Technical Rebuild/Replace 283 Chev distributor

I’m trying to sort out what I think is a weak spark problem with my 283. I get a spark at the plugs, but no start. (Fuel is not the issue). I noticed the distributor seems to have a grounding issue, because when I took it out of the car, it was sparking on the wiper arm, where I laid it down to test. This was further confirmed by running a test light from bat - to the body of the dizzy.

I have replaced/tried multiples of the rotor, coil, points, and condenser, and the cap is about 5 years old but has never been used more than maybe an hour of runtime. That’s to say, I have narrowed this down to a problem in the distributor itself, not with one of the other ignition parts.

I’m of course wanting to keep this pretty old school, but eveywhere I look, all I see are HEI distributors. I would consider a pertronix unit, but I don’t really have an issue sticking with points. My question is, how feasible is it for me (only know enough to be dangerous, not enough to troubleshoot really) to rebuild my existing distributor, and do they even sell rebuild kits?

Or, is my time and money better spent just ordering something like this: https://www.cardone.com/product/distributor-84-1835

 

The distributor is the path to ground for the coil and the points break that ground to fire the secondary windings. The test light will show voltage in the body if the points are closed with the distributor off of the engine, the voltage no longer has anywhere to go since the distributor path to battery ground is the engine block. You may have just had the distributor 180 degrees out which is why it isn't starting or a bad condenser, new parts does not equal good parts. Also do check that the points wiring has not rubbed through anywhere and that your battery ground on the block is clean. If the battery is grounded to the frame I would relocate it to the engine or transmission and then add a ground strap from the block to the frame. If the distributor shaft does not have any excess play it probably doesn't need an overhaul, its job is to just spin around a lot really fast.

 

I should mention, the car was running yesterday morning. Let it sit for a few hours and no ignition after that. I know I’m not 180 out, as I made sure to feel for compression at the plug hole when putting the dizzy back in. I’m not sure about the wire inside the distributor, as it goes under the vacuum advance unit into a grommet but has some metal bands keeping it tightened down inside, so pretty hard to actually see anything past the part of the wire that’s outside the distributor, or at the points.

I would also agree with you about the condenser, but actually I currently have an old delco unit installed. I put the new one I bought back in the box for a spare.

 

Should I be getting a test light blinking when hooked between ground, and the distributor side stud on the coil? That would be my last thing to check before deducing it’s a problem inside the distributor, or points/condenser I think?

 

You have spark at the plugs. Now pull a plug and ground it with the plug wire attached. Spin the engine over. Helper required) is the spark jumping from the plug to the electrode?

If you suspect weak spark, you can purchase and inline spark tester.

ie: https://www.harborfreight.com/in-li...MIr8rgqfPWiAMVkAqtBh0TMiZkEAQYASABEgJrGvD_BwE

 

Yes it should blink indicating the points are opening and closing. When the light is on the points will be open, off will mean they closed, the resistance in the bulb inside your test lead will force the current to find the path of least resistance which would be through the points. There is also no mention of a ballast resistor, that is a must with points if you want them and the coil to last. I would also be looking at the point contacts for arcing and wear.

 

Yes, I see spark between the plug tip and the electrode when the plug body is grounded. It looks fairly weak I’d say.

 

So it sounds like the points are working then since I’m getting a blinking light?

Okay, so then if the pulsing current is making it through the distributor and back to the coil, and making it down to the plugs, do I check voltage coming off the top of the coil? From what I’ve read, it sounds like I should see ~20k volts?

 

I have a harbor freight in town, and that looks like $3.50 well spent. I’ll pick one up today so I have it next time I’m at my mom’s to work on the car.

 

How do you have this wired? The battery voltage goes from the key switch to the positive on the coil and coil negative goes to the distributor and the points switch the coil ground off and on. No voltage should be going from the distributor back to the coil at all.

 

As I understand it, power runs from the bat to the + side of the coil when the ignition switch is closed. It then runs through the coil and out the - side of the coil, to the points, where it is interrupted as the points open, and then runs through the points when they close. Once the power gets through the points when they close, it introduces an EMF in the secondary coil windings which raises the voltage and sends it to the center of the distributor which then distributes it while the rotor turns to each cyl.

Sorry, wrong wording on my part. The signal doesn’t do BACK to the coil, but rather the EMF signal gets generated.

 

I doubt the distributor is the issue (components inside possibly, new or not), but if you decide to replace it RockAuto lists re-man. available.

 

Stock tri-five chevy pretty much. Some of the wiring, such as the positive coming from the solenoid to the coil has been replaced, but the actual wiring diagram is pretty bog standard.

 

OK, yea it does not sound like you have an issue with the distributor, the problem is elsewhere. It sounds like you have a decent enough understanding of how it operates. I would be looking at all of the wiring insulation, including inside under the cap for rub through because the breaker plate is always moving to add and pull timing, especially if it mostly original to the car. That old cloth stuff doesn't last forever and literally crumbles away at the slightest touch eventually. It would also be helpful to bring in someone in person ho knows how to check for voltage drop and stuff like that, at this point everything between the battery and the spark plugs is suspect to me. Hopefully you are able to get it sorted out.

 

Spark is a pale yellow

 

So weak spark, what could that be? My suspicion is still a grounding issue, but what else can I check. Is there a test I can do on the condenser? Should I temporarily remove the condenser to see if it fires?

You name it I’ve probably tried replacing/switching out the part. Just yesterday I tried a brand new coil but that didn’t fix it either.

 

When you say the coil wire, do you mean the one from the starter to coil, the one from coil to dizzy, or the plug wire from top of coil to top of cap? Plug wires are ~5 yrs old but again, have maybe 1 hour total runtime, probably less.

 

So that wire you’re showing should run from the terminal on the points, to the advance plate right? And then another should run from that same points terminal to the - coil right?

 

This might help with your troubleshooting.

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

 

I'd throw a multi-meter on the +coil side to see if the ballist resistor is bad too giving the coil a low voltage...


....

 

Finding a set of new plug wires is hard. Seems one guy owns them all.

 

Don't know if it has been said already, but make sure you have a good ground to the engine. Ground from the battery to the frame, to the body and then to the engine or engine then frame (as long as all 4 are tied together) with good cables.

The distributor like others have said is just a single wire grounding the housing to the breaker plate, an isolator on the wire to the points (through the housing as not to ground the signal from the coil) and bushings.

 

Just to add, the body of the distributor needs a good ground to the block as well, paint, corrosion, gasket can all contribute to a poor connection

 

A nice length of Packard 440, or equivalent, is real nice to have.