Engine turns over but no fire

[Mark J]

Engine turns over but will not start. I have done troubleshooting of the ignition system from the key to the distributor. All wires have continunity, in line fuse is good, changed the coil, have changed distributor cap, points, condenser, plugs and plug wires. Jumped the battery directly to the coil and have current going into the distributor, but no current comming from the distributor to the plugs. No sign of spark across the .025 gap in points. Removed the distributor in accordance with MMI overhaul manual, inspected distributor drive gear, looks fine. flyweight springs look a bit old but not sure exactly how they should be inspected in a static mode. Any ideas why spark is not coming out of distributor? I am planning to buy an electronic ignition conversion but need to know if I should buy the entire distributor assembly and could that solve my problem.

[hobbit91]

Not much left after that. Points , condensor, rotor, distributor cap and wires. Have you checked and/or replaced these? Cap could have a crack even though it looks good.

[Mark J]

Yep, replaced them all. fuel filter too and checked electric fuel pump to ensure it was working. Thanks

[Jim Booth]

If you've replaced all the pieces and it's still not working, I suggest going back and making sure every step was done correctly. It sounds like there's a snafu in there somewhere.

Jim

[Don Moyer]

Mark,

I agree with the basic response you've been getting from the group. If you're getting a good secondary discharge from the coil to the center of the distributor cap, there isn't much left except to replace the secondary components downstream from the coil (the cap, rotor, plugs, and plug wires) which you've already done.

Knowing that your engine ran fine as of last July and then sat idle since then, my best guess is that there wasn't much more wrong when your recent troubles began than that a bit of corrosion had grown on the points since last July.

I do not recommend spending any more money on replacing things (certainly not the distributor) until you retrace a few of the maintenance steps already taken. For example, at this point, it's not clear to me whether you really do have a good secondary discharge from the coil, since you report in your previous message that there is no spark visible across the .025" gap of the points. If you look closely, you should see a 12 volt spark across the points as they open and close. Without this evidence of the switching of the primary circuit (the 12 volt circuit), there can be no secondary discharge.

Depending on whether you do (or don't) have a good secondary discharge, I'd also be sure to retrace the timing operation, and the proper sequence of the plug wires (1,2,4,and 3 from the flywheel end of the engine).

Here again are the essential steps for ignition timing:

1) Remove all spark plugs and rotate the engine in a counterclockwise direction until you begin to feel compression in the first cylinder. Stop turning at the first sign of compression, and then continue to slowly rotate the engine while observing the roll pin in the center of the flywheel. Stop turning when the roll pin is vertical. The engine is now set with the first cylinder at Top Dead Center (TDC) of its compression stroke.

2) Connect a 12 volt timing light across the primary terminals of the coil and rotate the housing of the distributor a small distance in each direction (with the ignition switch on) to locate the point where the light turns off. Retighten the hold-down bracket. This is the point in the engine rotation where the secondary discharge occurs which will be sent to the number one cylinder (at the flywheel end of the engine).

NOTE: On late model engines, it's most convenient if the tip of the rotor is pointing directly away from the block at the TDC of the number one cylinder. In this orientation, there will be proper clearance between the distributor cap and the alternator belt. On early model engines, the tip of the rotor should be pointing aft when at number one TDC to insure good clearance between the belt and the retaining clips of the cap.

3) Be certain that the plug wires are installed in the proper locations. With the engine still at the number one TDC position, the lead to the first cylinder (at the flywheel end) should be installed in the post of the distributor cap located directly over the tip of the rotor.

4) The remaining plug wires are installed in a clockwise orientation around the distributor cap in the order of the engine's firing sequence (1, 2, 4, and 3). This means that the plug lead from the distributor cap post directly to the right of number one goes to the second cylinder from the flywheel, the next post to the fourth cylinder (at the transmission end), and the lead from the next post to number three. You should then be back at the post for cylinder number one.

Don

[Mark J]

Back to basics is the right step. Thank you Don for the prompt reply to my delima. I had an old Triumph Spitfire and was used to a lot more problems, therefore more troubleshooting ideas. Your manual is fine. I now realize it is for the engine not necessarly the Catalina 30 instillation. I just had to adjust my thinking. Original problem was bad coil and burnt and pitted points just like the book said. But in the process of fixing that, I caused the end state problem. On my boat the distributor is directly under a wooden brace and very hard to get to. I basically wiggled the spark plug wires so much to unseat them from the distributor cap and the coil when removing and replacing the cap (about 10 times) that the contact inside the wire was bent in and did not make contact with the cap. Had I checked the wires first I would have been running several weeks ago! At anyrate, a slight twist with a screwdriver to spread the contact and listening to hear a positive "click" when I reattached them to the distro cap was all that was needed and she cranked right up. With new coil, points,condensor,wires, plugs and good timing, because I followed the instructions when I needlessly removed the distributor, it runs great. I do plan to replace the points with the electronic ignition but I wanted to get it running the old way first which we did yesterday.Thanks again for the prompt assist. And now that I have my head in the "unstowed position" I will enjoy the rest of the fall season here on the lower Chesapeake Bay.
Mark

[gilbert landin]

I have basically gone thru the same things as described here, I am getting spark to the #1 plug but have not checked all the plugs. On a new spark plug wire set and cap the wires tend to want to pop-up off the top of the cap. I saw a spark tester for 6.00 at harbor frieght so with this i will make sure all plugs are firing.

[gilbert landin]

wooohoo she fired up like a champ after Don pointed out the impotance of feeling for the compression before the piston reaches the TDC, I never felt for the compression and consequently was setting the piston at the top during the wrong compression phase. So I was basically 180 degrees off on the timing. Once I reset the distributer she fired right up, kinda scary to have her runnung so well, now during the retorque I stripped out the stud between 2 and 3 cylinders darn :mad: this the second one, at least the first one I could take back to the machine shop and have them redo it.

gilbert

[Don Moyer]

Gilbert,

Sorry to hear of your stud problem(s). Remember that you can install our 7/16" repair studs through the head, without having to remove it.

Don