1968 Need help from the engine gurus.....

[Mosesatm]

Don't forget the condenser; it can cause all sorts of problems.

If you think your distributor is off by a tooth try adjusting the timing one way or the other. If it starts running better when you turn the distributor it may be off. Another way to tell is to move all the plug wires one way then the other.

 

[robert campbell]

When the distributor is installed properly the vacuum advance is pointing basically straight ahead. If you have a timing light it should be "in the ballpark" of 6 degrees before top dead center and hot idle with the vacuum hose of the vacuum advance.

You should be able to move the distributor clockwise towards the thermostat housing and she the engine advance towards 12 to 15 degrees BTDC without running the vacuum advance into the thermostat housing. Likewise you should be able to retard the timing by turning it counterclockwise.

I prefer 12 degrees BTDC for most stock engines. Some a bit more or a bit less.

I doubt that you are off one tooth as the engines really run terrible in this condition. Depending on your coil location and air conditioning brackets there is a huge window to swing the distributor around.

Again I suggest running a simple wire from the positive battery terminal to the plus side of the coil. If this solves the problem it is wiring between the ignition switch of the ignition switch itself. It is simple to do and if the problem persists, it is the coil or distributor components.

Rob

 

[azbeneman]

Alright, I have been out of town for most of the past 6 weeks. I haven't had time to work on the car until today. I took out the Petronix and put in new points and gapped it properly. Put in old coil. Now it won't start at all.

I Rob suggested, I ran a wire from the battery to the coil. It still would not start. I swapped out the old coil for the Petronix? Turns over but does not fire.

So if I can't get it to start with a straight wire from battery to coil, so then is the problem between the ignition and the coil?

Craig

 

[robert campbell]

Craig,
My son's name is Kraig! Please do not be offended, but are you sure you are on the positive side of the coil with the 12 volt wire? A points system will have only one wire from the negative side of the coil to the points.

The Pertronix system uses a red wire to the positive side of the coil and a black wire to the negative side. The red wire for 12 volt power is on the positive post coupled up with the red wire from the Pertronix.

If this is all proper and you can test and see 12 volts at the coil, then you are correct, ignition components are at fault. You may have two bad coils? This is perplexing.

Rob

 

[Mosesatm]

Please don't be offended by this either, but did you put the rotor back in?

 

[azbeneman]

Rob,

I have it set up right. It occurred to me that both coils could be bad. I almost bought a replacement Petronix coil to test last month, but all they had was chrome. I didn't want to spend $50 on that.

The original coil I have been substituting in came with the car. The car ran pretty good 2 years ago when I bought it, but that coil appears to be at least 30 years old. It might be bad. My next step it to buy a normal coil to try with the points I have installed currently.

If that doesn't work, it is time to get under the dash for an hour or two. I will keep you guys posted.

 

[robert campbell]

Craig,
I am convinced that the problem is not under the dash. Not to worry!

Rob