Distributor questions

[Russell in Tulsa]

Originally Posted by Dbbc

Spend a good part of the weekend trying to figure the issues with the car not firing. Unfortunately to no avail. I took apart the distributor and went thru the process of checking everything following Les Andrews procedures. Everything seems to check ok, I am getting spark at the end of the coil wire as well as at the point (however not sure about the quality of the spark, seems ok). I do have a new body and rotor, how critical is the equal spacing between the rotor and the contacts? I got pretty .025 on 3 and 4, 2 a little more and 1 has a larger gap.
(I am not sure if the rotor will be able to reach the .025 gap with the contact on 1, already file contact 4 quite a bit).
Secondly regarding the coil, following Les instructions. I should be able to measure 1.6 to 1.8 ohms between the lead (I got .5) and about 6.7 to 10 ohms between the lead and the center of the coil ( I got over 10 ohms). I bought a new coil and get about the same measurement ? So I am confuse if have an issue with the coil (the coil give me sparks, but not sure if they are strong enough). Could that be an issue?
Lastly could the timing be so off that the car does not fire. I am thinking that I am timing the car correctly but on the old rotor and distributor body someone put a mark on it, but it is 180 degrees form the contact to #1 cylinder? I am missing something?
thank you for all your suggestions.

The last paragraph talks of a mark 180 degrees off.

#1 in the dizzy body is at about 4 o'clock. Are you saying the mark is about the 10 o'clock position?

You are setting the timing to #1 at 4 o'clock, Correct?-

[Dbbc]

When I time the car I follow the instruction by placing the rotor point toward the contact on the body for cylinder #1. But when I got the car there was a mark on the rotor and the distributor body at 11 o'clock. Just wondering what could be the purpose of the mark.

[Dbbc]

It started.... It stared....
I followed H.L. Chauvinism, and at first the first the spark was early, so I move the cam to compensate. Try to start the car to no avail. Disapointed I turned everything off, cleaned up and started to write a post. Then I decided to double check and went back to the garage, and check again following the same procedure. I found out that I had over compensate and now the spark happened late. More tweaking put some new spark plug and I got it just right the spark would happen just as I it the dimple, as I did that I almost burned all my eyebrows. I guess when I try to start the car earlier, I probably flooded the cylinder and there was enough gas in it to ignite when it sparked. Anyway that was the first sign of life. I then try to start the car and it took a little bit before the car finally started and the engine ran smoothly.
As you have probably guessed I am not very experienced, but I would like to thank everyone who spent the time to help me through my first crisis.
You are the best
Mahalo

[kevinmac/toledo]

i wouldnt try to cross any railroad tracks with it, sorry i am kidding....we dont want any tradgety.occuring... enjoy driving your model a... i know i do ,but im carefull of other drivers... i drive in the country with in mostly...good luck ..kev