640 Ford

[Anonymous-0]

Worked on the 640 this morning and am getting spark on the coil wire. Still won"t start It does try to start but just won"t Does anyone have any ideas. Also I think the spark plug wires are not hooked up to the dist. cap properly.Which is the #1 cyl.
Thanks

 

[Dave in MS]

One is up front. The cylinders are numbered in order from front to back. Firing order is 1243.

 

[Michaels Dad]

(quoted from post at 23:51:42 09/05/09) One is up front. The cylinders are numbered in order from front to back. Firing order is 1243.

Had the same problem with my 640 a while back except I wasn't getting fire out of the coil wire.

After a lot of looking and some luck I found the wire in the center was there, but where it wrapped around and tucked under the brass was broken.
I had glanced at it twice before I found it.

 

[Anonymous-0]

If the #1 is up front Where is it on the Dist cap?

 

[Dave in MS]

Some caps have a #1 molded on them and that is your #1 wire hole. Wire it clockwise, following the firing order and if it still doesnt run, or doesn't run right, or if there is no mark on the cap, you will need to verify that the #1 wire is in the correct position. To do this, remove the spark plugs, and with the ignition off, turn the engine over while holding a finger over the #1 plug hole. As soon as you feel the woosh of air come out, stop the engine and check where the rotor is pointing. Open the window in the bell housing and look at the timing marks on the flywheel. If the marks are in the window, the rotor will be pointing at #1. if the marks are a little past the window, back the engine up until the marks are visable, start wiring at the hole the rotor is pointing to. Post back with your results and any other questions you have.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Thank you Dave I will try this in the morning and let you know

 

[Dave in MS]

Good luck, I hope you get her going.

 

[souNdguy]

it's wherever the rotor is pointing when the #1 cyl is at top on a compression stroke. remember.. distrib can be remove and put back in a position other than oem.. but still work if you align the wires correct ...

soundguy

 

[Larry NCKS]

(quoted from post at 17:30:00 09/05/09) Some caps have a #1 molded on them and that is your #1 wire hole. Wire it clockwise, following the firing order and if it still doesnt run, or doesn't run right, or if there is no mark on the cap, you will need to verify that the #1 wire is in the correct position. To do this, remove the spark plugs, and with the ignition off, turn the engine over while holding a finger over the #1 plug hole. As soon as you feel the woosh of air come out, stop the engine and check where the rotor is pointing. Open the window in the bell housing and look at the timing marks on the flywheel. If the marks are in the window, the rotor will be pointing at #1. if the marks are a little past the window, back the engine up until the marks are visable, start wiring at the hole the rotor is pointing to. Post back with your results and any other questions you have.

Good explanation, Dave.

 

[Dave in MS]

Thanks Larry. You must be a Nite Owl like me.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Dave
I did all that you suggested and it still won"t start. I am getting good spark out of the coil .Where do I go next on checking out spark.

 

[Dave in MS]

Good so far, now check for spark at each plug. If no spark at any plug, check cap and rotor. Spark comes out of coil, into cap center contact to rotor, where the rotor distributes the spark to each plug wire. If you have spark at the end of the coil wire, but nothing at the plugs, your trouble is either cap, rotor, or wires. Look for fine cracks in the cap, or burnt, dirty, or corroded contacts on the rotor, and cap. You should be using copper conductor wires, rather than the carbon radio suppression ones. Get a known good wire and check for spark from each hole in the cap. Is the clip present that goes over the end of the distributor shaft where the rotor fits on it? If it is missing, the rotor may break, or gouge the cap contacts, and the engine will run erratically if at all.
Keep at it, and eventually you will get it running.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I have a new problem .I am not getting spark at coil now. I checked the toggle switch and it was added. There are 2 wires going to one connection and 1 wire going to the other connection. Should the 2 wires be on the same connection or should the switch have 3 connections. I saw both types at auto zone.Also someone was telling me that there should be a rotor spring above the dust cap and at bottom of rotor.This thing is driving me nuts

 

[Dave in MS]

Billy, I would bypass the toggle switch with a wire run directly from the battery to the coil. If your spark returns, that toggle switch is probably bad. Since we don't know why or how the switch was wired in the circuit, it's impossible to troubleshoot without being there to see it in person. Can you post a pic? I'll try to get you an exploded view of the distributor so you can see what is supposed to be in there.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Thank you for the info.I will take a picture in the morning.I just bought this thing and don"t know what they did to it or when.I know that when they tuned it up the condenser would not fit and they put one in from a McCormac Maybe the points and cap are not right either.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I installed a key switch and it works fine. I went to a farm tractor dealer and bought a new cap and rotor and dust cover they do not fit on the dist. after many trips back and forthI am back at the same place. When someone changed from 6v to 12v they must have changed the dist.all that I can see on the plate is FDN and there is a #621 on it. but the dealer said it was not enought info. The new caps and dust cover will not seat . any suggestions would be helpful.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I have weak spark at each plug.I know that the disc. cap and dust cover are not the right one but even on this site parts it ref. the ones that I bought. The disc. is different.Is there a number anywhere on it that I can look for.
Thanks