Unreliable spark

Aaron D. IL

Hi all,

So I'm out trying to get my 232/OD equipped '50 Pacemonster engine started today as it has been sitting for some time. cranks fine but the spark at the coil is intermittent and not all that hot. So I replaced it with a 6V coil off a Chevy 216 I had lying around. Bad idea? shouldn't any 6V suffice?

Beyond that what else would cause poor and unrealiable spark? I need some ideas. Rest of the distributor seems to be in pretty good shape but still needs to be timed. I just figured there's no point in doing that till I'm getting good spark from the coil. Would the wires be the only other answer? Should I just get a new Hudson coil. Seems they don't go bad that often.



Thanks

Unknown

Aaron,



Have you checked:



1. Battery voltage.

2. Battery wiring and connections.

3. Points, plugs, wires, condenser, rotor and cap.

4. Excessive current draw at starter.



You say you haven't timed the car. That could be a problem. If the points don't stay closed long enough, the coil doesn't have enough time to build a charge.



Now get to work and let me know if you need a hand.



Dave

Park_W

Aaron, try replacing the condenser. Weak spark is the classic sign of a bad one.

Aaron D. IL

UPDATE: Well Got a new 6V coil and got spark. The rough timed the engine. Turned out I had to move the firing order over by one plug in order for the rotor to be pointing to the number one plug even after messing with the adjustment screw on the back of the distributor.

Put it back together and got it rough timed.... checked compression and it was low. Added some oil to it and checked compression again and compression came up a bit (this engine has been sitting for some time) But still on the low side..... tried to start it up, she hiccuped but didn't start. Pulled the plug and cleaned em and checked compression one more time...strange thing is some were higher and some were even lower than the first time I checked it. hmmmmmm .......buttoned up the car and put it away for today and let the battery charge.

Unknown

Aaron,



You probably won't get reliable compression readings unless the engine has run for a while. If you're still getting low compression once it's warmed up, it could be due to rings and/or valve guides being worn. Also, rings can stick and not seal well on cars that has been stored for a while. Running them for a while usually cures that.

Aaron D. IL

OK I got it rough timed I got rid of the multi-weight oil and put in straight 30 with an "engine restore" addidtive then I put straight 40W through the top of the cylinders and put in some gas and she ran ...for about 10 seconds...blew out a good cloud of smoke.. Then I added gas and couldn'tget her to run again. Can the oil be washed out of the cylinders THAT easily and quickly ? Took out the plugs didn't seem fouled that bad

Unknown

Aaron D. IL wrote:

OK I got it rough timed I got rid of the multi-weight oil and put in straight 30 with an "engine restore" addidtive then I put straight 40W through the top of the cylinders and put in some gas and she ran ...for about 10 seconds...blew out a good cloud of smoke.. Then I added gas and couldn'tget her to run again. Can the oil be washed out of the cylinders THAT easily and quickly ? Took out the plugs didn't seem fouled that bad

---

Aaron, dumping oil in the plug hole might make the compression gauge read higher but it don't fix a dang thing and it don't take much of it,especially something as heavy as 40W to foul a plug . I would pull all the plugs and while cranking it pour some gas in the carb {not too fast and maybe about a pint}and wash some of it out and thin what's left of it to where it will burn. Keep cranking till it blows it all out and you won't get enough gas in the oil pan to worry about Clean the plugs good and have another go at it . ---BUD

RL Chilton

Aaron-



Here's another one that I might catch some flack about, but I've had great success with on "stored" motors to get the gunk and build-up out. You might consider it.



Drain your oil, and fill up your pan with kerosene. Run engine for about 45 to 60 seconds. Shut her back off, drain the kerosene, remove and clean plugs and fill back up with SAE30W. Works wonders for removing the cobwebs. Also, don't use old gas. Modern gasoline only "stores" for a couple months at most.



In the future, for short durations of a month or two, use Sta-Bil in the tank. Make sure you run it through the engine for a minute or two before shutting her off.



For longer periods of idleness, many car collector's and some Hudnuts I know that leave their cars parked for years at a time, do the following:



Drain the gas out of the tank, then run the car till it quits. Disconnect the battery and jack her up or put on those "C"-shaped plastic tire supports (to eliminate flat spots). When it's time to get her going, put gas in tank, a little down the carb(s), hook up the battery, get her on the floor, and awwaaay you go!!



Worse thing in the world for a car: inactiveness. Idle cars do not make reliable cars.

Unknown

Aaron,



Since you blew out clouds of smoke, it sounds you burned up whatever oil you had in the combustion chambers. That probably got rid of lots of mosquitoes too.



BTW, I have five gallons of kerosene sitting around if you want to burn that off too.