VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Starting '38 Chevy 1

OK. Trying again to get '38 running. I have little mechanical background and I've misplaced my service manual (talk about timing) but I'm using a '46 Car Repair Manual from MoToR's Manual.
I've decided to do this by process of elimination, doing one thing a day until hopefully I luck into the problem. Engine will turn over but no spark.

Today I:

1. Charged and hooked up battery. Flat strap to negative post, round cable to positive.
2. Put car in neutral
3. Turned key to right
4. Removed spark plug wire and held it one inch to two inches away from engine block, then firewall.
5. Cranked.
6. No spark, no arc, no nothing.

So what do I do next?

In meantime, I'm trying to study this multimeter to figure out how to check what's hot, what's not. And reading the manual more.
Thanks.

You need to check the points. If left out of service for a while the points will get corrosion and not operate the coil.

You can check one way by removing the distributor cap, with a screwdriver force the points open and closed. You should get a spark here if everything else is in good shape.

If you do get a spark, replace the cap, remove the center plug wire at the distributor end. Hold this wire near a good ground and try to start the engine. If no spark the problem can be bad coil or more troubles with the points. It is easy to substitute a coil known to test.

Holding the High tension lead 1 to 2 inches from engine is too far, 1/4 to 3/8 of inch is closer to correct distance.
As has been suggested dirty ponts could also be a problem, without removing the points a light rub with a fine wet or dry sandpaper will help alleviate this problem.
Tony

The spark plug has to touch the engine to spark. Hold it against the engine so that it is grounded with a plastic tool. Turn the engine. You should have a spark.

Brian

You could always grab the spark plug wire terminal end, then grab the spark plug,ignition on have the wife turn the engine over, if your hair curls you got spark! Worked with a fellow in 1950 that would grab a spark plug on a running engine and then grab your arm as you walked by. Claimed if you do it fast enough it does not hurt. Never believed him. If the car has been dormant for a long time check out the condensor as well.

OK. I will try those things this evening. It's hot out and the previous owner didn't realize that Chevy chose gray, not black, as the engine block paint so you could see what you were doing.

So basically, I will hold the wire closer to the block and crank, first. Then clean points. I have a new coil, but get the spring loaded cap off the old one is not so easy.

I also have a new condenser. If I replace the condenser, is it simply as easy as taking off the old one and putting the new one in its place?

Would corrosion on points not necessarily be visible to the naked, bespectacled, bifocaled eye? That car has set up a while.

At this point, I would try the hand-held approach, but with my luck of recent days, I would get a spark but wouldn't be able to confirm it because my hair is presently cut too short.

I also noted car cranks when key in 12 o'clock position. Is that normal?

Thanks,guys. Will give update.

I would hold the spark plug against the engine. You don't really care if the wire sparks. The color of the spark should be blue/white.

The engine is "live" all the time but the ignition circuit is only "live" when the key is at 2 oclock position.

You would see corrosion. Points just pop off, so to speak.

Brian

Just to clarify...
the first suggestion was to remove just the plug WIRE and hold it just off a ground to see if it arcs. The second suggestion is to remove a wire and the spark plug, but put the spark plug back in the wire. Then ground the connected spark plug to the engine and crank the engine. With the key in the on position you should see an arc between the gap in the plug. More work...bascially the same test.