How to wire an engine for test start

JMed
JMed Expert Adviser
edited January 2013 in HUDSON
Hello everyone,

I need a little help with the wiring of my '52 hornet engine. I am trying to start the engine by itself but there is no spark. Here is how I wired it:

Starter:
1 - Negative on battery to starter post
2 - Positive on battery to block for ground

Coil:
1 - Positive on coil to distributor
2 - Positive on coil to positive on battery
3 - Negative on coil to negative on battery

Does that wiring look ok? Sine this is a negative ground car, should the wiring be reversed on the coil? The starter cranks but I took a sparkplug out, got it close to the block, but there is no spark.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you,
Jairo.

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    One thing I can answer is that you need BIG cable from battery to Starter.

    since you state this has been changed to negative ground, the cable will go from the positive terminal.

    Beyond that I would have to look at my wiring diagram and start tracing wire while standing next to the engine.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    If that is a new "Part's Store "coil ,try switching the wires you have on the coil around. Take the ones from the + and put them on the one marked - .I know it may sound odd but try it,
    Roger
  • JMed
    JMed Expert Adviser
    Hi, sorry, the car is the original positive ground, not negative ground.
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    You have it slightly wrong. Take that positive coil to battery wire off. Ideally you should have a switch in there to kill the motor it needs be.
  • schillaz
    schillaz Expert Adviser
    I agree with Geoff, take the + wire off the coil to the battery.

    **another thing would be to verify you have a chassis ground aswell. Weird things can happen with poor grounds. From the POS side of your battery the cable should go to the frame (below the battery tray) then a cable from that point to the engine block.

    hope this helps, good luck.
  • JMed
    JMed Expert Adviser
    That worked Geoff!

    I tried it again before manking any changes and noticed that positive wire from the coil to the battery was getting extremely hot. then I took it out and got a spark. It was a weak spark but that's progress. The ground may be a bit rusty and the red wire may have tried to provide most of the ground.

    Thanks,
    Jairo.
  • JMed
    JMed Expert Adviser
    Yes, I think the ground is still a problem. I'm testing this with the old battery cables and they are in bad shape, but this is just a test. I have bought 00 gauge to make some new cables. That should help a great deal.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    If its weak reverse the polarity on the coil as I stated earlier .A common issue,
    Roger
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