10 years ago

[guf]

I was here a lot reading and learning....I tell people I learned to restore my truck from this website. Amazing what you can absorb from here. I learned to weld, paint, and take things apart. I did too much at one time and learned to be patient. There wasn't a lot of youtube videos at the time and I was able to get this truck mostly together and then my situation changed and i had to employ help to finish. For the last 10 years it has be extremely reliable. I live in the city so its hard to find time to drive it. It spends time in the garage and then once a month I get it started and take it out.

A few weeks ago went out to start. I pump the gas a few times, turn the key and it takes 15 seconds or so it fires up. this time was the same except the gas pedal got stuck under the floor mat and the truck revived super high. I turn it off and have not been able to get it started since. I THINK I'm not getting a spark but was getting 12 volts at the ignition coil.

I'm not really in the repair mode mind set so its hard to articulate what I've been doing or need to do.
I replaced the cap and rotor, ignition coil, and starter switch. Then last night I realized that my wires were wrong going to the distributer cap. I straighten that out but still not starting.

Any thoughts or suggestion on what to do next?

[sick472]

I simple check to see if you have spark at the plugs is to pull out a spark plug and hold it with an insulated handled pair of channel locks so that the curved tip (or threads) is touching something grounded (like a bare spot on the block or engine/exhaust bolt) and have someone turn the ignition key like they are trying to start it. You should see the spark at the tip jumping to the curved portion of the plug. It's a good idea to unplug the remainder of the plugs so that the truck does not actually start (at the plugs) and check the other plug wires with your removed plug individually. This eliminates any problems with the firing system (asuming that your firing order is now correct and your timing is on), but will not actually check every plug unless you remove them individually and check them too. Chances are the plugs are good unless they are flooding.

[HO455]

Unfortunately from the events you describe I think you may have a timing chain issue. I would confirm the timing before going further. When you found the problem with the ignition wires I am assuming that you found them all off and not a couple of them switched. Have you noticed any backfires?
Line the balancer up at TDC on the firing stroke and check that both the intake and exhaust valves are closed. You may have to pull the water pump and timing cover to be sure. If you have the cam card and a degree wheel (or the correct timing tape installed on your balancer) you should also be able to verify the timing chain hasn't jumped without pulling the front of the motor off.
Good luck I. Hope I am wrong.

[sick472]

Originally Posted by HO455

Unfortunately from the events you describe I think you may have a timing chain issue. I would confirm the timing before going further. When you found the problem with the ignition wires I am assuming that you found them all off and not a couple of them switched. Have you noticed any backfires?
Line the balancer up at TDC on the firing stroke and check that both the intake and exhaust valves are closed. You may have to pull the water pump and timing cover to be sure. If you have the cam card and a degree wheel (or the correct timing tape installed on your balancer) you should also be able to verify the timing chain hasn't jumped without pulling the front of the motor off.
Good luck I. Hope I am wrong.

Sound advise!

[guf]

ok. I've only got as far as I know I'm NOT getting a spark. According to my inline spark tester. I'm not sure if this evidence for a timing chain problem or means there is other things to look at.

[HO455]

For the most part the only thing that would cause a no spark problem and be the timing chain related would be if the chain has broken completely. That is easy to check by removing the distributor cap and watch the rotor while bumping the engine over. If it doesn't rotate then it it isn't connected to the crankshaft any more. If it does then you should be good.
No mention if this a point style or a HEI distributor. Either way a quick inspection of the mechanical advance may be a good place to look for broken springs or damaged wires. The over RPM situation may have caused a spring to fail and now part of it is shorting the points to ground or it has broken a wire or a module.

[guf]

I followed your suggestion and remover the cap, and noticed there was movement when I tried to start the motor. Its a point system. and didn't notice any thing standing out as a problem.
thanks for your suggestions.

[HO455]

I'm running out of RPM based problems. Check to see if the point gap is still correct. If you hook a dwell meter to the ignition and crank it over you should see the meter bounce back and forth. That will tell you if the point side of the ignition is working as it should.

[kazoocruiser]

I'd put a wrench on the crankshaft at rotate it back and forth to see if the distributor moves in time or lags. How many miles on the motor? If you have a plastic-tipped cam gear you might have detonated it with the over-revving.

[jrc54]

ok,, simple check, pull the cap, turn the engine, the rooter turns, the chains not snapped, no spark? check your electrical (All the wires) might also check the ground strap. save puling apart stuff for later.

[zicc1835]

im going to stay tuned ...all real good advice so far

[guf]

this could be my problem?

[RichardJ]

Yep!

[Steeveedee]

That's got to be the first time I've seen that, and I've installed hundreds of point sets. Crazy.

[HO455]

That sure enough would open the point gap.
Good job! I too have never seen a contact drop off like that. Seen them welded together, but not this. Must be the super glue they use assemble things now days.