Pertronix - No Spark

[NCM]

Well I am about at my wit's end trying to get this pertronix unit to work. I installed it this morning, but I am getting no spark. The coil is good and I am getting power to the distributor. It ran when I removed the points. Anyone have any ideas?

[mike_m]

I had this exact same issue about a month ago when I installed my pertronix. In my case, I pinched the red wire from pertronix against a sharp edge on the coil mounting flange and as a result the unit shorted out. Take your distributor out and inspect the red and black wires from the module very closely to see if they are not cut. I re-soldered the wire, filed down all sharp edges and everything seems to work. In my case, there's not a whole lot space for those wires to go through the cut out in the dist. cap. Also, if you go to the pertronix website, they list a way to check out the module as well. I'm willing to bet, that's your problem. Good luck and let us know.

Thanks

Mike M

[NCM]

I inspected the unit but I saw no indication of damage to the wire. I just installed a different new unit and I got spark! Nice and blue. Now my issue is I can't get the truck to fire up again.

Since I didn't remove the distributor to install it, I shouldn't have any major timing issues, correct?

[NCM]

Further update: I've confirmed that timing is correct (at least within a couple of degrees) and that fuel is making its way to the carb. Could I have messed something up in the carb by cranking it too much without spark?

[NAM VET]

A week ago, I had my truck flatbedded a hundred miles from my son't place, to my home near Charlotte, after it starting promptly to drive up the hill to a flat place where we could load. It was pretty chilly, and after the hour and a half drip on the flatbed, we rolled it back off, and it would just not start. I have never had any great problems with the truck starting, especially when cold, but after repeated cranking, I just gave up and ran a long extension out to the street curb to plug in the battery maintainer.

An hour or so later, went out to try one more time, and it spun and fired instantly.

I have no idea why after a ride on the flatbed, it just would not fire off. Nothing I did worked; it just started later as if nothing was wrong. So perhaps your truck is just badly flooded, and needs time for the gas to evaporate. That is the only explanation I can come up for my own truck's failure to start.

Hope it fires off in the AM

NAM VET

[RMS]

if you think you are over fueling at startup crack one of the Douglas valve fittings and look for a drip. it only takes tens of seconds of cranking with the choke closed to fill the manifold with gas. pooled gas in the manifold will not make it up the valves and will hinder atomized fuel from making it to the combustion chamber.

[NCM]

I cracked a fitting underneath the PCV valve and some fuel came out. Should it be getting past the valve? I reattached and tried starting again; still no luck. Is there something I need to do to clear more fuel out of the manifold?

[NAM VET]

I am still learning about the starting (and driving) characteristics of my new-to-me truck. One thing I have learned is how to avoid flooding my truck, especially on a hot re-start. Because once flooded, it takes some cranking to "air out the intake system." If you have lots of gas in your manifold, it may take time for it to evaporate. My truck has a fuel shut-off just before the mechanical fuel pump, so perhaps you can pull your plugs, let the cylinders dry out, maybe a fan blowing over the cylinder head; is there a way to remove the air cleaner and and put another fan blowing down into the carb for a day or so, and in a few days, put it back together and spray some starting fluid into the intake, and try again, holding off on any choke at first. Is there is a way to prop open the carb butterfly to help it dry out?

By the way, when my truck would not start after the flat-bed ride, I tried some staring fluid, but no ignition. So even starting fluid won't ignite in a wet cylinder.

In years past, I have had to do this sort of thing with all sorts of gas power equipment. When I was an Advisor in IV Corps, on a two man team way south, to get my 1.5 kw generator to start for a few hours of power in the evening, I would have to pull the plugs, and use my Buck folding hunter to scrape off the fouled plugs to get it to start before my arms were too tired to pull the starting rope. Please keep us informed about your starting issue.

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[NCM]

Hal, what's interesting is when I pull the plugs they are dry. It supports Robyn's theory that the manifold is flooded and the fuel can't get up the valves. I'm wondering if it is supposed to be able to flow down past the PCV valve. If I leave the PCV fitting cracked (underneath the valve) and turn the fuel pump on, the fuel pours out.

[RMS]

sounds like your float setting is off. rip the top off the carb set level to just above the V on the throttle pump bore.

if your pump is making too much pressure it will slowly pass the check and change the level setting in the bowl.

gas will easily pass the douglas valve and drain into the oil pan. the douglas valve is the lowest spot on the intake, 90% of the pooled gas will drain back to the pan..... if you have the spare tire blocks under the drivers side springs. if your truck is level only about 75% will drain to the pan.

how my trucks always start : turn on pump (or prime) till it stops running and starts clicking (ignition on), 3 clicks out on the hand throttle (1000rpm) crank for 3 seconds then blip the choke all the way out and all the way in as fast as I can wile cranking. (usually kicks before the choke is all the way back in) if its cold or hot and dose not kick, stop, wait, repeat.
if over fueled ...... nose high on a hill / too much choke .....foot to the floor no clicks on the hand, choke all the way in and crank till it hits. if she does not hit pull and clean plugs, confirm spark, then repeat.

[just me]

Flooded mine last week. To get it to start I just pulled the PCV and pulled the feed off the windshield wiper in the cab. Removed filter housing. DO not touch choke or pump throttle while it is flooded! Only worsens the situation.
Would crank a few turns and it would try to run a few seconds. Wait until you hear vacuum hiss stop at wiper line and crank again. It had to do this a few times to get enough air with the gas to become stoichiometric and fire. once it would try and run for about 6 or 7 seconds, I closed up the PCV. Cranked it and it started and spent some time sputtering and clearing out. while it was smoothing, I plugged the wiper line back in. Then remounted the air filter.

[NCM]

Still beyond stumped here. I pulled the top of the carb and re-set the float level to 5/64". I let it sit for a couple of days with the pcv line open and the carb cracked to make sure any fuel in the manifold was evaporated. Reattached the carb and the PCV valve. Still won't start. I opened the PCV valve again and more fuel came out. The plugs are still dry.

[ashyers]

I'm not sure if you have a stock or electric fuel pump. If you have the stock pump with the hand priming pump you can try this:
* pop the top off the carb
* drain a bit of fuel from the float bowl drain you are sure the level is too low
* replace the drain plug
* pump the fuel pump by hand until until it stops filling the float bowl
* look at the fuel level and compare it to the "v" cut in the accelerator pump well as RMS described (forget the 5/64", with ethanol & other junk in the fuel you're best setting the level wet)
* tweak the float's tab to set the proper level
* repeat this whole process to verify it's correct and does not leak at the needle and seat assembly

I did have a brand new needle and seat assembly that leaked due to poor machining. I ended up switching back to the orig. part.

Make sure you don't have any massive vacuum leaks too.

Good Luck!

Andy

[NCM]

I noticed that if I crank the engine with the oil filler cap off, it sucks in air through the opening. Is that normal? The PCV valve is clean.

[NCM]

I got the float set as you suggested. It was pretty close already. I'm back to thinking this is an electrical issue. I went back and checked every plug for spark. #4 and #6 were dead. Left for 30 min, came back, and #4 and #6 sparked just fine.