Having trouble getting fire.

This is driving me nuts here guys, I have 1965 Chrysler Newport with a 383, I had the carb off to be rebuilt a few months ago and when i put it back on, I changed out the points and condenser in the distributor. Ever since I have no fire at all. I have changed the plugs, wires, cap, rotor ****on and coil since and still nothing. Thought it may be the gap but it seems to be fine. No spark in between it at all though when i turn it over. Please help.

 

Use a test light, the kind with the pointed probe. Leave the key on and start following the trail, open the points with the probe, the light should lcome on. Start checking from the coil at EVERY connection, inside and out side of the distributor. Especially check the insulator where the wire goes through the side of distributor. If the points are old NOS, they may be corroded OR have oil on them to prevent corrosion.

 

bet the farm you grounded the points when you put in the new points pay real attention where your power wire p***es thru the body of the dist bet you will find it grounded or where the wire is attached inside the dist where power wire and the condensor wire touch

 

thanks, ill check this out in the morning.

 

When all else fails, cut the connectors off the coil +/- wires and re-do. Of all the common problems I've had over the years, it's been these two wires and their connectors.

 

You might try switching back to the condenser you took out. I have had bad "new" condensers in the past and judging by the quality of parts nowadays it's 50/50 that you got a bad one now.

 

Grounded primary circuit at the points. Number one cause of ignition failure after tune up.

 

thanks so much guys I finally got fire to it. Now when i crank it the carberator is sputtering and it actually caught a lil fire. What is my next step. You guys are the best.

 

it might be that your timing is too soon

 

would the timing get changed if i never moved the distributor?

 

It may sound silly, but triple check your plug-wires. Both for grounding and order. You might be surprised.

 

The cap could be slightly different which would screw up the timing
Are you sure you installed the new wires in the correct order.

 

yeah...one of the tricky little things about points get bored sometime, throw a test light on and change the dwell while it's running and watch the timing mark move

 

firie into the carb... timing is off
.. slipped a few teeth or plug wires are way out of order...
careful now that its had a carb fire as carb internals will be suspect to leak and really catch fire..
do you know where no. one cylinder is ? its not where you think..
big block is a different animal

ballast resistor and choke settings ... more to check

 

This is the right path to follow.

Along with this make sure that you set the point gap with the rub block on the points on the high point of the distributor cam. You will probably have to bump the engine over to get the distributor cam in the right spot. As he said above make sure that the points are clean, a dirty feeler gage will mess them up.

Make sure that you have the leads from the distributor and the condensor are connected correctly. And as mentioned previously not grounded out. This is usually where you get a don't run condition when changing points and condensor if you have the points adjusted correctly.

I'd also check to make sure that the condensor is tight in it's holder.

The points are the ground switch for the coil. when they are closed the Primary circuit in the coil is closed and a magnetic field builds up in the coil. When they open the field collapses and sends the spark to the distributor cap and then to the plugs.

If the points aren't adjusted right the timing can be a bit off and quite often the timing changes a bit when you change points but not drasticly.

I'd also check the plug wires to make sure I had replaced them in the correct firing order.

 

Chrysler 383 and up go counterclockwise on distributor. OK, so the engineer screwed up, but he only had a week to get the plug to the casting department

18436572

drivers side is 1357 p***enger side is 2468

 

Hope your carbs not a holley,if so it could also be power-valve replacement time>>>>.

 

You guys keep on helping me so here is another piece to this puzzle, I got the fire figured out, i had the spark plug wires on the distributor wrong. Now gas isn't getting to the carb, i have followed the fuel lines to the front. When i take it out of the back, fuel runs free, when i take it off the pump, no fuel comes out. I ran air through it and felt on the other end. I took the pump off and when i push on the lever on the back, air comes out. Is my pump still bad? What else could it be ?

 

try holding your finger over the exposed line fitting coming out of the mounted pump...
if you can keep fuel from squirting out with your finger the pump is bad..you should not be able to hold back 5-6psi

check to see if the fuel line is crushed or rotten in the area approx between the front wheels just behind the p*** side front .it crosses frame here.. notorious place of bad fuel line ... can be spliced by p***esd with rubber hose (short term) but new hardline front to rear is best ..
really go look there
thats where lotsa people slide the floor jack under and jack up on the frame... really go look

 

thanks so much guys, i finally got it running. I really appreciate your help