1966- 428 Coil Spark Issue

[Kay Bird]

I have a 66 Hard Top Landau with a 428. It’s ran before but just before it stopped running I switched out the distributer cap and bug, as well as the coil. Once they were installed correctly they car proceeded to spin over but not catch spark and run. (The problem) The coil will in fact get spark to it, meaning there is power going into it, but it doesn’t come out the center wire. I’ve tried 3 different coils including the old one because I thought the new one was fault but it still doesn’t start. I’ve tried replacing the voltage regulator and a couple other things. Is it a poor ground? Is it a split wire? Or am I just unlucky enough to have 3 dead, brand new coils? If you have any help on why the car will give power to the coil but won’t give it out into the distributer please inform me. Again, power to the coil, and with a test light it doesn’t come out and will not start.

Thanks for any help, Kay

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[74 Harley]

Sounds like you need to clean or replace the points. Also make sure the wires are installed correctly on the coil. Negative side goes to distributor. Keep us posted.

 

[Kay Bird]

Sounds like you need to clean or replace the points. Also make sure the wires are installed correctly on the coil. Negative side goes to distributor. Keep us posted.

I get what you’re saying about the points but that also doesn’t make sense to me. It’s an electronic ignition, and I can get power to go to the coil, like the test light proves there is power going into it, but there is no power going out of the center of the coil with the key on and when it’s trying to start there just isn’t power coming out. It’s a weird thing to explain but that’s about as good as I can explain it. It’s not the plugs, plug wires, or rotor bug or distributer cap the source is the coil getting power but not being able to put it out through the center plug that goes into the center on the distributer. It doesn’t make sense to me and I’ve tried ever wiring pattern thinking maybe it’s wiring incorrectly but it still doesn’t do anything other then turn the engine

 

[Dale Leonard]

Do you have the wires backwards on the coil. Just asking

 

[Kay Bird]

Do you have the wires backwards on the coil. Just asking

No they’re correct, I even swapped them in different patterns because I thought that muggy be the problem but still nothing

 

[Ward 57]

There are many on here who have experience with electronic ignitions. If you state the make and model on here I'm sure you'll get good advice. Also contact the manufacturer I've heard most have excellent help lines.

 

[74 Harley]

Then at this point you need to check the ignition module.
The coil fires when the points (or the electronic module) ground. This is the function of the negative wire off the coil. No spark equals dead distributor in your case.

 

[Kay Bird]

I’d also like to make this know (a few days after initial post) the coil is getting power and with a test light I can confirm it is getting a charge, but when out in the on position the center output in the coil does not give out any charge. I’m specifically trying to track down what causes this. It worked originally, then I swap out the old coil, rotorbug, and cap then it doesn’t work. I put the old coil back onto it and it still doesn’t work. What would cause it to stop from working on the new and old coils? What exactly would cause that to not work even if they’re both getting power to the coil but not outputting it into the distributer? It doesn’t make any sense how that would be possible unless I’m severely over looking something. A bad ground? Or maybe a wire is split shorting it out? It just doesn’t make sense how it worked, new one on, didn’t work, old one back on, didn’t work. What in between that exchange in parts could have made both coils take in electricity but not allow it to come out the center to be put into the distributer. Someone suggested a module? That sounds possible but I still don’t see how it would have been screw up because of the exchange but I will look into it when it’s daylight. I’ll keep you guys posted on any finds

 

[Dale Leonard]

It could be that with the ignition on, you are getting power but when you are starting the engine you are not getting enough power to start the engine as the starter is taking all the power. Run a wire straight from the positive side of the battery to the positive side of the coil and see if it will start. This will bypasss the start circuit. Report back to us.

 

[Critterpainer]

What Dale said. When the starter is engaged, a separate wire from the starter solenoid powers the coil.

 

[74 Harley]

@Kay Bird ,the only time you will get power out of the coil is DURING FIRING, power around 20,000 volts. The electronic module tells the coil when to fire. So what type of conversion did you use? How many wires are going into the side of the distributor?
A Pertronix typically requires two. I firmly believe that your problem is in the distributor.

