Distributor refresh gone wrong

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I really do appreciate your effort on your previous comment.

I don't feel the need to repeat myself for the 3rd time on how I set the points gap per factory spec with a feeler gauge. Or what condition a new distributor cap is in. It's a relatively short comment thread.

I have taken note of the wiring and connections and they all look and feel like a 65,000 mile car would. I do make a point to ensure a clean connection with sand paper anytime I disconnect and mess with something old. Also use dielectric grease where appropriate to ensure the best possible connections.
Well, hmmmm never mind
 
Years ago I did a tune up on my friends Camero. Would not start. After a lot of double checking and going in and out of rabbit holes, It turned out to be a bad, new condenser.
 
[QUOTE="67Dart273, post: 1972929214, member: 1702

Timing light: Get busy on Craigslist and find a used one. YOU CAN SET timing fairly accurately IF YOU ARE CAREFUL the "static" method which used to be used on VW bugs

DO NOT GUESS on compression / firing stroke, do this: "Rig" something (I guess your finger doesn't reach) into the no1 plug hole to "feel" for compression. You can gut an old plug and put a fitting on there, buy a spark plug air fitting, or if you have a compression tester you are all set. Remove other plugs to make this easier
now with your test device, whatever you are using, in place, hand crank or "starter bump" the engine until you start to get compression. STOP!! Now revolve the crank by hand, until the timing marks are aligned NOT on TDC, but where you want timing set, say, 6BTC.

NOW rig a test lamp on the coil NEG wire, or disconnect dist. wire and rig a continuity device, light, meter, to the wire. Rotate dist. CW (retard) and make sure points are CLOSED. Slowly rotate dist. CCW (advanced) until points open JUST OPEN. Snug down the dist. and start the engine.

Before you do that, recheck is the rotor and dist cap in good condition? Clean/ dry, no metallic between contacts? As you replace the cap and without moving the engine --after static time--is the rotor "approaching" the no1 [/QUOTE]

Good info here. I did the test light thing to set my initial timing after I rebuilt my 225. Also bought parts like cap, points and rotor recommended by SlantSixDan on slantsix.org. Fired right up.
You can most likely go to a big chain auto parts store and rent a timing light for free. Well, it's free when you return it. But the Craigslist idea is a good one. Or borrow your buddy's. The timing light will work when you are just cranking it over in your non-srart condition. I forget if a dwell meter still works when in a no start condition.
The car was running when you did a tune up so swap in the old condenser.
I hate to say it, but did you double check that the wires are correct on the cap?
 
Put your old points back in it.

Aftermarket (cheap) points are made out of poor materials, and don't last, if at all.
The contacts on points need to be hardened, or they will burn immediately. Faster with a crap condenser like 66fs said..
 
[QUOTE="67Dart273, post: 1972929214, member: 1702

Timing light: Get busy on Craigslist and find a used one. YOU CAN SET timing fairly accurately IF YOU ARE CAREFUL the "static" method which used to be used on VW bugs

DO NOT GUESS on compression / firing stroke, do this: "Rig" something (I guess your finger doesn't reach) into the no1 plug hole to "feel" for compression. You can gut an old plug and put a fitting on there, buy a spark plug air fitting, or if you have a compression tester you are all set. Remove other plugs to make this easier
now with your test device, whatever you are using, in place, hand crank or "starter bump" the engine until you start to get compression. STOP!! Now revolve the crank by hand, until the timing marks are aligned NOT on TDC, but where you want timing set, say, 6BTC.

NOW rig a test lamp on the coil NEG wire, or disconnect dist. wire and rig a continuity device, light, meter, to the wire. Rotate dist. CW (retard) and make sure points are CLOSED. Slowly rotate dist. CCW (advanced) until points open JUST OPEN. Snug down the dist. and start the engine.

