Car won't start...

Michael Trew

unread,

Dec 30, 2021, 10:55:22 PM12/30/21

to

Aforementioned 1968 Ford Galaxie 302 engine won't start. It cranks over
just fine, but won't try to catch or even "pop off" just once. Seems
exactly like a no-spark condition.

It's been a wet day, so I popped the distributor cap, but no
condensation. Wiped off the metal parts and rotor anyway (not dirty).
I pulled a random plug wire and put a spark tester on it, resting on the
block. It sure lit up, that cylinder had spark.

Drats... I really thought that the coil went, but it still has spark to
the distributor cap. I dumped a bit of fuel down the throttle. No
difference. Cranks just fine, but it won't even pop as if it were
trying to catch; not even on one cylinder.

I guess I'll try again in the morning. Any ideas? How ironic that I
get stumped like this, after posting a couple of times today how old
cars are so much easier to work on... LOL. Thanks in advance.

Snag

unread,

Dec 31, 2021, 7:46:00 AM12/31/21

to

How many miles on the timing chain ? Put a timing light on it and see
when the spark occurs .
--
Snag
Let's Go Brandon !

Scott Dorsey

unread,

Dec 31, 2021, 9:30:08 AM12/31/21

to

On 12/30/2021 9:55 PM, Michael Trew wrote:

> Drats... I really thought that the coil went, but it still has spark to
> the distributor cap. I dumped a bit of fuel down the throttle. No
> difference. Cranks just fine, but it won't even pop as if it were
> trying to catch; not even on one cylinder.

If it's not spark and it's not fuel, it's air or timing. First step is to
get out the timing light.

> I guess I'll try again in the morning. Any ideas? How ironic that I
> get stumped like this, after posting a couple of times today how old
> cars are so much easier to work on... LOL. Thanks in advance.

If you had a newer car, you could go into the menus and look at a plot of the
crankshaft position sensor and the timing diagram without even having to get
your hands dirty.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

AMuzi

unread,

Dec 31, 2021, 9:58:40 AM12/31/21

to

On 12/30/2021 9:55 PM, Michael Trew wrote:

Is 'a bit of fuel' something like 1/4oz? More than 'a bit'
makes its own trouble. Try ether instead.

If not a fuel problem, likely a timing issue. Does your
distributor turn easily (clamp bolt not tight)? May have
wandered. If it's tight, check position with timing light
since you have spark.

--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Michael Trew

unread,

Dec 31, 2021, 9:47:56 PM12/31/21

to

Thanks all. I considered timing after I went to bed. Same issue in the
morning when cranking. Late this afternoon, I came back to tear into
it, but it fired right up, how odd.

I pulled each spark plug afterward, and they weren't bad looking. I
sanded them down, checked the gap to about .035. I also took a brass
wire brush to the contacts inside of the distributor cap. All in all,
it's actually running a bit more smoothly than before. Plugs are wires
didn't look too old.

I'll be in for a carburetor rebuild not too long from now. Probably a
fuel filter also. It starts to die when you first get into the
throttle, unless you feather it. It was sitting in a garage for
decades. I guess the last guy did a quick tuneup and got bored.