Not getting fire!! Won't start. PLEASE HELP FAST!!

crotex said:
the coil does get fire 1/4 inch from the head stud at times but then other times it does not. I have tried alot of stuff and also have ha my buddy who is more familiar look at it as well and he does not know the problem. Is there anyone close by that can come take a look at this thing for me and fix it?? I will pay a person for their time.
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Tom narrowed it down to the primary side of your coil (black section). Use his next post to problem solve it.
ignition.gif
 
CROTEX: You asked if someone close by could help? FILL OUT YOU PROFILE AND/OR PROVIDE YOUR LOCATION AND CONTACT INFO please.
Paul in CT
 
Has someone made a bulitproof replacement system you can just pull out of a box, install and get an A running?
 
Try the connections on existing or a new ammeter, the roadster sat for about 6 months once, lost spark, cleaned terminals on ammeter well, and it fired right up. It seems as though your process was to throw parts at a problem, with my experiences that isn't the best course of action. Post all your findings no matter how small....
 
Roadster62 said:
Has someone made a bulitproof replacement system you can just pull out of a box, install and get an A running?
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Yes, a well restored original distributor works great.:D

And if you carry a spare with a screw in distributor wire with an aligator clip on the end, that could be used to bypass the ignition switch. Another 3 foot clip lead could be used to bypass the hot side of the coil primary. These 2 items could save a lot of time on tours where someone hasn't properly restored (or maintained) their distributor. Also carry a lower shaft, in case someone is using a one piece long shaft.:mad:
 
in the schematic shown,the coil wire does not directly go from the coil to the spark plug
,it goes through the distributor cap ,and rotor,and body ,several sources of trouble
 
I am located in cuero, texas about an hour from Austin Texas and an hour from San antonio, then also about and hour from Corpus Christi. I appreciate the helpful information from everyone but if someone could please give me an extra hand if you are somewhere close to the area I would appreciate it very much and would pay someone for their time.
 
Then you are close to Victoria, and a very active club, the Victoria-A's. A good many of them are likely getting back from the Poor Boy Tour right about now. I'm sending a PM with a couple of phone numbers.
Fearless
 
First off I want to say thanks to Tom Foster for the PM he sent me with helpful info.

Second off. I had the president of the local Model A club stop by for a minute and he showed me what to do. He didnt have much time so he told me and showed me. I did exactly as he said to do and nothing happend other than the coil got really hot.

He had me run the distributor wire to the negative side of the coil. The the positive side to the post on the starter. I still did not get anything and it is still not running.
 
crotex said:
First off I want to say thanks to Tom Foster for the PM he sent me with helpful info.

Second off. I had the president of the local Model A club stop by for a minute and he showed me what to do. He didnt have much time so he told me and showed me. I did exactly as he said to do and nothing happend other than the coil got really hot.

He had me run the distributor wire to the negative side of the coil. The the positive side to the post on the starter. I still did not get anything and it is still not running.
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To bad the president could not spend more time with you. I would guess an experienced model "a" man or woman could solve your problems in a half hour. Most new cars have the ignition switch between the coil and battery. The model "a" ignition switch is between the coil and distributor. I do not know if you knew this. The coil getting hot means something is wrong with the circuit. I wish I was closer and could help.
 
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The coil is getting hot because the points aren't interupting the coil primary circuit, like they are supposed to do. Something is keeping the coil energized FULL time.

I know this has been asked several times already, but are you sure the wire between the upper and lower plates is NOT touching ground? Or the cable screwed in too far and shorting the buss bar to ground?

Also, is the rotor turning?

Are the points adjusted to about .020"?

Is the points rubbing block worn away so the metal arm is rubbing on the cam?

Do you have a repro ignition switch that might have one of the terminals touching the gas tank and shorting the coil to ground?
 
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Tom Wesenberg said:
The coil getting hot is because the points aren't interupting the circuit like they are supposed to do. Something is keeping the coil energized FULL time.

I know this has been asked several times already, but are you sure the wire between the upper and lower plates is NOT touching ground? Or the cable screwed in too far and shorting the buss bar to ground?
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Take a step back and start over from the beginning. What Tom states is just like the guy with the voltage drop. He said he eliminated the Alt. But when he looked again that was the problem.

Like Tom said if the coil is getting hot the circuit is not opening.
http://users.erols.com/john-gloriabrady/Wiring-DiagramColor2sm.jpg

The areas to look at are;
1) The wire from the key switch is turned in too far and is shorting to the dist. body.
2) The wire from the bottom plate to the top plate is shorted to the dist body.
3) The points are not opening.
4) that Condenser is shorted to the distributor body.

