Hi guys, This is my first post and wanted to see if anyone has any ideas. Working on a 283 w/points. I've got 12 volts to the coil, 12V to the points, but no spark to the plugs. I've checked the primary circuit of the coil (no problem) and the secondary circuit (no problem). The car was running great when we parked it. ( about 18 months ago). Had an issue with the starter (swapped it out ) and now no spark. Did the screwdriver against the exhaust manifold trick to test that. Any additional tests or ideas that anyone can think of? Thanks
when you changed the starter, did you make sure to put the yellow wire back on the S terminal on the solenoid?
It's a 58, so the wiring is purple and green. But as far as I can tell, yeah. Just to double check I popped the hood on my other 58 and verified that the wiring matched.
Gerry, I don't know if I've ever had a condensor go bad, this is a sympton? I assume so or you wouldn't have posted it. But would a condensor go bad from sitting? Thanks
Are your points opening and closing? If so, when they close, does the voltage go to 0? If not, they're probably dirty and need burnishing. Common after long layoffs.
damnfingers, I did check that when I was checking that I had 12V to the points. The points only had about an hour worth of run time on them when we parked the car. So they look brand new (since they are) and they are opening and closing when the engine is being turned over. Could something cause a dramatic drop in voltage while the car is being turned over? Thanks
I knew that generally when the engine is turning over at what seems to be a fast enough cranking speed, the battery voltage will be somewheres around 8 or so volts. Coil should be getting about 8 volts from the ballast resistor when the key is in the "run" position, and about 8 volts from the bypass wire as you are cranking it over. Do you get any voltage on the point side of the coil (-) while cranking? it should be jumping between 0 and about 8 volts. If the condenser is shorted, or the points wire is shorted to ground somewhere, or the points are always closed, you will always get zero volts. If the breaker plate ground wire is not working, or the points are always open or are corroded or otherwise not making good contact, or the wire from points to coi is damaged, you'll always get voltage at the coil (-) terminal, it will not go to zero.
Belair, Sorry if I'm not reading what you're writing - but did you check to make sure the points are closing, i.e., voltage is dropping to zero when they close? Looks are deceiving...it only takes a small amount of corrosion to keep the points from contacting each other when they close.
On the corrosion front: Had the 'zact same prob on a car sitting the same amount of time - the contacts inside the cheapie distributor cap were aluminum, and a coating of aluminum oxide had formed on the inside of the cap contacts. scraped it off - BAM! motor lit. I use brass contact caps now.
squirrel and damnfingers, I did not check for voltage while turning the engine over. I will check tonight after work. It's a pain in the ass having to work to pay for my toys. Thanks
I concur, I am thinking it has to be something in that distributor. If there is power at the starter and the coil is getting and giving juice...then it's more than likely some corrosion in the dizzy. Condensation often gets trapped in there and, if left for considerable time, can do a little damage. Good luck and let us know your findings. PS- If a condenser went bad, wouldn't it still get spark...but just run rough after you got it going?
that depends on the phase of the moon, and other things. Condensers are cheap, and it's hard to test them fully, so the usually diagnostic method is to check the rest of the system, if it still don't run, swap out the condenser.
That's what I'd suspect too. File/sand the points contacts. I've had it happen so often that I don't even try to start a points equipped car that has been sitting for a while without first filing the contacts.
It is very possible, I had a 55 and would let it sit for a couple a weeks and the condenser went changed it and it fired right up. The 55 had a 63 283 in it. One other place to check is the starter solenoid had a "s" terminal and a "r" terminal on later vehicles. the "s" terminal went to starter switch the "r" terminal went to the positive side of coil, that gave the coil 12 volts at start only.
If you're gonna burnish the points, go easy on the sanding/filing. Use crocus cloth or a plain piece of kraft paper; drag it thru the closed points only a few times. You're just trying to remove a possible oxide film.
disconnect the wire on the s terminal, see if yiu have spark now. if so the terminal in the solenoid is grounding out the ignition.
Yes it is possible. Had a 55 with a 283 and had the same issue, changed the condenser and fired right up. But reading some of the replies and I am leaning towards a possibility of wiring of the solenoid. You said you have a purple wire and green wire and I take that as to mean at the solenoid. Are they crossed? Early solenoids had two terminals besides the main terminal. One terminal is marked "S" it is the one closest to the block and one marked "R" on the outside, the "s" terminal went to the starter switch and the "R" went to positive or negative side of coil, not for sure here on the side, the reason was to get 12 volts at start, but you mentioned you have another 58, so match them , in those years chevy did not waiver much in the wiring of the ignition. Other places I have had problems was with the starter switch and fuel delivery
Problem Solved. The solution is: don't let your 16 year old son wire up your starter. The wiring was correct but he "forgot" to attach the bolt from the back of the starter to the solenoid. I wanted to double check the wiring and pulled the battery cable and immediately saw it. So it was nothing more than a missing bolt. We did have another problem, but I'm going to start another post for that. Thanks for all your suggestions.
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