V6 issues

This is my first post on this forum, although I've been reading up a lot here before I ask my questions. I have worked on plenty of jeeps in my short life so far, all '91 and newer (I know you guys are rolling your eyes lol!) anyway, I've not grown up in the era of carbs and mechanical timing of distributors, and I have a feeling the V6 is among the worst places to start. Irregardless I have a '71 CJ5 with the V6. Bought it for $350 with a brand new gas tank to install. Put the gas tank in, and got gas to the carb. Cool I thought. Now I need some ether and this thing should fire. Wrong. No spark. So I go through replacing the coil (more questions on that in a second), and replace the cap and rotor and plugs and wires (I assumed it was a Delco, thanks to this forum). Still didn't fire. WTF. So, after reading pretty much every piece of info I could and talking to every carb era motor head I could (most people just repeated "odd fire Buick, hmm". I'm in need of some help. Okay. Questions.

1) from the coil, the - goes to the underside of the dist, and + goes to the ballast resistor, correct?
2) my cap part number (duralast) is DR982- should I have a different cap? I know there are different part numbers, but I'm a visual person, and they all look very similar.
3) my rotor part number is DR959, also Duralast. Is this correct?
4) if those part numbers or that brand is not correct, I'd like to know what I should be buying and from where, please.
5)I know a lot of people say "go HEI" or "go Pertronix", I'd prefer not, as I will be rebuilding a 2A in the near future, id rather learn to do it the hard way before the easy way and I've always been a fan of "stock"- not to say in 20 years if I ever get this thing going I won't upgrade because I'm older and tired of it, but that would be my right at 45 haha.

Okay, I know that was a lot, but I've been on this site more than Any other site in the last 3 months, but I have nowhere else to turn- exept this motor over. If it helps, the vin on this fellow is 8305017 367642. Any and all help is appreciated.

 

And as a quick addendum, the motor will turn over, but will not start due to no spark.

 

you listed every thing but changing the points and condenser . do you have spark . from coil wire with it just touching something metal . while cranking engine . that would be a start

 

I agree with the above post.
I also think you should post a pic of the cap and the rotor.
Check the ballast resistor to see if it's ok!

 

Welcome to the Forum, I also started off with a buick v6 for learning the old skool motor stuff so no worries there.


1: Yes, that sounds correct.

2:Looks right, it says the right year anyway.
3:The Autozone size says that is the right cap, but there are two versions for the Delco distributor. Does your points adjustment screw line up with the little metal cap that can lift on on the distributor cap? Assuming you have a Delco.
4: Doesn't matter where you buy, in my experience I will bring in the old part to match it up. I have gotten wrong parts several times even if the computer says its right.
5: that is not necessary, I went pertronix and later added MSD because I was having trouble with the points when it would get hot. I would adjust them real quick when it was hot thus throwing the whole tuning on the motor. So it is up to you, try the points and then you can switch later.

You mentioned new cap and rotor, but did you replace the points an condensor?
Has this engine been sitting?
Did you adjust said points and timing? also it should start on some gas, don't need the ether.

 

I have not yet replaced the points and condenser, that looks like a lot of small stuff to lose, so I figured I would hold off until posting to verify that as the correct course of action.
Twin2- yes, it does, sorry I did not post that bit of information.
Mcruff- what should the ohms be across the ballast resistor? or how would one measure that?

this is the new cap, it has the offset window that lines up to the adjustment knob


this is the new rotor on the left, old on the right


side shot of the points and condenser?


and this fellow


piffey263- thank you for the verifications. This engine had sat for about 3 years. I didn't begin working on it until this summer, and had purchased it last fall. Before that the PO said he had it running one time but it choked off. Then couldn't get it restarted, so he went to move it with a skidloader and sent the tines through the gas tank (hence the need for a new gas tank). I drained the oil and refilled (gas in oil), put fresh, ethanol free gas in, primed it to the carb (which will need torn apart and rebuilt I'm sure). I did nothing with points and timing, honestly I'm very unclear as to the adaptation of that process, the theory makes sense, but I'd need to see it done.

 

The ballast resistor should read .75 to 1.5 ohms or thereabouts.
If you test it on the output side it should read voltage of say 5-7 volts or so.

 

When you turn the key to the run position, do you have 12 volts at one side or the other of the resistor with the other lead from your gauge to ground?
When you turn the key to the run position, do you have between say 8 and 12 volts at the plus side of the coil?

Just trying to isolate things here.

 

If it sat 3 years bet the points are corroded. Definitely need to check all the above but would seriously look at the points and condenser.

 

I agree with this....points and cond before you get carried away with anything else.
Buy some good ones, not the Autozone Duralast stuff, & make sure to set the gap properly.

 

You can put a jumper cable across the ballast to rule it out as a problem. I had to do this on a 70 V6 that hadn't been started in 3 or 4 years and wouldn't fire up. After putting the jumper cable across the ballast, it fired up immediately.

 

I too agree with the points and condenser. My '69 with the dauntless sat in a field for over 15 years, I brought it home as it was, stuck a new set of points and condenser on it and it fired right up. Easy/Cheap place to start.

 

Different subject than lack of spark, but the most common cause of gas in the oil is a failed fuel pump diaphragm and you probably should install a new pump. Are you getting gas at the carb? The FSM value for fuel pump pressure for the 225 is 3.75 psi.

 

More common is flooding the carb.

if someone kept cranking and mashing the gas pedal trying to start it. All that gas would have to go somewhere.

 

I switched to a D.U.I. ignition system and it solved my problems.....

 

Alright, I have pulled the old points and condenser, and they really aren't bad:



So, I will replace them anyway, and order a new ballast resistor while I'm at it.

 

I get all my parts from Advanced Auto, and they are the same brand (BWD). It may be cheap, but I'd like to verify that this thing will run without further issue, as to know how much money and time it will take to rebuild/restore this thing.

 

Alright, got the new points and condenser in, they came as a unit. If this is not correct, I will get something different. Part number is A212P.



(Courtesy of AAP)


Put the assembly back together. Where is the black wire that runs to the coil supposed to go on this assembly? Still no spark.
Do I need a new coil now? My coil now only gets 1.8 Ohms on primary... FML.