Re: Suddenly No-Go

Posted by Jim McDermaid On 2014/9/11 11:14:32

In the few minutes I got to work on the car last night, it appears that ignition is the likely culprit.

I expect the condenser inside the distributer has become shorted.

I have one of the old timing lights that has a neon flash tube and with it plugged into a sparkplug wire and the other side to ground there is almost no spark.

The points appear to open properly.

The car was running normal for one trip around the block and then it slowly started to fail. I managed to get it off the street and into the driveway. At this point it won't fire at all.

With the air cleaner off the accelerator pump delivers a good squirt of gas and I have already verified fuel flow to the carb.

I of course cleaned off the work bench just this past weekend and tossed out an old condenser which did work abou8t three years ago. I don't know if the local Autozonies still sell points and condensers. I'm thinking they are all about the same value which is 0.2 mFd in capacitor land. I may cut the old one loose and tag one on at the coil and see if it will start.

Fortunatly it didn't quit on the six lane road I take into work.

In the electronics business we have found the Asian made capacitors (condenser) are short lived.

Jim