Before you do that, recheck is the rotor and dist cap in good condition? Clean/ dry, no metallic between contacts? As you replace the cap and without moving the engine --after static time--is the rotor "approaching" the no1

Good info here. I did the test light thing to set my initial timing after I rebuilt my 225. Also bought parts like cap, points and rotor recommended by SlantSixDan on slantsix.org. Fired right up.
You can most likely go to a big chain auto parts store and rent a timing light for free. Well, it's free when you return it. But the Craigslist idea is a good one. Or borrow your buddy's. The timing light will work when you are just cranking it over in your non-srart condition. I forget if a dwell meter still works when in a no start condition.
The car was running when you did a tune up so swap in the old condenser.
I hate to say it, but did you double check that the wires are correct on the cap?[/QUOTE]

A dwell meter will still measure the dwell even if the motor is not running. Just hook it up, remove the coil wire so you don’t fire the cylinders, and crank the engine.
 
Fine don't. Good luck. If you know everything there is to know about ignition systems, they why won't it run?
I never claimed I know everything there is to know. But I do know how to read. I said I don't need to repeat myself for the 3rd time in a 10 comment long thread. Gleaning valuable information that you provided is very helpful and I appreciate the info and the effort to type that info. Answering questions to known quantities is not helpful and only contributes to the wealth of useless information out there for people like me who are looking for ways to diagnose and fix things, not sell out and collect stamps.
 
Good info here. I did the test light thing to set my initial timing after I rebuilt my 225. Also bought parts like cap, points and rotor recommended by SlantSixDan on slantsix.org. Fired right up.
You can most likely go to a big chain auto parts store and rent a timing light for free. Well, it's free when you return it. But the Craigslist idea is a good one. Or borrow your buddy's. The timing light will work when you are just cranking it over in your non-srart condition. I forget if a

A dwell meter will still measure the dwell even if the motor
I'll dig into it tonight, starting with wiping off the new points in case there's any sort of film on them from the new gapper ( I did wipe the gapper before I used it). Then I'll move on to putting the old condenser back on, and if that doesn't work I'll go all the way back to the old points, gap them to spec, and give it a shot.

I did replace the cap, but I was VERY careful to do one wire at a time starting at the same place, so I'm 99% certain the wires are correct.

I'm never 100% certain because user error is very, very real. But I know that, so I try to be as deliberate and methodical as possible, changing one thing at a time so i know where I'm at.
 
If the dizzy was taken apart it could have been reassembled out of running position. See diagram for proper alignment.

Mopar Slant six dizzy gear alignment proper set up.JPG
 
1. Reinstall old points and condenser(as previously recommended) if you didn't discard them.If it runs just get a quality new set. See 2 and 3 if this doesn't work.
2. Go to Harbor Freight and use one of their coupons for a free digital multimeter with any purchase(they frequently advertise this).
3. Test your ballast resistor and coil with the multimeter. Your research should tell you how.

If you have a few bucks extra buy a spare ballast resistor, points, condenser and keep them in the glove compartment.
 
I never claimed I know everything there is to know. But I do know how to read. I said I don't need to repeat myself for the 3rd time in a 10 comment long thread. Gleaning valuable information that you provided is very helpful and I appreciate the info and the effort to type that info. Answering questions to known quantities is not helpful and only contributes to the wealth of useless information out there for people like me who are looking for ways to diagnose and fix things, not sell out and collect stamps.

I'll tell you what's flippin useless. People like you who refuse to buy all the necessary tools to repair older cars and expect others to chip in and loan your cheap butts something instead of finding somethin for 10 bucks. Then, coming on a forum and askin for FREE HELP and when you get it, you give flippant responses to well known and respected members saying how you're not gonna repeat yourself. Congratulations, you just made the cut.
 
Okay getting back to the point here.

I also did a distributor swap recently and I'm a relatively advanced home mechanic. We could not get this thing to fire correctly.

It turned out that I needed to have the extra adjustment of the lower bolt on the bottom of the distributor. Even though it wasn't required for the old distributor the new one really needed it for me to get this thing on point.

I ended up buying the 7/16 distributor wrench specifically made for slants and I had the thing timed in about 10 minutes with a timing light.

You need a timing light and I'll venture to say you're probably also need the distributor wrench.on the older cars like yours it's actually easier to reach the bottom distributor bolt on an early car like my 64 it's impossible to get from the bottom without three u-joints and an arm shaped like a snake.
 
Okay getting back to the point here.

I also did a distributor swap recently and I'm a relatively advanced home mechanic. We could not get this thing to fire correctly.

It turned out that I needed to have the extra adjustment of the lower bolt on the bottom of the distributor. Even though it wasn't required for the old distributor the new one really needed it for me to get this thing on point.

