hello I need some help please
, my car always had hard time starting BUT it did.it sat for about 1yr tried starting wouldn't ,I traced to fuel pump bad[line clear] ordered /installed test works great.still wont start.ordered cap rotor plugs wires cond points[noticed when removed cap# 1 was at appr.10 oclock. got parts. found out distributor is a 51.located correct parts installed.still didn't start.checked timing at #1comp stroke as someone wrote with plug wire and test light to grd.&ign to on.never got it to lite,tried as repair book stated with #6 cylinder [not very clear] I assume when book said primary wire it was center coil wire? &neg post the light never came on. I checked connection for cond/points look good.gap is 020.with test light on neg batt post it lights on everything on dist. the wires on coil was hooked up as same as old.i pulled #1 plug grounded on block turned ign.no spark no spark from load side of coil wire to grd.even if rotor is at 10 rather than 7 oclock and I put #1 wire there shouldn't it still work?the distributor has a tube going to carb so cant move much cw to ccw. im at wits end if I get fire it should start p.s. looking at wiring diagram in manual I see on - side of coil goes back to ignition then a wire goes to a gas cap switch [really,in 1950?] anyone familier with this will switch keep engine from starting?
Okay - I would start with the basics. BTW my Dad's first car was a 50 Plymouth and it was my first car so I know a little bit about them.
Pull #1 spark plug. Turn motor over till you feel positive pressure (compression stroke). Now turn the engine over till it is at 10 degrees before top dead center. Now line up the rotor with #1 spark plug electrode in the cap. This ensures that your timing is close to being correct.
Now work on the ignition. This is a positive ground system - correct? If so, leave the wire from the distributor to the coil hooked up (is that the + side of the coil?) and disconnect the other wire (is this the negative side?). Now run a lead directly from the negative side of the battery (but only if you have a positive ground) directly to the coil where you disconnected the wire. See if it starts, but don't leave it that way for more than a minute or two as you can hurt the coil. Then report if it starts. You may also want to test for spark at that time.
You can also try a 12 volt coil, but not sure which wire goes to what on the coil. Won't hurt anything, just would have a weak spark.
Feel free to PM me if you would like to chat.
hello markz,don't know if you got my pm? after awhile I finally got it running.the knocking I assume was sticky valves {plugs had a lot of carbon}so I sprayed cab cleaner down plug holes along with lightweight oil waited started up let idle for awhile.tested knock was just about gone.need to see about carb settings to correct carbon build up.took it for its 1st road test right down the street and back
.NOW MY NEXT PROBLEM:trans.wont upshift 3rd to 4th .could the carb settings affect this?
Been on the road. Will look at it tomorrow................ Paris yesterday, Memphis in the morning. Lithuania and Berlin next week. This is killing me.
Your talking 4 speed tranny so you have a Stromberg carb special to the M6 or gyro-matic transmission. This is a hydraulically operated transmission that has a solenoid and a governor on the side of the transmission. It also has an electrical connection to the carb for interrupting fuel during the shifting. Here is a link to some original Mopar training films. Look through the ones for the stuff you are having problems with. There were very few and only minor changes during the early years.
http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Lit/Master/index.htm
hey 48mirage. actually I remembered coming across that site long time ago I saved it in favorites.i read where the switch cuts off volts to solenoid and a bearing moves to change to 4th, very interesting.[I wonder if owners that are missing the switch set up by carburetor, can some how install a toggle switch to duplicate?]but I think I get more info out of this site than my manual,its very thourough
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLZcbFHIN1M
I've done a little more searching and I believe all the problems you have described are around the controls for the M6. You said at one time that you couldn't get the engine to start. That would be consistent with a failure in the interrupter switch. Can't get it to upshift from 3 to 4. Solenoid or governor. There are points inside the cover of the governor. Make sure they are clean but don't use an abrasive on the silver contacts. Get a can of electrical contact cleaner and use it.
yes were same wires that I moved around when I finally got fire back.this weekend will have to go step by step troubleshooting.i read where to use light to make sure power is being killed for 4th. also have to do some setting adjustment on carb.dont have tach yet but read where can set rpm with vacuum gauge have you ever done this?
oh yea something I read I can get your thought about.a mechanic that has been in the field for 60yrs wrote basically that when putting new points on a old car not to use specs as if everything is new you have wear on cam,distrib but to set at around 010 instead of 020? I did take a picture of everything before taking apart and the gap when point was open does look a lot closer than book setting
I don't know about setting RPM with a vacuum gauge, but I do know that there are those that will set their timing with a vacuum gauge. The conventional wisdom is to set up your timing so that the vacuum is steady at the maximum number. I think that too often that puts the timing too far advanced and the RPM's too fast. With today's fuels the flame front is a little faster than the gasolines when our cars were built so TDC is a little late. I think I have my '49 timed at about 4 degrees BTDC. Make sure you disconnect and plug off the vacuum advance when setting the timing. Once you are happy with that then set the air to fuel mixture and then the idle speed. If after all of this you hear the engine pinging retard that timing a couple of degrees.
I would disagree with setting the points tighter based on some guessed distributor cam wear. Wouldn't the softer rub block of the points wear before the distributor cam? I think that is the reason for periodic tuneups is to address normal wear.