Wont Start

tagroff

tagroff

Member
Okay guys to start this off I am in no means a mechanic. So she wont start actually I drove her to a show and wouldnt start afterwards so had her flatbedded home. I cant figure out where to start and what to start with in figuring out why she wont run. Please be gentle I have seen some of you be pretty hard on guys who are uninformeded on the Mechanics of a Vehicle...Thanks for your help in advance,,,Tim
 
Check that your ignition system will fire a spark to the plugs. check to see if gas is getting to the engine.
 
Did she turn over and never fire? Or no turnover?
Start with the battery, is it charged up? Will it hold a charge?
Do you have a spark?
Do you have fuel at the carb?
Probably something simple. Bob
 
Brentwood and J Franklin are on the right track. Start with this and tell us what you find. Don't start replacing random parts. Start with the small things
 
I will check these things when I get home..It does turn over I did check at the carb and it is getting gas to there. Will pull a plug when I get home and check for spark. I did have someone help (should say do and me watch ) put modern point in it not long ago.
 
Choke it only for about three turns over when cold. Any more than that will flood it. If you flood it, let it sit for a minute and try starting without choking. When warm, I sometimes have to choke mine for about one turn over, but not often.
 
tagroff said:
Okay guys to start this off I am in no means a mechanic. So she wont start actually I drove her to a show and wouldnt start afterwards so had her flatbedded home. I cant figure out where to start and what to start with in figuring out why she wont run. Please be gentle I have seen some of you be pretty hard on guys who are uninformeded on the Mechanics of a Vehicle...Thanks for your help in advance,,,Tim
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We may seem hard & crude at times,:mad: but we ain't MEAN!! :eek: Bill W.
 
Okay sorry havent got back to you but been out of town alot lately...Not getting any spark where should or should I say what do you think I should replace first ???
 
I would get a test light and make sure you got power going everywhere. I.E ignition,coil,starter,amp meter, cutout and points. Before replacing parts try and see what park of the connection isn't working.
 
One time a man couldn't get his Model A to start even though it had been running perfectly just before turning it off and asked me to check it out. After a few minutes checking stuff with my $10 electrical tester I found the problem. Turned out the problem was the coil wire to the distributer had fallen down slightly, but was still stuck in the coil, but not enough to make contact. Sometimes a simple thing will be the hardest to spot. Do you have one of those 30 amp safety fuses mounted on the starter?
 
tagroff said:
Okay sorry havent got back to you but been out of town alot lately...Not getting any spark where should or should I say what do you think I should replace first ???
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Check to see if the points are opening and closing properly. I once helped to start a car where the points were not closing due to being adjusted too wide. Next check to see that you are getting 6 volts to the points. Do you have 6 volts at the coil when the points are open? As others have advised don't just start replacing parts or you may add other problems.

Charlie Stephens
 
I will check the ignition wire where it goes into the distributor also check the coil wire. I have bought a voltage reader but dont know how to use it so this should be a new experience. It is very frustrating not knowing how to work on this vehicle it is time I learned..Will update you tomorrow..Thanks Again
 
tagroff said:
I will check the ignition wire where it goes into the distributor also check the coil wire. I have bought a voltage reader but dont know how to use it so this should be a new experience. It is very frustrating not knowing how to work on this vehicle it is time I learned..Will update you tomorrow..Thanks Again
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Look on top of the starter for a fuse and holder. If this fuse is blown, it won't start. Probably,none of the other electrical parts will work either, like the horn or lights.
 
You need to get Les Andrew's book, vol 1, at a minimum, available from any of the vendor's, and keep coming back here.
paul in CT
 
Some possibilities are:
1.Blown or defective fuse (use of a fuse is an aftermarket item)
2.Bad connections at ammeter, or ammeter itself (ti find out put a jumper wire from one post of the terminal box to the other to take the ammeter out of the circuit temporarily)
3.Bad ignition switch and/or cable, or loose cable connection at switch.
4.Loose or broken wires at bottom of coil
5.Loose or broken wires inside terminal box
6.Loose, bare or broken pigtail wire under distributor plate, or wire grounding to plate or distributor body
7.Points not opening, or point arm grounding to cam due to worn rubbing block
8.Worn electrode in underside of distributor cap
9.Loose or broken high tension wire from coil to cap
10.Condenser burned out or grounding (some condensers are too long and can touch the distributor body inside)
11.Weak coil
12.Rotor not turning due to loose cam screw or bad timing gear.


Ok now break out a volt meter (a light bulb can give false readings).
Start at the fuse block, you should have voltage on both sides of the fuse. If you only have voltage on one side, replace the fuse of fuse block.

Now with voltage on both sides of the fuse, move up to the junction box. There should be voltage at both terminals. If voltage is present only on one side the problem is at the ampmeter and you should Jumper the ampmeter for now.
You should have voltage on both sides of the coil. If not,
remove the red wire on the coil and check again. If you now have voltage on both sides, you have a problem further on. If the voltage is still only in one side you have a bad coil.

Open the points with a piece of paper and remove the condenser. Turn the key on and you should have voltage at the points.
Replace the condenser and you should still have voltage.

If voltage is missing, remove the top plate and check for voltage on the bottom plate.

Check is the connector from the ignition switch screwed in to far? Do you have voltage on the wire to the upper plate?

Is this wire shorting to ground or broken?

Are the point closing.
Let us know what you find.
 
Can't believe it guys but spent the morning looking her over and found the fuse by the starter blown replaced it and she fired right up..Thanks for your help glad to have her back on the road
 
tagroff said:
Can't believe it guys but spent the morning looking her over and found the fuse by the starter blown replaced it and she fired right up..Thanks for your help glad to have her back on the road
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Check all the ground points to assure good contact. I kept blowing the fuse in my Coupe, about every third time out. Seemed to be worse when I put a load on the electrical system (lights, turn signals, brake lights, etc.) Found that the ground to my lights (the bucket to the cross arm) was not good. A quick wire wheel (dremel) and some dielectric grease, and I have not had any problems with blown fuses.

Check all the connections for GOOD, clean, metal to metal contact. Rust and corrosion will cause problems.
 
tagroff said:
Can't believe it guys but spent the morning looking her over and found the fuse by the starter blown replaced it and she fired right up..Thanks for your help glad to have her back on the road
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I risk repeating myself,:eek: Learnin,' repetition is the mother of learnin', and The Father of boredom!
REPLACE those add on fuse holders with a 30 amp G.M. blade type circuit breaker & the little fuse holder lead that's made to accomodate it. While tracing dead shorts, it just clicks off & on while trouble shooing, when it stays on, you just found that _*^%$&^# short. Now just fix it! It's usually a minor repair when you've found the DAMNED THING! Don't get perplexed. Always seems worse & more mysterious when it's on YOUR own car. MEN designed and built this contraption and US MEN can diagnose & repair it's ills. (CHIEF said so!) Many problems are caused by US. Bill W.
 
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