“A” won’t start…….no spark to plugs

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Orlfire53

Junior Member
“A” won’t start…….no spark to plugs

Back story….. Purchased 1928 CCPU in early November, 2021. Got it home, drove it a few miles over the course of next few days. Went to give ride to wife and it wouldn’t start. Turned over well, had fuel, etc. Because it was late in the year and Wisconsin winter on its way I pushed the truck into heated portion of garage. Over winter did I a few small tasks…..speedometer, repair fuel gauge, head light repair, etc. Spring has arrived and still won’t start. Changed points/condenser to new style, new plugs, new coil, checked wiring connections from starter to junction box to coil to distributor to switch to amp gauge. Besides new points, condenser, plugs, distributor etc the popout switch and distributor cable was also replaced. Have good spark at points but nothing is getting to the plugs. At wits end. What’s left to check/replace? Almost ready to move on from A’s!!??!
 
Re: “A” won’t start…….no spark to plugs

Check the wire from the lower plate to the points. These can break or fray and if they ground out, there will be no power going to the points.
 
Re: “A” won’t start…….no spark to plugs

You have spark at points. Good. With ignition switch turned on, you have pulled the closed pints apart and gotten a spark across the points. OK, good.
Now take the big coil wire that goes from the distributer cap to coil and hold it an eighth inch or so from a bare head bolt nut and pull your points apart again like you did to test spark at points. You should get a nice blue spark at the head bolt nut. Unless you have a bad distributer cap or distributer body, you should have spark to the plugs.
 
Re: “A” won’t start…….no spark to plugs

Are you getting spark from the coil high tension lead to ground when you open the points?
Rotor installed? Check rotor for leakage top to bottom in the centre.
Too big of a spark at the points can indicate a bad condensor.
 
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Re: “A” won’t start…….no spark to plugs

Also check the tab on the top of the rotor and the contact on the bottom of the distributor cap. That contact needs to make a good connection to the rotor tab to deliver the spark to the 4 contacts on the distributor body and out to the plugs.
 
Re: “A” won’t start…….no spark to plugs

New wire but will check again to make sure it isn’t grounding out. Thanks
 
Re: “A” won’t start…….no spark to plugs

Thanks. Did your test. Had a nice blue spark at the points but when I put the coil wire to a head bolt, the spark wasn’t blue but more orange in color. Nice audible spark though just not blue.
 
Re: “A” won’t start…….no spark to plugs

Don’t mean to sound rude but what exactly am I looking for at the rotor and the distributor contact point. Both are new but I understand that todays “new” doesn’t always mean they work as they should
 
Re: “A” won’t start…….no spark to plugs

Make sure the metal tab on top of the rotor is bent upward a little so it makes contact with the button on the bottom of the cap. I've seen that button either missing or jammed up in the cap a couple times over the years. This is my car. You can see a mark on the tab where the button contacts it.
 

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Re: “A” won’t start…….no spark to plugs

I'd put a voltmeter across the primary of the coil. When point closed should have FULL battery voltage, when open should have zero. If not full battery when points closed, trace til you find out why.
 
Re: “A” won’t start…….no spark to plugs

Take the top off the distributor and crank it over. Watch the shaft where the rotor button goes. If it turns, go to the posts above. If it doesn't you have a stripped timing gear.
 
Re: “A” won’t start…….no spark to plugs

Orlfire53 said:
Had a nice blue spark at the points but when I put the coil wire to a head bolt, the spark wasn’t blue but more orange in color.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a bad or poor condensor.
 
Re: “A” won’t start…….no spark to plugs

Basically took all advice from you all and started over. Rechecked connections, reset points, retimed, checked rotor gap and the spring tab on rotor top. Hit the starter and off she went. Could have been any of the above or a combination but I’m leaning towards the rotor and the spring tab which I adjusted to give it more resistance. Thanks to all.
 
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