440IC can't get spark

JD440ICD2006 · Post by **JD440ICD2006** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:47 am

At this point, if none of the many suggestions work, I would look for a can of "spark" on one of the infomercials. If you watch the whole ad and order "now", they always double or triple the offer.

Seriously, I trust that it fires off for you. Nothing like waking one of these old girls up from a nap.

Tim_in_IA · Post by **Tim_in_IA** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:48 am

JD440ICD2006 wrote:At this point, if none of the many suggestions work, I would look for a can of "spark" on one of the infomercials. If you watch the whole ad and order "now", they always double or triple the offer.

Seriously, I trust that it fires off for you. Nothing like waking one of these old girls up from a nap.

Thanks I needed a laugh!

And I definitely have my fingers crossed at this point!

Ray III · Post by **Ray III** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:32 pm

Wow.

I definitely think you've got something going on with that wire into the distributor, or the points themselves.

I don't know if it's supposed to be the same as yours, but I'm looking at a picture of my 420's distributor and there is a stud through the distributor, not a wire. You don't have a stud on yours?

Tim_in_IA · Post by **Tim_in_IA** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:01 pm

These are the pictures i could get this weekend. We had sleet and hail and snow and wind. I worked on it for a bit but I couldn't get spark cap or no this time so I am starting over again when the weather cooperates. I had some other stuff I had to do first. Hopefully things warm up a bit and I can do some work on it after work this week.

http://www.flynnhome.com/gallery/main.p ... =xb05e335c

Ray III · Post by **Ray III** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:35 am

Is the spring for the points pressed completely onto the terminal? It can work its way up as you tighten the nut and it looks to be sticking up a bit from what I can tell.

Tim_in_IA · Post by **Tim_in_IA** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:38 am

Ray III wrote:Is the spring for the points pressed completely onto the terminal? It can work its way up as you tighten the nut and it looks to be sticking up a bit from what I can tell.

I know what you mean. This is very difficult to keep down. I think it is a little loose and as it does get tight it tends to walk up. I have tried putting a flat screwdriver over the top to keep it down but it's difficult. I wish that connector was made with a hole instead of a open end like that.

JD440ICD2006 · Post by **JD440ICD2006** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 1:29 pm

Pictures should help someone on here find the culprit.
Make certain the wire from your condensor is not touching the base. I have had new condensors in these "$10 kits" be bad out of the box.
Make certain the stud is not shorted out.
Have you had the distributor out? (I am too lazy to go back and read all of the threads) If so, did you clean the surfaces really well?

jdemaris · Post by **jdemaris** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 2:30 pm

Tim_in_IA wrote:These are the pictures i could get this weekend. We had sleet and hail and snow and wind.

Your photos have got me a bit confused, so please confirm what I am seeing.

#1 your coil appears to be a 12 volt coil, not a 6 volt coil. Please confirm or tell me I'm wrong. I don't recall ever seeing a 6 volt coil with "external resistor" warnings.

#2 have you checked the actual continuity through the points themselves?
Have you done the same check at the points-post on the outside of the distributor (with coil wire unhooked) with points open and also with closed? Guess I should also add with cap on and cap off?

Post by **Lavoy** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:26 pm

Not probably part of the problem, but with the distributor rotated like that, you will sometimes have trouble with arcing to the engine block and shorting out the process. The problem will be worse if the block is wet or a piece of debris lands in there.
Lavoy

snoopy · Post by **snoopy** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:26 pm

As far as the spring for the points riding up when you tighten the nut, you might try and put the spring on first then the connector for the condensor.

Tim_in_IA · Post by **Tim_in_IA** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 12:10 pm

Lavoy wrote:Not probably part of the problem, but with the distributor rotated like that, you will sometimes have trouble with arcing to the engine block and shorting out the process. The problem will be worse if the block is wet or a piece of debris lands in there.
Lavoy

Lavoy I guess I never considered it. When I first replaced the points and condensor I had to remove the distributor to get to all the screws. I marked it so I would replace it the same way. That is when I got that new plate for it. If I changed the orientation wouldn't that mess up the timing? I have a manual. I can go through the timing.

About the coil. It is possible that I have the wrong one on there. I got a 6 volt from the store. The damn thing had terminals that were crap. One of them started spinning when I tightened it. "MADE IN CHINA". I should have ordered another coil from Lavoy when I got my cap but frankly I am tired of 6 volt. If I don't get much further I am going 12 volt electronic. I am tied up the next 2 nights in night class. Won't be till Friday when I can try your other suggestions. This snowy and windy April is ridiculous.

Tim_in_IA · Post by **Tim_in_IA** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 12:20 pm

jdemaris wrote:#1 your coil appears to be a 12 volt coil, not a 6 volt coil. Please confirm or tell me I'm wrong. I don't recall ever seeing a 6 volt coil with "external resistor" warnings.

I read somewhere that many 12 volt vehicles use 6 volt coils. Hence the external resistor to take it down to 6 volts. I can try my other coil though.

If the farm stores had 6 volt coils in stock I'd trade in my spinning term for another. I should return it anyway.

If I go 12 volt pertronix with a flame thrower coil maybe my spark issues will just go away anyway.

Post by **Lavoy** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:56 pm

Nope, you could not have installed the dist the wrong way, it will only go in one way. All this means is at some time, the oil pump has been taken out of the engine, and reinstalled in the wrong position.
Lavoy

Gil · Post by **Gil** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:50 pm

Lavoy, does the offset in the distributor drive coupling tongue prevent the shaft from going in 180 degrees out of phase? From Tim’s pictures, it certainly appears that his distributor is installed that way. Of course as you indicated, the oil pump could have been installed 180 degrees out. I have always marked the distributor and timed it when I put it in, but I was just wondering what would prevent it from sliding in a half turn around.
None of this would explain the issue of not getting a spark but it certainly would put the spark at the wrong time.

Post by **Lavoy** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:25 pm

Gil,
Correct, the slot in the drive gear is not in the center so the dist can only go in one way.
Lavoy

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