Thread: my engine swap

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so i take the wire off the top of the coil and ground it out to the block using insulated gloves or tools while someone turn the engine over to see if i get a spark?

Hi Barb, they meant for you to pull the wire from the dist end that go`s to the coil, high tension lead, with a pair of gloves or insulated pliers, hold about a 1/4 of an inch from manifold, while someone cranks it over you`ll note a spark, if not we have other issues.

thank you . sorry for being so dense. i am really learning alot from doing this swap. do not think i will try it again for awhile

The last time the ignition got me is when I had just got done washing the car/engine, well I was in jeans ( they were wet), and reaching in to unloop a spark plug wire from the throttle lever and leaning up against the fender when it got me, not my hand but thru my zipper,,,,,

OUCH! i would peed myself!

Originally Posted by jyardgirl

thank you . sorry for being so dense. i am really learning alot from doing this swap. do not think i will try it again for awhile

Barb, I can't tell you how many times I have said that !!
Ken

Barb when I check for spark on a point set up distributer, You can take a plug wire off one spark plug and take a screw driver with an insulated handle, with the blade of the screw driver inserted in the plug wire(where it attaches to spark plug) and holding the plastic screw driver handle, place the shaft of the screw driver against a groundable piece of metal on the intake and have someone crank the ignition. If you have a spark, you know your getting juice to the plugs. (just make sure there is no starter fluid cloud or gas that might ignite nearby!)
On my 460 setup, I couldn't get spark, and found out it was the little black wire going from the distributer to the coil. Sometimes when they are old, they have internal cracks inside the plastic insulation that would never let you suspect they aren't connected and working right! It can drive you nuts figuring that one out!

thanks stoven. after looking over very closely the coil i noticed a crack in the casing. going shortly to the parts store and getting a new one. hopefully that will solve the problem.

okay guys I installed the new coil and checked all the wires. still not firing. i have only the wire from the + on the coil running to the ballast resistor and the positive from the ignition running to the ballast resistor. I have a wire from the negitive from the coil going to the distributor. That is the same wire that was originaly there on the old coil. I read somewhere that i also need a wire from the + coil running to the starter but i have not run that as i was not sure and wanted to ask you guys first. What am i missing. the coil wires and all the spark plug wires as well as the spark plugs are all new.

Barb

you don't have ignition power when switch is in start

Disconnect the pos wire on your coil and run a jumper hot wire right from the battery---

Put a spark plug wire into the coil with a removed plug on the other end laying on the manifold for a ground and turn the engine over---$ 5 says you get spark (if your points and condensor are installed and adjusted correctly

thanks so much jerry. i will try that first thing in the morning.

Barb, Don't mean to hijack your build thread but a quick story.

When I was doing my Hemi swap into my 49 Ford F1, everything was done and she just wouldn't fire off. The kid (Brandon) that helps me in the shop three days a week grabbed the #1 plug wire and was holding it up against a ground. wouldn't you just know it when I turned that Hemi over she fired right off. Old Brandon is holding that plug wire and the motor is running about 1,500 or 2,000 RPM. It was a sight to see, he was trying his best to turn loose but just couldn't, took me a few seconds to realize what was going on before I shut it off. Brandon learned a lesson that day thats for sure and for certain.

Roland

That's a pretty "shocking" story.

Something I have been meaning to mention to Barb and anyone thinking of using the shop vac trick to pressurize their tanks to pump out fuel..........SPARKS AND GAS FUMES DO NOT MIX! It is way better to use compressor air to put air into the tank, but if you don't have a compressor, be very careful using a shop vac.

First of all, make sure the hose in on the exhaust side of the compressor. If you inadvertently suck gas into the vac it can explode, big time. Then, keep the shop vac way back from the tank and the gas can you are filling. The motors in shop vacs are not ignition protected and create sparks.

A couple of years ago we had two older men who were killed when they were using a shop vac to clean up the bilge in their boat. They were blown clear out of the boat and it burned to the waterline. The explosion caused by gas fumes is equal to many sticks of dynamite.

Just had to mention this in case someone else picks up this tip and decides to use it.

Don

Simple trick, use two rubber hoses, one to drain the gas from, one to pressurize, smaller 3/8 for the gas, garden hose to blow into, wrap with a plastic bag at the top to keep the pressure in til gas starts flowing out, I do this all the time to fill my mower and gas can.