1952 8n no spark

[bluebulldozer123]

1952 ford 8n side mount distributor 6 volt> Currently will not start sometimes it does start and runs for a few minutes then cuts off like no gas but it has gas and rebuilt carb flows great out the drain plug right after it stops running. I jumped the switch and nothing there to help , amp meter moves about 1/8 in with each revolution of the engine, grounded plug check reveals no spark, points set at 025 and are opening and closing. Changed points and it was worse only ran for a minute or so when and if it cranks, wires all look great and are fairly new I cleaned all connections . Coil got hot a couple times when i was testing, 6 volt constant at the coil. I am thinking the distributor is bad but I do not know how to confirm that. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE

 

[old]

1952 ford 8n side mount distributor 6 volt> Currently will not start sometimes it does start and runs for a few minutes then cuts off like no gas but it has gas and rebuilt carb flows great out the drain plug right after it stops running. I jumped the switch and nothing there to help , amp meter moves about 1/8 in with each revolution of the engine, grounded plug check reveals no spark, points set at 025 and are opening and closing. Changed points and it was worse only ran for a minute or so when and if it cranks, wires all look great and are fairly new I cleaned all connections . Coil got hot a couple times when i was testing, 6 volt constant at the coil. I am thinking the distributor is bad but I do not know how to confirm that. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE

Take the distributor cap off and dust cover so you can see the points. then with something that doesn't conduct power open the point with the ignition on. You should see a small spark when you do that. No spark means either you have a short or the points need to be cleaned. Now days many brands of points come with a coating that needs to be cleaned off

 

[bluebulldozer123]

I have a blue spark when I checked and it cranked ran for 3 minutes and cut off no spark on the points now

 

[old]

I have a blue spark when I checked and it cranked ran for 3 minutes and cut off no spark on the points now

Try a hot wire from the ignition side of the battery as in non ground side to the ignition side of the coil and see if it runs that way. If it does you have a bad switch or bad wire from the switch to the coil

 

[bluebulldozer123]

no that did not work. I do have blue spark on the points now after finding a short on the points but still nothing to the plugs except every once in a while when it cranks for a couple minutes, it actually ran for about 5 minutes a while ago. It was working great 3 weeks ago.

 

[old]

no that did not work. I do have blue spark on the points now after finding a short on the points but still nothing to the plugs except every once in a while when it cranks for a couple minutes, it actually ran for about 5 minutes a while ago. It was working great 3 weeks ago.

No spark at the plugs means either a bad rotor or cap or the small rotor clip is missing so the rotor flops around a bit

 

[bluebulldozer123]

ok rotor button was off the clip, put it back on and it cranked up an ran for twenty minutes, I was tickled, it was running a little off but not bad a small flutter so I cut it off and it will not crank back up. LOl Glad for your advice hope you got some more, THanks

 

[old]

ok rotor button was off the clip, put it back on and it cranked up an ran for twenty minutes, I was tickled, it was running a little off but not bad a small flutter so I cut it off and it will not crank back up. LOl Glad for your advice hope you got some more, THanks

Will not crank back up as in will not turn over or will not start?? If no start recheck the rotor it may have slipped or maybe cracked so it slips out of place when you shut it down

 

[Eman85]

Don't understand how the rotor can come off of a distributor if it's installed correctly and it's the right cap. If or when it quits check for spark on the coil wire first, this will show you if the coil and points are doing their job.

 

[old]

Don't understand how the rotor can come off of a distributor if it's installed correctly and it's the right cap. If or when it quits check for spark on the coil wire first, this will show you if the coil and points are doing their job.

I've seen more then one rotor made in the land of almost right pop off the distributor shaft due to being poorly made

 

[bluebulldozer123]

Will not crank back up as in will not turn over or will not start?? If no start recheck the rotor it may have slipped or maybe cracked so it slips out of place when you shut it down

will not start turn over good ,rotor looks good I have spark now but very weak tried the spark plug trick again at 1/8 and it sparked yellow orange nothing at 1/4 inch, at the Spark comimg out of the coil looked blue like on the points

 

[bluebulldozer123]

Don't understand how the rotor can come off of a distributor if it's installed correctly and it's the right cap. If or when it quits check for spark on the coil wire first, this will show you if the coil and points are doing their job.

I may have not have put the rotor back on the clip correctly it did not come off clip had slid down on the shaft when I was checking the points but it is on right now and tight. blue spark on the points and coil but very weak on the plug test

 

[old]

will not start turn over good ,rotor looks good I have spark now but very weak tried the spark plug trick again at 1/8 and it sparked yellow orange nothing at 1/4 inch, at the Spark comimg out of the coil looked blue like on the points

Weak spark can be the point have slipped so my need to be reset at 0.025 or they are getting dirty or the cap/rotor maybe going bad

 

[Jim L WA]

Have you tried a new coil? You mentioned that yours got got while cranking.

 

[Eman85]

I may have not have put the rotor back on the clip correctly it did not come off clip had slid down on the shaft when I was checking the points but it is on right now and tight. blue spark on the points and coil but very weak on the plug test

Do you have good spark jumping 1/4" when checked on the coil wire? But when you check at a spark plug wire it's weak? If that's what you have you probably need a rotor or cap or spark plug wires.
It's easier to check the function of the points when troubleshooting. A test light hooked to ground touch the probe to the distributor side of the primary circuit of the coil and turn the engine over with the key on. If the light blinks you can move on to checking the secondary ignition.

 

[bluebulldozer123]

Have you tried a new coil? You mentioned that yours got got while cranking.

new coil same problem

 

[bluebulldozer123]

Do you have good spark jumping 1/4" when checked on the coil wire? But when you check at a spark plug wire it's weak? If that's what you have you probably need a rotor or cap or spark plug wires.
It's easier to check the function of the points when troubleshooting. A test light hooked to ground touch the probe to the distributor side of the primary circuit of the coil and turn the engine over with the key on. If the light blinks you can move on to checking the secondary ignition.

I am going to try new rotor, rotor cap, wires and points. let you know how that goes in two days

 

[old]

new coil same problem

While this is not a fun way to find it but turn the ignition on and hold the distributor cap with your hand if it is a side mount. If you get zapped real good the cap is bad

 

[bluebulldozer123]

1952 ford 8n side mount distributor 6 volt> Currently will not start sometimes it does start and runs for a few minutes then cuts off like no gas but it has gas and rebuilt carb flows great out the drain plug right after it stops running. I jumped the switch and nothing there to help , amp meter moves about 1/8 in with each revolution of the engine, grounded plug check reveals no spark, points set at 025 and are opening and closing. Changed points and it was worse only ran for a minute or so when and if it cranks, wires all look great and are fairly new I cleaned all connections . Coil got hot a couple times when i was testing, 6 volt constant at the coil. I am thinking the distributor is bad but I do not know how to confirm that. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE

I got lazy and just put in a new distributor with all new parts. Runs like a champ now. Thanks for all the help.

 

[Jim L WA]

Good news. Thanks for the update.