Need Help! Distributor Problems....

Hey guys (and gals)

Ive got a problem I need some help with. Been trying to figure this out for 2 days now. Its something probably pretty simple but I need some fresh eyes and opinions on it! Ive got this truck alsmost running if i can get past this hurdle!!

Ok! So ive got a 1950 dodge pickup with the original (rebuilt) 218 flathead six. Or atleast i think its the 218 could be the 230 but I believe it is the 218. The owner who had the truck before me decided to take the guts out of the distributor and i had another distributor a newer one that i bought a new breaker plate for and stabbed it in place of the old one.

Ok ive got power going to the coil from the coil into the distributor and from there i'm not getting spark to the plugs and wires. here is a list of stuff ive done so far.

Grounded motor
new coil, rotor bug, and cap,
point gaped correctly
not sure if im in time but i cant really check that until i get fire to the plugs you know?
new wireing

im just running out of ideas?

Thanks for the help!!

PS disregard the battery jumper cable lol

 

oh and everything is just temp to try and get it running so thats why everything looks like its all over the place ha!

 

Points openingclosing? Turn engine over untill points are open,with power on see with test light if you have power to the movable point. If you do connect the ground end of test light to the fixed point . Does the light light? If so clean and double check point gap. If no power to movable point check for short/ground where the wire goes through the side of the dist.

 

Do what john says with the test light. You have to start there.

Another test light deal is to hook the clip of the light to the coil where the point wire is, then ground the tip of the light. If the light goes on and off as you crank the motor, then the points are at least working and not shorted out.

 

You need to do what John said to make sure it is firing but then you should pull the number one spark plug and have someone bump the engine over with the starter while you put your finger over the plug hole so you can feel the compression when the piston comes up on compression. It may take several tries but you should be able to get the timing marks lined up. It's best to find and clean the timing marks off first.
Once you have number one up on compression and the timing marks lined up check the distributor to make sure that the rotor is pointing to where number one wire goes in the cap.

If you have it in the right spot and the points are open you should be able to lock the distributor down, put the cap back on and fire the engine up.

 

Allright well we did have juice going to both sides of the distributor points umm still no power going to the plug wires though IDK. Ill double check that for sure using what you said to do. though its just crazy im not getting any fire to the plug wires lol. at one point it wasnt closing all the way but we fixed that and it is closing and opening.

Apperciate the help!

 

yep we did that and still nothing lol crazy man! idk what it is! ill double check and make sure the point is open though when compression is up on one. THANKS!

 

Is your ignition power source a constant 12 volts?

 

yes it is.

 

Ok do you have an extra coil wire?

 

I guess your still 6 volts, I forget neg or pos ground.
First 6 volt coil ,if neg ground
take a condenser and put on term,neg
Pos wire direct from battery.
Now remove middle coil wire from cap.
Now with power on coil touch the condenser to ground,same time have cap end 1/4 inch from ground should see nice spark.
Every time you ground condenser you should see spark.
You also could take wire from cap and hold 1/4 to ground should see spark when starting.If no spark its coil or condenser.

 

When your points close the light should go out. The points ground the circuit. If the light stays on you are not getting a good ground.

 

See your 12 volts same thing but you need a 1.5 ohm resister in line with power wire.

 

You don't want juice going to both sides of the distributor points...you want it going to one side...the other side of the points needs to be grounded.

 

i don't see a rotor ****on

 

absolutely sure you have a good coil?

Frank

 

For 12 volt coils for Dodge Napa IC17 and ICR23 .56 ohms,
And dodge 1956 thur 1959 had a coil IC14 and shows in this book NO resister. This may help getting the right coil.
Once you see spark,they check firing order 153624 and tbc on mark.Think you can put in 2 ways or 180 out.

 

Right on so i need another ground inside the distributor or? Ive got the ground wire going from the coil to the distributor.

 

could anyone take a pic of their distributor and maybe send it to me? I may be missing a wire possibly inside the disributor like a ground or something.

 

the points are grounded when you screw them to the base, the wire from the coil is or should be insulated from the distributor till the points touch. That's why all those plastic pieces are in there.

 

Yes there is normaly a short little ground wire from the point plate to the dist. housing. If broken/bad you will not get a good ground circut.

 

Pretty sure gone through 3 of em lol!

 

i think thats it right there. gotta double check that but im sure i dont have that ground wire. Any chance you know where on the point plate that ground wire goes?

 

There is a wire that goes from grd on case to points frame.
The power wire goes on screw on points,condenser goes there to.

If you have to battery in front of you.
Take the consenser with vise grips put on neg post now get a screw and nut.now get a wire about 4inches long.now put all together,conderser wire,added wire,and power wire to coil -
everytime you touch the neg post and let off should see spark leave coil wire 1/4 from neg post.The pos wire to coil pos+
The wire is like the points.
The coil should be a points coil and they often have a resister.
I can tell you that a good condenser is a must,and if its a resister type coil it wouldn,t work.Its one or the other.

 

a chrysler product also if it is 12 volts has tove aballast resistor on i:e the white porcelin deal on the fire wall to test take the 2 end off the res and hook together if bad it will start but dont run long it fyr points in matter of mins. tom

 

No I sure don't. But any avaliable screw will do. Try to use extra flexiable wire if you make one, because the point plate moves a lot from the vac.advance movement.

 

53hotone is my Brother, we sure appreciate all the help! this truck has been fighting us, tooth and nail!

 

I have chased my tail before over a poorly made rotor. It was the premium line rotor but was shorted from the tab through the center and the spark was going down the distributor shaft---easy path to ground.

 

This may be a dumb question, but are you sure you have 12 volts going to the coil when you turn the key to "start"?

(edit)...ok i think i see you have it hardwired right to the bat side of the solenoid...temp I hope..

 

Look at this picture of your distributor.
The wire from the coil is not grounded, it is mounted to a terminal insulated from the distributor housing.
The wire from the coil will "pulse" when cranking the engine over when checking it with a test light.
The terminal on the points should not be grounded, it contains the
condenser wire and the wire to the coil (from the main housing terminal).


ign --------- (+) coil (-) ------------ points