 

[Kay Bird]

It could be that with the ignition on, you are getting power but when you are starting the engine you are not getting enough power to start the engine as the starter is taking all the power. Run a wire straight from the positive side of the battery to the positive side of the coil and see if it will start. This will bypasss the start circuit. Report back to us.

I just did what you suggested and I still got nothing, it still spins but doesn’t have power coming out of the center coil into the distributer cap. @71 Harley I’ll be honest with you, I bought the car when I was 13 and i got it running and it ran up until I was 16 and then after he rotor bug and cap change with the cool change it stopped working. I’m only 17 (February) so I don’t know too much about this car and where it came from only of the stuff I’m figuring out as I go. It has 4 wires coming into the distributer. Red, Green, and Brown which I believe to be a ground?

 

[Critterpainer]

First you need to identify what ignition you have. You have already stated that it is not a point system. OK so WHO made it? Ford? (although I believe the 1966 ford electronic ignition did use points) or Pertronix or someone else. I do agree with Dale that the electronic ign has failed. Do you have the ability to convert back to the original style point and condenser ignition system? That is a quick test as the distributor is easy to get to. I used to have a 66 Bird Convert with a 428. It could pass anything but a gas station.

 

[Douglemmo]

Maybe if you sent a couple of good pictures of your distributor (cap on and off), coil, and wiring from the coil to the distributor, someone might have a suggestion.

 

[74 Harley]

Pictures will make it easier!
Nice to see a young person interested in vintage cars!

 

[Ward 57]

First you need to identify what ignition you have. You have already stated that it is not a point system. OK so WHO made it? Ford? (although I believe the 1966 ford electronic ignition did use points) or Pertronix or someone else. I do agree with Dale that the electronic ign has failed. Do you have the ability to convert back to the original style point and condenser ignition system? That is a quick test as the distributor is easy to get to. I used to have a 66 Bird Convert with a 428. It could pass anything but a gas station.

LOL, I had a '66 landau with the 460. But gas was cheap. I've yet to check the mileage on my '57 lately but I think it was 7-10 MPG before I just re-tuned it.

 

[Kay Bird]

Alright well if come to the conclusion that I’m going to get an electronic distributor. I just can’t see why it’s not working so maybe a new distributor will solve the problem so wish me luck I guess?

 

[Ward 57]

Alright well if come to the conclusion that I’m going to get an electronic distributor. I just can’t see why it’s not working so maybe a new distributor will solve the problem so wish me luck I guess?

Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. It could be a simple component that has failed. Points are much easier to diagnose than electronic ignitions. I had a situation where I fired up my '57 and it was idling fine while warming up. Then it just died. Never happened before. I re-started it and it ran for a couple of minutes before going flat dead again. Did some research on here for symptoms. Consensus was the condenser in the distributor. When they go bad they ground out and hence no spark. Confirmed by the parts counter guy, $5 10 min. and no more problems.

 

[Hemoguy]

I get what you’re saying about the points but that also doesn’t make sense to me. It’s an electronic ignition, and I can get power to go to the coil, like the test light proves there is power going into it, but there is no power going out of the center of the coil with the key on and when it’s trying to start there just isn’t power coming out. It’s a weird thing to explain but that’s about as good as I can explain it. It’s not the plugs, plug wires, or rotor bug or distributer cap the source is the coil getting power but not being able to put it out through the center plug that goes into the center on the distributer. It doesn’t make sense to me and I’ve tried ever wiring pattern thinking maybe it’s wiring incorrectly but it still doesn’t do anything other then turn the engine

When you say that there is no power coming out, how are you determining this? unless the car is turning over there is no reason for power to come out of the deistributor. further it will be high voltage energy which I doubt you have a way to measure except to observe the spark at the plug wires.

 

[Ward 57]

OK, I'm a little confused. At one point you say you may have to get an electronic distributor but in another post you say it IS an electronic distributor. Each system needs to ground then to an open circuit to get the coil to fire. A picture of the distributor with the cap off would go a long ways especially if you can determine the manufacturer. Don't know if electronic ignitions us a condenser but you have a constant ground.