Won't start

[Ron 73]

The rotor spins, is that by hand or cranking the engine? If its the engine have you tried a new points module and reluctor? If your having battery issues, something is draining your battery which could be a number of things. First thing i would check is did or have you changed anything electrical, new radio, amp/volt meter, ect.. Sounds like your going to need a test light (12 Volt) and a multi meter to check things.. Sounds like "really getting old" it isint much comfort, but weve all been there. Have you checked the ballast resister? Get some help hold a 12 volt test light to the + side of coil and ground the other end, does it light up when you turn the key on, now when you turn it to crank, does the light get brighter?, have you tried this, i didn't take the time to read all this again, i thought you must have found the problem.

 

[THE STIG]

The rotor spins when I hit the ignition it won't spin by hand. As for the battery issues theiring harness is an absolute nightmare and these are the issues I hate to mess with. All my friends keep telling me "I'll come over and help you with that" and then lose intrest as soon as somthing good comes on TV. But if the engine dosen't start for almost a year the battery will have issues especially since the alternator wont recharge the battery. What's getting old is this heap sitting in my garage, I'm beginning to hate the car.

 

[howiedodat]

Not to be a smart ***, but,as some others have said, check the 3 basics. Must have fuel, good spark (at the plugs) and compression. Set the motor to TDC and, if it has the 3 basics, it will run. Not perfect, but it will run. I read in some of the posts about the distributor being posibly at issue. You really need to pinpoint whethers it's fuel, spark or compression or you Will pull your hair out.

 

[THE STIG]

Well I went to AZ to try and pick up a new reluctor and pick up coil and when I weighed the cost or those 2 parts ($26) and having to take apart the old distributor with the cost of a new distributor ($45) I opted for the later and when I got done putting it in somthing trully amazing happened....nothing. Now assuming I did it right, which probably didn't I now have a new distributor, rotor, plugs, wires, battery and cables and still I get nothing. I'm still smelling gas when I crank it, so there is fuel, spark and air is all over the only difference now is that the rotor wont turn either by hand or when I hit the ignition.

 

[greenmonsta79]

Where are you at? If your close I could run over and maybe help you out with it, You said something about battery issues? If the engine is at TDC on #1 cyl on compression stroke and plug wires are correct and your getting plenty of fuel down the intake and there is good spark the thing should fire, reluctor could be bad I would check roll pin and make sure it's not sheared, but as long as you have those 3 things Spark at the right time, compression, and fuel the damn thing has to run!! LOL, make sure the engine has a couple ground straps from body to engine I have seen a Dodge Ram that I had once and it lost the ground from the body to the engine and it WOULD NOT start, it would crank all day.

 

[Ron 73]

Im not trying to be a smart azz here but you wont have any spark if the distributor isint turning, you said the rotor isint turning when you crank it, sounds like its not in place.

"rotor wont turn either by hand or when I hit the ignition"

 

[greenmonsta79]

yes, better check that new distributor if you didnt get that shaft lined up you might have buggered it up pretty good, but ive never seen a distributor seat fully and be able to even put the hold down on if the shaft isnt seated in the groove!? I have a feeling it's WAY out of time and possibly not even wired right (plug wires)

 

[ram250098]

I know how much of a pain in butt this is for ya, but a few years ago on the way to a car show My car died.....I could crank it like you said all day and it would not start. I started to limp it home, a 20 min drive was 8 hours.
It finally died at the side of the road...cranks but not start. It pointed to a fuel issue. I called the wife and she brought me a new fuel pump....nope not a fuel issue LOL.
Now here is what I think your problem is. You said the wiring harness is a nightmare..I belive this is your problem, turned out it was mine as well. I found out later from an older owner the car had a fire under the dash.
Anyway it was the connection at the bulkhead..... The ingintion RUN wire was not making the connection at the bulkhead which allowed the car to crank but not run..... yes that simple...one little wire. After getting VERY pissed at the side of the road and ruling out it was a fuel problem I got under the dash and got a bit aggresive shaking the wires and she fired right up...after that I ran new wires for the ignition.
Hope this helps..
AL

 

[Patrick]

Did that when I put the new cap on and then for good measure I did it again



I just got done pulling the plugs they smell a bit of gas but are bone dry, then I checked the spark from the coil and the cap both are good. And I know it's getting gas because when I pump the pedal I can smell gas. I'm losing patience here, anybody want to buy a 70 Charger?

Make sure you wired the plugs counter clockwise.

 

[Ron 73]

The distributor only goes in two ways, find out why it isint turning, put the old one back in if you need to.. then get a 12 volt test light, + side of coil, ground other end, see if it lights up when you turn the key on, then see if it it gets brighter when your in cranking position, if yes to both you have 12 volts TO start it, ruling out that part. The timing order for a 440 is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. (Counter clockwise)
If you can get it to fire and its popping and banging then just pull distributor up, turn the shaft/rotor 360 and set it back down, it only goes in two ways. If that test worked and test light got brighter in crank position your ok there, now its time to get back to the first problem, I think you said this was not running good before, if you have the old cap, look underneath and see where the burn marks are in it, is the burn marks for running ON the contacts? I know your frustrated, i would forget the friends watching TV and just "gitter done" Post what you find, im going to assume you have checked ALL grounds and connections for corrosion without reading all again. Just trying to help, Maybe it is NOT the points module and reluctor, but for the price and the 1/2 hour to change them, i don't understand why you wont try it. I did the same, i fought the idea it could be that, thats why i told you about this. Let us know what you find, Whatever you do, somehow that distributor isint in right, fix that and get back to square one, check the other things these guys left, its a process of elimination, if you take it to a garage they will do it to, but they charge, we just try to help.

 

[THE STIG]

Well I do certainly appricate all the help and insight from everybody I really can't overstate that. And I did check and recheck my firing order and it's right as for the new distributor it has a new reluctor and pick up coil in it so I just opted for the whole new dist. But here is somthing intresting when I pulled the old distributor and spun it the teeth on the reluctor kept getting caught on that one thing, I don't know if it was like that before or if I caused it by taking it out and playing with it.

 

[greenmonsta79]

Well if the reluctor was hitting the pick-up coil on the old distributor then that could have been a problem since there has to be a air gap there, but did you fix the distributor you put in since you said the rotor would not spin when you crank it? did you take the distributor out and take a look?

 

[Ron 73]

Yep, that would do it..

 

[THE STIG]

I've got a buddy coming over tomorrow night to mess with it and we'll see what happens. BTW Monsta I'm on the south side of Indy probably be a bit of a drive for ya but I appreciate the offer.

 

[Ron 73]

Hope you'll let us know what it was or is..

 

[pushrod]

Run a wire from the coil (+)to the battery positive. If it is an issue with the switch of bulk head connector it will fire. I had a similar problem with my 70 dart and it was the ignition wiring.

 

[greenmonsta79]

Over by Greenwood? I used to work in Indy as a MRU Tech for U-haul over there at the main shop off of Holt Rd. I know the Indy area pretty good.
Your about a hour drive hope you can get it situated!!

 

[THE STIG]

Yeah I can almost spit to Greenwood from my living room. A buddy came over today and shot some starting fluid into the carb and tweaked the distributorand we got it to backfire a couple times before the battery died, so we made some progress he's coming back on Saturday I've got my fingers crossed. He's also thinking I have some issues with my balast resistor or somthing like that and for some reason my car has 2 of those does that sound wierd to anybody?

 

[Bigal75]

Did you get this running?

 

[ilm65]

I went bonkers with this same problem--turned out it was my reluctor GAP--and remember when setting the gap, you must use copper feeler gauges--they're not magnetic!

Good luck!