Long Time Reader, First Time Poster
Got a 1952 Ford 640 that will crank, but getting no spark at the plugs. Was converted to 12V, Negative Ground before I bought it (had it for 3 years), but recently installed a Pertronix Electronic Ignition as I was changing points every year before that. Recently had to replace the alternator and fan belt, but I don't think that should have affected it.
I got about 5 hours of use out of it this year before it sputtered and quit on me and hasn't started since. Was pretty confident about the fuel/carburetor system, and it's getting fuel to the carb, but I worked through that last year and am not too worried about that.
Battery has good charge, engine turns over great, but when i test the spark by pulling the plug wires off and hold it to the engine block, while running the starter, I get nothing. I've run the multimeter from every cord and connection that makes sense; most notably, between the ground and hot side of the coil and it's got 12 volts. Thought it was the coil at that point (have a high-performance coil on there now as it was recommended for the electronic ignition), but I'm still only getting 12V out of the top of the coil when I run the starter, so, of course, no blue spark when I pull the spark plugs off to test them.
Thus far, I've replaced (not all at once), the coil, distributor cap, and rotor button, hoping for a bad connection somewhere in there, but no dice. Additionally, I took the electronic ignition off and cleaned off the plate it mounts on in the distributor and cleaned that too. If it's a bad connection with the ground, I'm not sure where it's at.
It sounds like the electronic ignition isn't breaking the circuit, so the coil isn't sending the high voltage back through to the distributor cap and on to the plugs.
Any help that anyone can offer is appreciated. I'm afraid I"m going to have to take it to the shop if I can't get it fixed, but i pay for the education there. Thanks again.
Got a 1952 Ford 640 that will crank, but getting no spark at the plugs. Was converted to 12V, Negative Ground before I bought it (had it for 3 years), but recently installed a Pertronix Electronic Ignition as I was changing points every year before that. Recently had to replace the alternator and fan belt, but I don't think that should have affected it.
I got about 5 hours of use out of it this year before it sputtered and quit on me and hasn't started since. Was pretty confident about the fuel/carburetor system, and it's getting fuel to the carb, but I worked through that last year and am not too worried about that.
Battery has good charge, engine turns over great, but when i test the spark by pulling the plug wires off and hold it to the engine block, while running the starter, I get nothing. I've run the multimeter from every cord and connection that makes sense; most notably, between the ground and hot side of the coil and it's got 12 volts. Thought it was the coil at that point (have a high-performance coil on there now as it was recommended for the electronic ignition), but I'm still only getting 12V out of the top of the coil when I run the starter, so, of course, no blue spark when I pull the spark plugs off to test them.
Thus far, I've replaced (not all at once), the coil, distributor cap, and rotor button, hoping for a bad connection somewhere in there, but no dice. Additionally, I took the electronic ignition off and cleaned off the plate it mounts on in the distributor and cleaned that too. If it's a bad connection with the ground, I'm not sure where it's at.
It sounds like the electronic ignition isn't breaking the circuit, so the coil isn't sending the high voltage back through to the distributor cap and on to the plugs.
Any help that anyone can offer is appreciated. I'm afraid I"m going to have to take it to the shop if I can't get it fixed, but i pay for the education there. Thanks again.