.