LUVTruck.com

OK, UPDATE!

No good... Soldered all my connections really well, got everything back together wired all up and.... bupkis. Nada... I'm gonna roll over my head...

I am gonna take it to a shop.

EDIT: Jiggled some wires... Got power back to the coil, but still no spark

If you are following Egg's jumper wire from the battery to + and not getting a spark when you remove it, the coil wire may be bad. Measure its resistance. Should be high, I guess at least 500 ohms, but not open.

Did I read it wrong? I disconnected the - terminal on the coil, ran a jumper from it to the engine and when I did got a spark when I removed it. Voltage from it when the key is on is less than 1, though. Is that right?

I don't recall a spark when I jumped battery + to coil + though. Have to retry that in the morning.

Maybe just a freak something wrong with the coil? Or would the points do this, too? Set them how I was advised and read a few how to's just to be sure, but I am used to newer cars. I bought the points and condenser new at Autozone


EDIT: Just thought of this... SHOULD the black wire on the + terminal of the coil have it's own power or is it coming from the resistor? I need to check that by itself if it does. But on that same train of thought wouldn't the engine run when I had a + to + jumper from the battery? Damn my brain wants it to be logical, but I know cars just AREN'T!

Update!

Unhooked the black wire from the + terminal and it vas no voltage!

If I can recall correctly: A black/yellow wire comes from the ignition switch and goes to one end of the coil resistor, a short wire (covered with a red sheith if I remember corectly) goes from the other end of the resistor to the coil + terminal. Also along with this there is a black wire on the Coil + terminal. This wire has voltage on it only while the starter is cranking.
It is from the resistor bypass relay, ( a rather overly complicated circuit in my opinion).
At this point you should get a wiring diagram to make this stuff much easier. There is good info in the INFORMATION section of this site including wiring diagrams. Click on the + at the top and blow the diagrams up as big as you need.

I've been looking at the wiring diagram since I started and it has helped greatly.

You are correct on the wires, but I was unaware that the black wire only had power when cranking. The black/yellow does have 12v when the key is on, but this drops to 6v on the other end of the resistor.

EDIT:
I had someone crank the enging while checking continuity on the black wire. Has power...I held the tester to black/red coming from coil - terminal and no power gets to the distributor

oh and I forgot. The 4 fuses closest to the cab are still not getting any power. Whar are they for? I need to but a book. The fusebox cover is long gone!

If you remove the wire (black red) from the coil - terminal, turn on the ignition you should have about 12 volts there. Also the coil + terminal should read about the same. Connect up the black/red wire and if the voltage drops to 0 one of two things are in play. Either the engine is stopped with the points closed (normal), or if the points are open then you have a short in the distributor. Check the insulator at the distributor body or the connection to the points inside. Make sure nothing is grounding against metel somewhere.
I don't remember the fuse box order but the first four on one end (15 amp fuses) should have voltage all the time as they come from the + battery cable connector near the battery (black wire?) The other end of the box should have four 10 amp fuses for the high and low beam headlamps. These will only have power when the headlights are on.

Ok, going to try that coil test now. So + and - terminals should both be at 12v, with the black/red wire disconnected?

Hell, I will turn the engine with a big wrench to check both open and closed!

You are right on the fuses, too! Thaks!

EDIT:
Disconnected I have 12v everywhere. I have to assume it's the distributor at this point. Can it be fixed, because the only other option I have is $125

As long as the distributor is mechanically OK, turns, advances etc, you should be able to make it work. You won't get a spark jumping tot he + terminal unless the - is grounded either through the points in the distributor or another jumper.

I am gonna talk to a guy I know tomorrow and see if he can get me one on the cheap, or I'll try to mess with this one if that fails

UPDATE!! Found the problem in the distributor, the points were grounding out. Fixed that and now have 12v at the black/red wire when points open and 0 when closed.

I still have no spark going to the plugs... Gonna pick up a new cap and rotor today.

Sticking with it is the best way to learn and understand. Now I must go troubleshoot MY LUV. 80 psi oil pressure and the engine isn't even running!

_________________
I've never been wrong! Once I thought I was, but I was mistaken.
Rick
Loranger, La
1980 Stepside LUV (Again)

Holy cow! Good luck with that!

Final sad update on this subject.


I have spark all the way to the plugs, now. The truck still won't start. So I know for a fact I have fuel and spark, it has to be something I don't have the skill or tools to fix on my own, now.

Gonna try to get someone to help me tow it to a shop today. Fingers are crossed!

And thatnks for all the help, guys!

Don't give up quite yet. Slosh a little gas in the air cleaner horn and crank it over. If it fires and then quits, you really aren't getting gas to the engine.

Then pull the cover off the distributor and turn the engine to line up the notch on the pully to the timing scale. The contact on the rotor should be lined up with either #1 or #4 wire. If not, turn it until the closest one is. Se if it runs. If not try switching 1 and 4 and 2 and 3. The firing order is 1,3,4,2.

If it still won't run, then it is time to quit.

ok, I am going to try those! I'll et ya know!

with the timing mark lined up to 0 the rotor points to about 3.25.

UPDATE!

I pulled the distributor off. Isn't there supposed to be a gear on it? Anyway, I put it back in where it came from and turned it by hand. Set up a plug location for #1 and tightened it back down.

IT STARTED! Still idles funny, but I'll get there. Still revvs when I put it in gear, though. A problem I had before and never figured out

Some distributors just have a flat end like a big screwdriver on the bottom end.

Did you ever see the picture of the stork eating a frog and the frog reaching out and strangling the stork? Never give up.

Yeah, i have sen that! It will start now, and run really fast while in gear, but won't idle. I am going to disconnect the coasting richer solenoid and see if it helps.

Backfiring badly!