adr3naline

Hey everyone... I've just attempted to install a Pertronix Ignitor and new coil, but when I go to turn on the car, I have power at the key, but the engine doesn't turn over, but it worked fine before.

I'm attaching two pictures so you can hopefully help me analyze this.

Ignitor: I believe I installed it correctly. The Distributor had a small black wire inside that I left attached to the bottom of the ignitor.

Coil: I have the red wire from the Ignitor going to the + of the coil. The wire from the ignition switch is going to the + also. I have the black from the Ignitor going to the - of the coil, and the green from my tachometer going to the - of the coil.

coil
distributor

adr3naline

Come on, can anybody help me?

Could I have fried the coil, or ignitor?

kalli

Hiya ...

the little black wire inside your distributor doesn't leave the distributor. In the picture I can see that it is connected to the contact breaker plate, but I cannot see where it's going. So wheres that hooked up to ?
At the same time, remove the wire (green) for tach, just for the troubleshooting period. (tape the connector and tuck under somewhere).
ignitor red to coil+ is ok. Ignitor black to coil- is ok.

You say that the engine doesn't turn over, then this is nothing to do with ignition, unless you connected it up all wrong and you're shortening out the whole system.

You say you have power at the key. Do you mean when you turn on ignition (don't start), then the idiot lights come on? or what do you mean with that?
first of all check if you've accidentally removed engine ground (there should be a cable going from battery- to the engine block)
if you have a testlight or multimeter:
switch on ignition (no start)
1. any cables around selonoid getting hot?
2. voltage across battery (battery+ to battery-)
3. voltage across coil+ and battery-
4. voltage across battery+ and the little cable in the distributor


... post the results

adr3naline

The little black wire connects to two screws within the distributor, you can see the screw in the picture, it just doesn't show up with the connection.

Yes, all my idiot lights turn on when I turn on the key, but when I turn the key to start, I don't crank.

If the ground was removed, then I wouldn't get idiot lights, right?

I'll go run and check the rest of those right now, thanks kalli!

adr3naline

Cables at the solenoid are hot.
Battery is fine
My test light lights up when testing the coil
My test light lights up fine when testing the little black wire in the distributor...

So, does everything I touch electronically get destroyed? I could never get my tachometer to work either, and I have it hooked up perfect!

kalli

hmmm .... I'm quite convinced that the ignitor and coil are hooked up properly.
what worries me is that the cables at selonoid get hot even without turning over.
If it's a short then your battery should be dead by now or fuses gone.

I'm not too sure what will happen with the idiot lights when engine is not grounded, so better just quickly check.
At the same time if you have an automatic tranny make sure you're in park and that all the cable to this safty switch is connected correctly at tranny.

Now to the warm/hot wires. Is it all of them or the one going to the starter itself?
Do you know how to start an engine without using the key in start position?
as in: key i ignition position and run a cable from battery+ to starter bypassing all switches ....
this way you'll see at least if the starter turns over. You need a big cable. a jump start lead is perfect for this.

(oh and when your tach doesn't work, then disconnect it for the sake of testing). not that you're pullling something tehre you shouldn't get)

Kalli

69thunder

If the engine dosen't crank from the starter and all connections are good it is the solenoid. They go out all at once.

adr3naline

Okay, I'm stupid, but Kalli, when you mentioned the tranny... It had slipped my mind that when I park it, sometimes it slips out of park. So, I went home during lunch, put it back into park, and it cranked...

Now, I've got another problem, it won't fire up. In my ignorance, I assume that the ignition is now working fine if it's cranking, and it would be a fuel delivery problem with it not firing up. I have my hood up right now, so I can see into the engine compartment from the drivers seat, and when I stop cranking, a puff of something comes out of my carbeurator... is this normal? Also, when I turn my key from start to acc, the engine turns a quick rotation. It never did that before...

Anyway, let me know what you think, I'm excited to drive it again with this nice weather.

jlg2002

Just cause it cranks doesn't mean it has spark! The way to verify that you have spark is to pull a plug wire ( or coil wire) hold it 1/4" to ground and see if there's spark when you crank. It's also possible that you've flooded the engine with fuel with all of the testing you've done.

adr3naline

Yeah, I just went and talked with a guy and he told me the same thing... I just tested and I have no spark.

Hey, on my solenoid... I have a wire coming out with an "I" above it, and another with an "S" above it. The wire with the "I" above it tests out okay when I have my ignition turned on... the "S" doesn't light up my test light... should it?

Other than that... sounds like I may have a faulty either ignitor or coild, which would you guess?

[Edit:]
What about the distributor rotor or cap... could these be causing any of these problems?