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This morning I'm going to install the brand new points from NAPA, the CS721A ones.

In the process, I'll look for anything in the distributor that could be grounding out or disrupting spark to the plugs.

This shouldn't be this hard. Had it been, we'd all be feeding the horses and cleaning the stables.

Can anyone tell me if the valve directly under the #1 spark plug should be up (open) or down (closed) on the compression stroke? Is it an intake or exhaust?

Thanks,
Joe

Joe,
On the compression stroke, both valves should be closed (down) so compression can take place. I believe the valve under the #1 spark plug is exhaust.

Thanks, JD,

I will double check what I did measuring the depth. I may have gotten the two mixed up. But I did follow the order of my pictures.

I will run the compression test again to see if I can get anything on the 2 o'clock position, that is, if the valve is down when the rotor points to 2 o'clock.

If so, I'll move the wires accordingly.

An easy trick is to lay a penny over the #1 sparkplug hole and bump the engine over til the penny floats. The next TDC is the one you want, and the rotor should be at 7 o'clock if the engine is assembled as standard.

I was going to mention that all three of my 356's have the #1 HT wire at approximately 7 o'clock. But with my luck...

I know on my motor, which would be the same as Packard never really changed any of that, when cylinder 1 (closest to the fan), is a TDC of it's compression stroke, then the rotor is at the 7 o-clock postion. The firing over then is counter clock wise from there.

Joe, it will become very obvious when the piston starts up on its compression stroke. After you feel the pressure building continue to rotate the engine to line up the timing marks for TDC. As O_D, pointed out, it really does not matter where the rotor points to for #1. Just start plugging in wires in order, once you have #1 position identified on the distributor cap.

You are probably aware that there is a procedure for timing the oil pump to have the distributor rotor oriented in the proper position, but you do not need to worry about this now. Also, it could be that the distributor was installed 180 deg. out of phase and then the cap re-wired to accommodate. Good luck.

(o[]o)

Yes, well aware of the distributor/oil pump relationship. We fixed that a couple years ago and have not touched it since. That had some similar aspects...the car wouldn't run.

I changed the points and condenser to no avail. One thing, there's a metal strip that serves to strengthen the springiness of the points, but the back end of it rides on the distributor octagon.

Besides tat, does anyone see anything else weird. After I changed the points, I got no spark to the plugs. I had spark with the old points last night.

I put the old points back in and I have no spark.

The wire to the coil from the ignition switch is plenty hot.

Even tho I ordered new ignition cables, I can't believe that these old ones (1 year old) can't do the job since they worked fine last week.

I did confirm the 7 o'clock position for #1 using the compression tester.

Very frustrating. Hot-hot day. Begs for convertible. No spark.

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If that strip of metal is used like some other points it's actually part of the electric path. Rubbing against the cam would have it shorting.

You can verify by removing the wire to coil from dist and taking an ohmmeter between that outside terminal and ground. With points open, there should be no continuity. If there is, move the strip away from cam and see if the meter reads open. If there is still continuity look for a short to ground in the wire or path between that outside terminal and the point side connecting to it. That wire which appears to be bare copper soldered to something looks a bit odd and suspect.

If that is the conductor between points and outside, it should be an insulated fine and very flexible wire. Ordinary wire will eventually break as the advances moves things around. Napa carries various lengths and configurations of the proper wire. Do a search for Ground Wire.

Do you get a spark by manually activating the points? You can try by having the ign on and dist positioned so points are closed. When you open the points with something like a pencil or other non conducting rod, there should be a spark.

One thing, there's a metal strip that serves to strengthen the springiness of the points, but the back end of it rides on the distributor octagon.

As HH says, that would create a dead short circuit of the ignition circuit.