Uh oh....

[Gopher]

Ok,

After getting my 74 spider last week, it didn't run since it left PO and had been sitting since Sept. he could n't get it to start and so far neither can I.

I have replaced coil, wires, cap and rotor, both condesors at dizzy....still, it cranks but no start. Smells of fuel and even with starting fluid in carb...nothing. no spark going through to plugs....they are pretty nasty anyway and will be changed out. New terminals on fully charged battery. Cranks pretty hard.

I did notice that the PO or the PPO did something to the distributor because I am having trouble threading and tightening down right side screw to secure it, can only get a thread or two to lock IF I am careful. One of the condensors was secured under this screw as well with previous cap. Am I in the market for a new distributor or allison's distributorless ignition kit for a few bucks more? how can you test a distibutor?

Thanks. sorry for my ignorance on this.

Brian

[124JOE]

bump

[azruss]

start upstream. do you have power to the coil? hows your coil ground. are you sure your condensors are good. check to see if you switched the wires on the condensors. is your ground on the back of the cam tower intact. can you get a spark to jump from a plug wire to the chassis.

[So Cal Mark]

first step is to get a test light and check for current to the coil, then points

[Gopher]

I did check for spark at plug wires...nada. Coil, condensors, wires, cap and rotor are all new. Since no power to plugs, I have not changed them yet as I don't want to foul them with fuel yet trying to start.

Where do the condensors mount? One was secured to the bottom of one of the screws holding dis cap on, the other was screwed into the side of the distributor. Is the other one suppossed to be sectured the same way...to the side of the distributor? can't find another hole.

Thanks all.

[124JOE]

side by side same hole on the base of the dis

[azruss]

remember the shell of each condensor must be connected to the dizzy base..metal to metal. it needs this electrical ground to function.

[ventura ace]

You didn't mention the points. How do they look? Are they gapped correctly? Is the 12V wire from the coil to the points connected securely on both ends?

Alvon

[Gopher]

THank you everyone for the feedback.

I didn't know the condensors had to be mounted to same hole. I will put back there. Points look new. The old ones were in a box in the trunk when I got the car.

Have new Bosch Platinum +4 plugs, but from research I have done on here seems that the car will run like crap when installed. May use just to get car running (even if bad) then switch to something else.

Thank goodness it is Cleveland and I am not in a rush to get her out on the road, but hopefully by April she will be purring away and ready to go.

[124JOE]

let us know when you have tested the wires on the coil with the key on for 12v

[Gopher]

Okay....the wires going TO the coil are showing around 12v (11.68 good enough?). Nothing coming out of coil, either cranking or just with ignition on. took distributor cap off and looked at points and they are bright and shiny and move as they should when cranking, but still nada at distributor.

Coil is brand new, wires are new. Would the resistor at the coil be a culprit? I am assuming those are pretty generic and any parts store would have one that would work?

Thanks all

[majicwrench]

Testing for power at the coil, it could be very normal to only have current at one terminal, if the points are closed. Current runs thru the coil to the points, which ground the current when they close. So, remove the wire from the coil that goes to the dist. Now test for current on both terminals. If you still only have current on the one terminal, the coil has failed internally (not common). But more likely you will find that with the wire removed,now there is 12v on both sides of coil. Which means something is grounding the wire to the (-) side of coil, likely installation issues with points and condensor(s).

[Gopher]

Ok...checked power at both coil posts, check..12v.....checked for power coming out of coil, check...12v. checked for power at center post of dist cap, check ..showing 12v...nothing beyond that.

Condensors are secured to same screw on back right side of distributor housing. secured, one to each of the securing terminals on distributor. Is this the way it is suppossed to be set up?

Also, Found a On/Off switch mounted below dash (under dash below headlight switch) with bright blue wires coming from it....anybody familiar with what this would be a mod for? Looks like the wires disappear under dash, one to the center console.

[RRoller123]

Sometimes that switch under the dash is a hard wired radiator fan switch. My car came with the same thing from a PO.

[geert]

as you get 12 v to the coil , the starter is working fine = good battery, but no spark :
check with a new ( or even better exchange with a proven one you borrow) coil and condensator.

a friend of mine had the same problem with a Datsun 240Z and a brand new coil ( just before the start of the monte-carlo )
Old coil back in and problem solved.

As for the switch : could be anything : look if you see the blue wires coming out under the hood, most likely central more or less behind the airfilter. If you meet those wires there again good chance they're heading for the fan, as RRoller stated.
If not : extra wires for extra lights ? , home-made immobiliser ? ( working very fine as it seems )

groeten, Geert.