Goldie won't start

[Zymurgy]

I seem to be having one of those summer. A little back history. I noticed last week I started getting a pinging when accelerating, so I planned on checking the timing this weekend. I didn't make it.

It started acting like it was really out of time, barely moving under it's own power. I found if I put the car in neutral and rev the engine I could get it to run smoothly. I could bring it up to speed, but as soon as I slowed down it would barely run. Today it won't start.

I think it is my "new" rebuilt distributor. The shaft is still solid no movement side to side or up and down. I can rotate the shaft easily about 20 degree around. Is this normal? I don't remember ever having this kind of movement in the shaft.

I have gas and spark.

Video of the movement I am talking about.

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

I seem to be having one of those summer. A little back history. I noticed last week I started getting a pinging when accelerating, so I planned on checking the timing this weekend. I didn't make it.

It started acting like it was really out of time, barely moving under it's own power. I found if I put the car in neutral and rev the engine I could get it to run smoothly. I could bring it up to speed, but as soon as I slowed down it would barely run. Today it won't start.

I think it is my "new" rebuilt distributor. The shaft is still solid no movement side to side or up and down. I can rotate the shaft easily about 20 degree around. Is this normal? I don't remember ever having this kind of movement in the shaft.

I have gas and spark.

Video of the movement I am talking about.

Yes, that movement is completely normal for a big block distributor. The CCW motion you are showing is the MECHANICAL ADVANCE movement when the engine RPM increases.

A small block distributor would do exactly the same thing only in the CW direction.

 

[Zymurgy]

Back to square one. Thanks for the explanation, makes total sense now that I think of it.

 

[detmatt]

What now Mike??? You have a timing light, yes?

 

[Zymurgy]

What now Mike??? You have a timing light, yes?

I have one in my garage, but I didn't really have much time this weekend to look at her. Most of my tools are in my shop, going to pick a few things up on my way home tomorrow.

 

[65Fury440]

Did your distributor come loose?Hope it's not too hard to figure out

 

[thrashingcows]

Could be a bad tank of gas? Maybe try running it off a gas can and see if that makes a difference.

What ignition system are you running? Points, Pertronix, Mopar electronic ignition?

Timing chain...new or old?

 

[barnfind]

Basics, compression, spark, fuel, and you have 2 out of 3. What was the last thing you did to the engine?

 

[Zymurgy]

I believe it is something to do with the distributor and or timing. It is a rebuilt of the original factory distributor, with new points and condenser. New timing chain.

Have been enjoying the car this summer. The only thing that went bad this year was a bad, new voltage regulator, that fried a condenser. I incorrectly installed an electric fuel pump earlier.

I am starting to think the bad voltage regulator may have damaged something else. It has a new coil, I put back on the original ballast resistor.

 

[78Brougham]

Maybe check to make sure the rotor is still pointing at the number one tower when the engines number one cylinder is on tdc. Maybe something jumped time? If your getting spark that would eliminate a bad ballast resistor, if something moved in the distributor it would still make spark but at the wrong timing. Could be retarding or advancing to much. Also check to see if the plate where the points are mounted is ok. If that plate shifted or is loose, it would throw thing's off, yet still make spark. Just some thoughts.

 

[Zymurgy]

Well I lied I thought I had spark I have intermittent spark. I will start with another coil. Thanks for the input.

I did check the rotor and it is pointing at #1 at TDC

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Condenser is loose, not grounded, assuming the points are still opening and closing also wire connection loose in dist. my 2 cents.

 

[Zymurgy]

Thanks for the tips I will check them first.

 

[Ripinator]

:sixpack:

 

[commando1]

:sixpack:

Yah. Should be done by now. Lol

 

[Knebel]

Should be pretty easy to find...

Check for spark coming from the dizzy, then from the coil. Eventually there could also be dirt in the carb. Sort the ignition thing out first, i had it happened before that the dizzy came loose and cause weird problems.

 

[Zymurgy]

Work is keeping me away from working on her. I will keep you up to date.

 

[Knebel]

I hope you find the problem! Oh, you said you had "intermitten spark" if you got a condenser, maybe this is going out. Had that happen before too, not on a mopar but still creates all kinds of wonkey behavior.

 

[The Horvaths]

From what I'm reading, there have been a spate of bad condensers pointed out on several forums lately. New stuff. bad out of the box. Shame, shame, shame.


Yes, he typed "pointed" out when referring to ignition parts. :laughing4:

 

[Zymurgy]

Well I picked up my 11/4 scoket and got it back to tdc and set my points, they were completely closed the screw was loose. It still didn't start no fire at all. Checked my coil had no spark at all. Went ahead and bought a new coil and condenser, will try install tonight if I get home before dark.

Will completely closed points cause other problems?