Well Im about to pull my hair out again. So after rewiring the 51 plymouth completely and getting all new ignition and the dizzy rebuilt she runs like a top. Well almost she ran great for about 20 minutes and I decided to adjust the timing so it was just right and now nothing. I have spark fuel and compression I reset the timing 4-5 times ande doble checked all my voltages and points gap I pulled a plug and there not wet and then I put in some new plugs still nothing. The engines turning no knocking my question is will a weak condensor not send enough spark to the plugs Im at a lost and Roundups a week away!
How are you checking for this spark? Where in the circuit? Start at the plug and work backward. If your plugs are dry, are you sure your getting fuel? Can you try cranking while spraying a little starter fluid?
The condenser doesn't "store up" spark. It dampens the arc across the points to prevent them from pitting. The coil is what "stores" the high voltage. A shorted condenser will prevent the spark from happening. You can remove it and the car will run, it will just burn up the points. When you say you have spark, is this at the plug gap? Pull one (or use an old one) and ground the threads to the engine with the wire on and crank it over. It should fire across the gap. Also check to make sure you didn't break the rotor while fooling with the distributor. If it breaks and the tip turns the timing will be WAY off and not run even though you get spark.
to answer your original question.. can a weak condensor cause this..the answer is yes. but there could be other things causing this too. good idea is to rule this out tho. so check it or pitch it and try a new one than go from there.
I am getting fuel and I did pull teh fuel line to the carb and I am spraying starting fluid so I can rule out flooding. I have switched the rotor and cap twice and the condensor once so I have rotated the ignition to rule most everything out I set my dwell to specs I set my plug gaps to speck I pulled a plug and cranked over the engine with a good graound I have a nice clean blue spark. When I take the cap off teh points are openeing and closing a you can see the points arc across, the coil pulses with a test light when you crank it over. Like I sadi it ran great and I should have just left well enough alone but this has gotten me stumped.
OK, time to kill a chicken.................... Then, set the engine to TDC on #1, set the distributor and start it up. Just one more time from scratch.
I know you are getting a spark, but check the coil again. Mine was cracked like an egg, and I still had voltage at the coil (though no spark).
I don't know 50's engines, does the distributor use vacuum advance? Is that plugged back in? Not being a smart-***, but a "friend" of mine made that mistake recently.
The rotor and #1 plug are inline at TDC it does have a va*** advance but that really wouldnt effect it until the engine was under a load. right? even if it was out 180 degrees I'd atleast get some sort of pop from the engine right?
The distributor primary lead (the small wire going in to the side of the distributor) is good? If the wire hasn't been replaced in your rewire, it is possible that wire has shorted out inside the distributor. It is a common problem.
You may be suprised. I was working on a car when I was in high school and tried everything under the sun to get it running. There was no sound of combustion at all. After a day of letting me jack with it, my dad came out and swapped the wires out 180. It started immediately. I havent made that mistake since, but it's really easy to do. Sounds like your well versed in trouble shooting, but I would triple check it.
iS IT RUNNING YET? If not post the current condition and i will jump in with a detailed blow by blow test procedure and get ya running. be glad to help ''''''''
Thanks Bubba It really fired off when I got the dizzy back and ran great when I went to advance it a bit it wont start at all. I've got a local guy coming buy tommorow to check it out at this point Im not sure if it's the ignition and he's gonna check it out. Well respected guy in the local seen, kinda of the go to guy when all elese fails nicest person too real salt of the earth I'll keep you posted and see what happens after work tommorow.
Did you change the plugs recently? One time i got new plugs, put them in the car while the motor was hot, ran the car all night with no problems. The next day i could not get that car started for anything. Turns out the plugs were the wrong heat range, which was fine with a warm motor but they were to cold to start the cold motor the next day.
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