Waking the Sleeping Beast Part II - 50 years later !!

[Racer X]

3 hours ago, Shawninvancouver said:

 

how did they get that cable through the firewall????

Which cable?

[Racer X]

4 hours ago, Shawninvancouver said:

 

1. Is it ok to fill the radiator with just water?

- how do you fill the whole system?

 

Sort of.

Filling any cooling system with water   will be OK, so long as the weather isn’t at or below freezing, AND provided you don’t forget and leave it in.

Engine coolant performs several jobs. First, it has glycol in it, lowering the freezing point. Second, coolant has a lubricant which helps lubricate the water pump seal.

And having a radiator cap that is in good condition, and a functioning thermostat help keep the engine from overheating.

So for starting an old engine just to see what you have should be OK with only water, but must be drained afterwards, after the engine has had time to cool off.

 

[siteunseen]

If you had some internal problems with the motor the water would be easy to spot in the engine's oil. Probably on the dipstick.

Just for starting I think I would remove the thermostat altogether.

To add to the water/oil mixing thing it usually is a bad head gasket. BTW what head stamp do you read above the 1st and 2nd spark plugs? Should be an E88 I believe but could be an early E30.

What's the vin.# on the driver's side top dash? Should be the same as engraved under the driver's wiper on the firewall.

Edited March 13, 2021 by siteunseen

[Shawninvancouver]

UPDATE -

bench tested starter motor and it worked.  put it back in and found ignition wires so when key is start position it works...  we got  starter motor going with key... step 1 done !!

but no spark - spark plugs are all new.

we tried to test ignition coil..

1. can you test it with a multi meter? and how? is that the best way? or just buy a new one?

2. distributor looks crusty and points were all crusty.. did not have time to clean distributor... 

3. can distributor be tested be seeing a spark if held to frame form main cable to distributor cap?

4. there is a wire missing from distiributor possibly..  i will put arrow to it in photo..

5. should i sand the points?

6. if engine is trying to start with starter motor is it still possible there is no power going to ssprk/ ignition coil??

photos below..

so close to get it going...

white arrow on distributor - does a wire go on that??

how does coil look?

how does inside of distributor look??

 

does the  wire run from the positive on the starter motor to the  resistor balast below the coil???

Edited March 13, 2021 by Shawninvancouver

[siteunseen]

File the points contacts. The rotor button end and maybe the rotor cap's 6 contacts if they look crusty. Hell sand the middle contact coming in from the coil. It pushes in but you could still lightly sand it.

The picture shows newish points. Is that something you did? Are they gapped proper. There's a black black ground wire on the distributor, how's it look?

My #1 would be the valve train and spray bar under the valve cover. They get loose from the towers and loose oil before hitting the cam lobes. You don't want to damage any more that could be already. 

 

[Shawninvancouver]

cool - what about the terminal on the distributor with no wire.. the one i put a white arrow to???  does anything go to that??

[Zed Head]

38 minutes ago, Shawninvancouver said:

UPDATE -

bench tested starter motor and it worked.  put it back in and found ignition wires so when key is start position it works...  we got  starter motor going with key... step 1 done !!

but no spark - spark plugs are all new.

 

So you've already spun the engine over.

How did you check for spark?

The first thing to do is to the check for 12 volts at the terminals on the coil with the key at Run.  No voltage = no spark.

[Zed Head]

When you finally get spark squirt some starting fluid in to the carburetors so that when it starts it can suck in all of the pine needles, leaves, and squirrel nuts.

[Shawninvancouver]

LOL- ok where on coil do i put the multi meter? one prong in middle hole and one to ground??

then turn key to accessory??
i think i did that and  got full voltage.. 

but no spark to spark plug as we pulled a plug and held it to motor when starting..

must be the points???

 

the coil is so bloody rusty..  we may just by a new onw for 40 bucks.. and new ballast risistor and not worry about them..

Edited March 13, 2021 by Shawninvancouver

[Zed Head]

One probe to either the plus or the minus terminal and one to ground.

You can also open and close the points by hand with the center coil wire close to ground and you should see a small spark at the points and a big one at the center wire.

In your picture the points are closed.  Just reach in there and open them up.  Each time you open them you should get a spark at the center wire terminal.

[Shawninvancouver]

how do you open and close the points " by hand" ??  spin the top plastic T ?

[Racer X]

2 hours ago, Shawninvancouver said:

UPDATE -

bench tested starter motor and it worked.  put it back in and found ignition wires so when key is start position it works...  we got  starter motor going with key... step 1 done !!

but no spark - spark plugs are all new.

we tried to test ignition coil..

1. can you test it with a multi meter? and how? is that the best way? or just buy a new one?

2. distributor looks crusty and points were all crusty.. did not have time to clean distributor... 

3. can distributor be tested be seeing a spark if held to frame form main cable to distributor cap?

4. there is a wire missing from distiributor possibly..  i will put arrow to it in photo..

5. should i sand the points?

6. if engine is trying to start with starter motor is it still possible there is no power going to ssprk/ ignition coil??

photos below..

so close to get it going...

white arrow on distributor - does a wire go on that??

how does coil look?

how does inside of distributor look??

 

does the  wire run from the positive on the starter motor to the  resistor balast below the coil???

The ignition parts look pretty bad. I see a crack in the distributor cap, the rotor tip is corroded. The plug wires look pretty shabby. The contacts on the points are corroded. The connections at the coil are corroded. The thing on the side of the distributor is called a condenser, it helps reduce ignition noise that is picked up on the radio. It isn't needed to make the ignition work, but usually comes with the points.

Replace all that stuff, get NGK wires, there is a set tailor made for L series engines, all the plug leads are numbered, and the correct length. Highly recommended.

Everything else you can get reasonably good quality parts at NAPA.

The coil should be fine, clean the contacts with a small wire brush, clean and bright. Don't forget the inside of the center where the wire to the distributor goes. Coils rarely fail, usually physical damage causes them to leak (they have oil in them), or causes the windings to short. As for testing it for spark, do what the guy in the video does (ignore the brown wire he mentions).

It should work like the video if the coil is serviceable.

With a multimeter you can do continuity testing to see if the windings are in good condition or shorted out.  

If you didn't put NGK plugs in it, buy some and use the others to make toy race cars with nuts, welding rod and bits of scrap sheet metal for wings.

Set the points and plugs to spec, and be sure to use the little red capsule of grease that comes with the points, it goes on the plastic follower that rides the cam in the distributor (put it on the opposite side of the contact tip, a little wipes off onto the cam as it wears, keeping the cam/follower lubed). 

Also, check the ignition advance mechanism under the points. Connect a vacuum pump to the diaphragm and see if it moves, and also check the mechanical advance (one of those screwdrivers works here too).

Edited March 14, 2021 by Racer X