Starting Problems

[Rick Q.]

I just went thru the same thing on my 72. The car cranked and would not start on a fully charged battery. I checked for spark at the coil from the lead, it was sparking when held close to the chassis. So I assumed fuel starvation.

After wasting a lot of time I ended up swaping the coil and the car is fine now.The coil went bad overnight literally. I had the MSD 8202, this coil is designed to be mounted vertically only. It was mounted horizontal on the inside fender. I replaced it with the MSD 8222

($55.00 shipped from Summit Racing) which tolerates vibration and is epoxy filled. Rated at 45,000 KV, and can be mounted in ANY direction.

I could not find what the correct voltage readings are for a coil.

-Rick

Edited September 26, 2010 by Rick Q.

[gbabcock]

Okay - tested for power at the distributor and I don't seem to be getting anything. Swapped in a new coil, still nothing. I'm think the relay? Does anyone know where its located?

[gbabcock]

Okay - sorry to keep bringing this tread up to the top again... but just wanted to through a couple more things out there. Doing some searches, seems as though a bad ballast resistor might be the cause, although I've still been unable to track down the ignition relay and try that. Unfortunately, I have not idea what the ballast resistor looks like or where it's located, other than between the dizzy and coil. Can anyone offer a bit of help?

Also, I've had a Crane XR700 electric setup setting on the self for a while, waiting to be installed. Would that be a possible cure for the problem, or just a way to dig myself deeper into the hole? Is there a tread somewhere on installation? Thanks -

[beandip]

The resister is mounted just below the coil. It is about 2 1/2'' long and 1/2'' wide. A wire connected at each end and one going to the coil. With the ignition switch turned to the run position , one end should read 12 volts and the other about 8. So if you have power there , and the coil is good. You have looked at the points and they look good, right? Then there is a small silver object about a 1/2'' in diameter with a wire coming out of one end and the wire connects to the points. This is the condenser, they rarely fail , but if they do. No spark.

A condenser couldn't cost more than a couple of bucks. It's function is to store high voltage and when told by the points it discharges and the electrical charge goes to the spark plugs.

So follow what I just posted from the beginning. Providing you have power to the resister.

Gary P S The thing with introducing a new system into this is , if you do and still have no joy. Then you have just complicated the whole scenario.

Edited October 1, 2010 by beandip

[garretthes]

I'm having the same problem. Any luck?