Each and every time you open the points you should get a spark at the wire from the coil. Unless this happens in makes no difference what the dist. body cap wires or spark plugs are doing.
 
crotex said:
First off I want to say thanks to Tom Foster for the PM he sent me with helpful info.

Second off. I had the president of the local Model A club stop by for a minute and he showed me what to do. He didnt have much time so he told me and showed me. I did exactly as he said to do and nothing happend other than the coil got really hot.

He had me run the distributor wire to the negative side of the coil. The the positive side to the post on the starter. I still did not get anything and it is still not running.
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If the points are closed, the coil will get hot. If the ammeter is toast, you will have an open. I have seen points so close that they look like there closed, but they are not touching. Some times finger prints on new point contacts are enough to not make contact, or when you file, and not remove the dust, they won't make contact. With the coil wire in the coil, and the other end in the top, with the top on the head about a 1/4 inch away, with points closed, take a screw driver and make and break the points to check the contacts, it should snap, unless juice is not going through the contacts. There just is not much there to check out. I am going back to read what has been posted so far. Herm.
 
I have replaced the points, condensor, plate, wires from every point, coil, and the wire from the coil to the distributor. I have chacked all of the parts suchs as the dist. cap, wires, coil, and switch with a test light and all check out. The points are set at 0.20 and I just can not get any fire to the plugs. I have pulled the plugs cleaned them up, cleaned the connections on the rotor, all of the sparking points inside the cap, and worked on the timing. The last thing I tried was taking the wire that goes to the dist. and hooking it straight to the negative side on the coil and then running a wire from the positive side of the coil to the post on the starter. Still no spark. I have clecked the wire inside the distributor and looks to be good and tests out ok. Anything else that anyone has posted or suggested on here I am not sure of. I either don't understand or don't know how. I am new to this stuff and don't know very much. Some things I am not familiar with.
 
OK, I'm going to assume stock setup, 6V pos ground and a good ground connection from the battery to the engine block and to the cast body of the distrib..

1) Remove the dist cap, rotor, and cover.
2) Place a piece of paper between the points and the point block.
3) Take a volt meter and measure across the battery, write this down.
4) Take the volt meter and place the red wire on the engine block and the black on the arm near the point where you have the paper. You should read what you wrote down. I'm going to use 6v for ease of writing. either way go to step 5.
5) Move the black probe to the stud where the wire from the bottom plate attaches to the points. Have 6v. yes, have someone crank the engine do you still have 6volts as the engine spins and points remain open?
5A) No, the voltage went way down but was steady, check the battery with the starter spinning. A bad battery can look good with no load but go way down when the engine is cranking (It happened to me), replace battery and try to start.
5B) No the voltage was intermittent. Go on to step 6.
5C) Yes, it was steady 6v. Go skip step 6.
6) Remove the Condensor voltage steady the problem is the condensor or the attachment of the condensor such as the insulating washer.
6A) Turn off key, Remove the top plate and the wire from the bottom plate to the top plate. Turn key on, check for 6v at the bottom plate when the key is on and the engine spinning. It is still there and steady? Yes, the problem is in the wire from the bottm plate to the top plate. No, go on.
6B) Replace the jumper the pres had you put on. Is the voltage steady? Yes, the problem is in your ignition switch. Still intermittent the problem in where the armored cable goes into the dist and touches the bottom plate.
7) From step 5 above all the wiring to the points is good take a clip lead and place it on the point arm. Take the center wire from the coil and place it near a head stud. with key on each and every time you touch the end of the clip lead to a head stud you should get a spark. If everything chevks good move on. If not remove the condensor and repeat. Yes, bad condensor, still no, bad coil, .

If everything checks good and you remove the paper and put everything back and the engine still will not run and the intermittent spark on the coil wire returns;

8) Make sure the movable points and the fixed points are connecting squarely and are clean. Check to see that the clamp on the top that hold the points is not cracked. Replace, clean, file as needed.
9) With the meter check that the cap (the plastic body) has continuity from each internal stud to each external stud and only one stud.
10) Check for even gap on all four points between the rotor and the studs in the cap. Bend rotor and file studs as needed.
11) The cap should "float" on the rotor indicating that the metal tab on the top of the rotor is touching the center of the cap.

That's all I can think of please feel free to correct me as it is early in the morning and I'm rushing to type this during my break.

Check the gap at each lug
 
Make sure the points are open and test the resistance from the movable part of the points to the engine block. This should be an open circuit with the points open. The starter could be the problem as Mike V pointed out. The starter could be bad and taking all of the power away from the ignition. You could crank the engine by hand if this is the problem. I have never cranked a model "A" by hand. Never push on the crank is what I have been told. If you crank the engine wrong you can break your arm.

WHERE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CLUB WHEN YOU NEED HIM? Maybe somebody else will stop by and help.
 
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