60 Cranks but does not start.

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Yammer
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2018 3:24 pm

60 Cranks but does not start.

Post by Yammer »

My 60 Tbird is driving me crazy. I parked it several months ago and now it will not start. It cranks fine but I have no spark to the #5 plug. I put starting fluid in it , but still get no fire of course. I can see the fuel pump working (glass filter). So I have an ignition problem. I checked the battery wires and the wires to/from the starter relay. All seem good. I have replaced the following: coil, points, distributor cap, rotor, condensor and high voltage lead from coil to distributor. I also check distributor ground and wires from coil to distributor. I found that either my ignition switch is bad or the resistor wire from the switch to the coil is bad as I am not getting any power to the positive side of the coil when the ignition switch is in the run position. I decided to see if I could get the car started by bypassing this problem - so I ran a jumper lead directly from the battery positive to the + side of the coil. Cranked it, but still no spark. I attempted to set the points correctly, and noticed that the distributor cam is turning when I try to start it so think this means that my timing chain is not broken. Raised the contact on top of the rotor to make sure it is touching the rotor. What else is there to do???? I really feel stupid as there is probably some simple thing I have overlooked. I thought I understood this car?? Is there something in the bad ignition switch of resistor wire which is required to function properly to fire the engine? Something that prevents my direct wiring from the battery to the coil from working? I realize that one or more if my replacement parts might not be good (Chinese manufacture?) but I have tried to swap parts from another running 60 Bird I have. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
ICON 1956
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Re: 60 Cranks but does not start.

Post by ICON 1956 »

What you described could be electrical, a short, Did you check the key ignition, contacts? Did you take a voltage meter and checked the wiring under the dash?
1956 Thunderbird Sage Green
1953 Ford Custom Liner Hot Rod With Flat 8 Motor with Henderson three 2 barrel Carbs
VTCI Member # 12309
Cliff Rankin
Posts: 518
Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2015 12:24 pm

Re: 60 Cranks but does not start.

Post by Cliff Rankin »

Ok , basics , no spark. If you have + voltage to the coil ,
Say your jumper wire. Cap off , coil wire off the cap and about 1/2 “ from metal , points closed. Can you jiggle the rotor or move the points with a screw driver and make the coil wire fire between the metal and wire end ? If not how’s the wire from the points to the coil. How’s the coil
And wire. After that work on getting it from the coil wire
To the cap , rotor , then plugs. I will look here in a little while. Post what happens.
Cliff
Cliff Rankin
63 convertible
64 convertible
Yammer
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2018 3:24 pm

Re: 60 Cranks but does not start.

Post by Yammer »

Thanks for the input guys. I found my problem. The wire from the coil to the distributor points was corroded and almost gone inside the grommet that passed the wire though the distributor housing. You could not tell of a problem until you tried to remove this wire and and the grommet. Underneath the the wire insulation had a small hole which allowed water to seep down the wire inside the grommet and partially rust away much of the metal. Apparently it was not capable of carrying the needed voltage between the coil and the points. hence no fire. Anyway up and running now. :mrgreen:
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