VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 1926 no spark

Trying to start my 1926 yesterday and today. It's time to take it out for some upcoming shows and rides. It won't start! Had a friend help to see if I had a spark at the plug, and no spark. I have tested, with a tester, that I do have power to the coil and out to points. I can make points spark. checked dist. cap looked a little corroded so I cleaned it up as best as I can. I am not a master mechanic, but am pretty proud of myself for correcting other problems that have occurred through the help of this chat.

Check the contacts on the underside of the distributor and also clean up the rotor. I use a pocket knife to scrape the burn marks off the distributor contacts and a nail file to gently clean up the rotor. I've run into these problems on my '28 engine.

Let us know what ultimately fixes your problem.

Cheers, Dean

You also might want to replace the rotor and the distributor cap as well.

Thanks guys, I am thinking the same thing. I have my mentor chevy guy (1928) coming over later today to give me some help with my problem.

Well I have tried all that has been suggested. Using a fine emery board cleaned the points. Using a Dremel with a fine wire brush cleaned contacts on inside of cap. Took coil and condenser to reputable auto electrics mechanics. He reported coil is good. Suggested I pull coil wire off dist. and hold close to block to see if I get a spark. Haven't done that yet as I am waiting for wife to get for lunch to help me. I checked with "Filling Station" for availability of parts and they do not stock anything older that 28 parts. He said there is a guy they know that does but he charges a pretty high price. Will fill you in on further testing later. This car has always started!

If you have power to the points and the coil has been checked to be okay, then you need to see if you have a high voltage spark from the center tap on the coil. Look inside the coil to be sure that the contact is okay if that was not already done by the mechanic. Next check the coil wire to be sure it does not have a broken connection. The coil wire and spark plug wires are not solid core then immediately replace them with solid metal core wires. The carbon core wires are just plain trouble. If you get a weak spark when a good coil center wire is held 1/2" from a ground on the block and the points are opened and closed make sure that the case of the condenser is grounded. If that is okay then change the condenser. Any condenser is better than a bad one. Once you have a good spark (it will make a audible "Snap") at the coil center wire to ground then replace the rotor and distributor cap. Check for spark at the plugs. If no spark at plugs recheck, cap, rotor and wires. Replace as necessary.

Generally if you start at the positive post of the coil and then check for power, then spark at each step as you progress toward the plugs you will find the problem.

Thanks Chipper, I have power to the positive side on coil. I have replaced with a different coil which found among my dad's stuff. Looks new and is 6 volt. Replaced condenser with a new one I got at a parts store. Actually got it fire for short run, encouraging. When separating the points I get a small spark. Been unable to get it to fire again. I was told about the coil wire test. Will try that when wife/helper gets home from work. I do not have resource yet for cap, rotor, or points if needed.
Thanks for you help.

You can check everything except for rotor, cap, spark plug wires by yourself. Take off cap and rotor, open and close points (manually with finger or screwdriver) while holding the coil wire 1/2" from ground on block. Then put piece of paper between points (to insulate them) and short across the point arms with a metal object (screwdriver). If both give you about the same "Snappy" spark you are good to go. If it does not snap then check ground on condenser case, condition of wires etc. Only when you are checking the spark at the plugs do you need another person. That is unless you can operate the starter and hold the spark plug wire at the same time. That can be done with early 6 cylinders.

Well I am not totally sure what I did? But she fired up today and ran perfect! After doing all that was suggested of me and of late last night, I no results other than a pop. Today after putting a good charge on the battery over night I thought I would give it one more try. So checked everything around the engine and noticed that the dist. cap spring clamps were not straight up and down, but slanting. So I moved until they were straight again. I guess there is a little notch there that seats the cap in the right place. The first touch of the starter it ran what little primer there was from last night. I put a bit more primer in the intake manifold and it fired and ran enough for the fuel to get to it. And continued to run.

Thank you all who have helped me with this. I have learned a great deal from your knowledge.

John

OH, thank you Chipper, grease monkey, rustaholic and everyone else.

John