I ended up buying the 7/16 distributor wrench specifically made for slants and I had the thing timed in about 10 minutes with a timing light.

You need a timing light and I'll venture to say you're probably also need the distributor wrench.on the older cars like yours it's actually easier to reach the bottom distributor bolt on an early car like my 64 it's impossible to get from the bottom without three u-joints and an arm shaped like a snake.
Something to note about my distributor is that the correct replacement rotor is different than the one that is on there now. The replacement rotor won't even slide over the notch to seat correctly, so there is something fishy going on. But I'm just going to put all the old stuff back in and put it back to exactly how it was.
 
1. Reinstall old points and condenser(as previously recommended) if you didn't discard them.If it runs just get a quality new set. See 2 and 3 if this doesn't work.
2. Go to Harbor Freight and use one of their coupons for a free digital multimeter with any purchase(they frequently advertise this).
3. Test your ballast resistor and coil with the multimeter. Your research should tell you how.

If you have a few bucks extra buy a spare ballast resistor, points, condenser and keep them in the glove compartment.
I'll be putting it all back to how it originally was tonight. Are there better quality points and condensers out there on the market so this would be less of a concern? I have 3 or 4 sets of points but what's the reasoning behind keeping a spare that may or may not work in the glovebox? I'd rather pay a little more and get quality points the first time..
 
Something to note about my distributor is that the correct replacement rotor is different than the one that is on there now. The replacement rotor won't even slide over the notch to seat correctly, so there is something fishy going on. But I'm just going to put all the old stuff back in and put it back to exactly how it was.

Take the rotor that used to work in the distributor to the parts store with you and match it to a new one and return the old one. If you have all kinds of extra points why aren't you using those?

This is getting more complicated than it needs to be. Go to NAPA or any other parts supplier that handles Echlin premium line points and condenser. That used to be a good brand but I can't testify to the quality today since I have run electronic since the 70's. Echlin warranties 3 years or 36,000 miles. This is not rocket science. Good luck.
 
I'll try to keep this short... Early 80s, Our 1st 67 notchback, 225 slant, showing a lil over 86K miles, ran but not great. Rebuilt carb, new fuel filter, adjusted valves. New plugs, wires, cap, rotor, points, condenser. Still didn't run perfect as I wanted. Intermittent constantly changing stumble. I finally discovered the distributor was worn out. Dwell all over the place. Reman'd distributor was like dipping the old girl in a fountain of youth. Ran absolutely perfect. That dist' included points, rotor , etc... all ready set up. Drop in, set timing, done. Good luck with yours
 
Something to note about my distributor is that the correct replacement rotor is different than the one that is on there now. The replacement rotor won't even slide over the notch to seat correctly, so there is something fishy going on.

STOP right there. You should not have continued past this point! You need to get good parts.

There is a 4 page article at slantsix.org comparing caps and rotors from different manufacturers.
 
What KosmicKuda said. If the rotor isn't fully in place it's not working.
The weather in MN is unique, I can go skiing one day and the beach the next. Who wouldn't want that?
 
Update: I took a few days off from the car to give myself a fresh set of eyes and hands so as not to assume or skip over something. Borrowed a compression tester so I could know for sure I was at compression tdc, was deliberate in checking all the plug wires were going to the right places and seated correctly on the plugs and distributor, verified the rotor was pointed directly at #1, and it fired up. While idling I advanced the timing to the limit of the channel the hold-down bolt is in. Engine sounded happy and the test drive yielded perfect results. The initial problem of bogging down/ hesitation upon acceleration was nonexistent. For the first time since I got the car I was able to accelerate up moderate inclines.

I had put the original points and condenser back in so the only new part is the cap. The points are fairly worn, but I ran sand paper through them and did my best to gap them to spec. (All before the drive)

Electronic ignition is on the list of upgrades, but I think front end bushings, ball joints, etc are next on the agenda. What look like the stock (or at least very old and cracking) bushings are just starting to allow some undesirable movement and noise in the right uca, so they're all getting replaced at the same time.
 
There is another adjustment under the dist. for ignition timing. Congrats on your success.

There are a couple of guys on this site who ran out of toilet paper last week. They've been grumpy ever since.
 
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