Car won’t start?

[O_Knut]

Parked it and it wouldn’t start after that, checked the wiring with test lights everything seems good. Porcelain parts are working and not cracked. New starter solenoid, new ignition box, fixed the distributor, new starter coil, new battery, more grounds. Now the negative terminal isn’t grounded, the ignition box doesn’t seem grounded for some reason, and the positive terminal is grounded? I’m so lost somehow fixing this car only seemed to make it worse? Any ideas

 

[O_Knut]

New spark plugs as well

 

[O_Knut]

Also somehow it wanted to start when tapping the ignition box with the end of a screwdriver to help ground it out

 

[Davea Lux]

Start by hooking a temporary ground with alligator clips to the ignition box as you call it and someplace on the engine block for a good ground. Bolts to the box should be tight. If it then starts, the box needs a better permanent ground. There is usually a ground strap that runs from the rear of the engine to the cowl, check to be sure that it is present and not corroded. The negative battery cable should be hooked to the engine block, be sure it is tight. There will also usually be a secondary ground from the negative battery cable to the driver side fender, check that as well (not all models have these). All electronic components need a good ground to function. What did you do to repair the distributor?

Dave

 

[1970FuryConv]

Sorry to hear. This has to be frustrating when you've worked so hard to fix it.

Is ignition box your term for ECU? If it's mounted on the firewall, does it have a ground wire running to the back of the engine.

If the car starts and immediately turns off, sign of bad ballast resistor

 

[O_Knut]

Sorry to hear. This has to be frustrating when you've worked so hard to fix it.

Is ignition box your term for ECU? If it's mounted on the firewall, does it have a ground wire running to the back of the engine.

If the car starts and immediately turns off, sign of bad ballast resistor

Yes I was told it’s an ignition box it’s mounted to the firewall grounded to the firewall and the battery

 

[O_Knut]

The car will turn over will not start at all

 

[1970FuryConv]

Yes I was told it’s an ignition box it’s mounted to the firewall grounded to the firewall and the battery

Just to confirm: the car has electronic ignition, not point ignition?

 

[O_Knut]

Just to confirm: the car has electronic ignition, not point ignition?

It is points and we are gonna convert it to electronic but why on earth would parts that should be grounded out not grounding even when we grounded them out manually

 

[1970FuryConv]

It is points and we are gonna convert it to electronic but why on earth would parts that should be grounded out not grounding even when we grounded them out manually

This is a starter relay. Does the "ignition box" look the same?

It is common for the Neutral safety switch wire to have a defect that causes the relay to lose ground.

 

[O_Knut]

This is a starter relay. Does the "ignition box" look the same?
View attachment 563300
It is common for the Neutral safety switch wire to have a defect that causes the relay to lose ground.

So what I’m referring to is the box on the fender wall usually that has either a 4 or 5 pronged cable going to it

 

[1970FuryConv]

So what I’m referring to is the box on the fender wall usually that has either a 4 or 5 pronged cable going to it

That sounds like electronic ignition, which would be useless if the car still has point ignition. Point ignition does not send a signal to an ECU.
This is an Electronic Control Unit for electronic ignition. Does the ignition box look like this?

 

[O_Knut]

That sounds like electronic ignition, which would be useless if the car still has point ignition. Point ignition does not send a signal to an ECU.
This is an Electronic Control Unit for electronic ignition. Does the ignition box look like this?
View attachment 563320

Yes, so unless car was redone as electronic, or has magical powers, I have no clue how it drove home

 

[1970FuryConv]

Yes, so unless car was redone as electronic, or has magical powers, I have no clue how it drove home

Questions. Which is under your distributor cap?
If the distributor has points like the ones below under the distributor cap, the ECU or "ignition box" is worthless
Point ignition picture

Or if it has magnetic pickup (black cylinder) and reluctor (metal gear with arrow) under distributor cap, you have electronic ignition

I suspect you have electronic ignition and you are not getting spark.

Question 2
If you remove a spark plug wire from a spark plug, then put a screwdriver into the spark plug boot against the metal contact for the spark plug, then hold the screwdriver handle with a rubber glove such that the metal for the screwdriver is near a bolt head on the engine, then have an assistant turn over the engine with the key, do you see spark jumping from the screwdriver shaft to the bolt head?

If no spark
Question 3
At the ignition coil, with someone attempting to start the engine with the key, do you have 12.6 V at the positive terminal?
Add the ignition coil, with someone attempting to start the engine with the key, if you put your voltmeter in the Ohms reading position with one lead connected to ignition coil negative and the other connected to battery negative, does continuity turn off and on rapidly?
My guess is that the answer will be no. If so go on to question 4

Question 4 (3-parts) Only applies if you have electronic ignition, see question 1.
Do you have continuity from both wires of the 2-wire connector at the distributor to 2 of the ECU connector wires?
Do you have continuity from one of the ECU connector wires to coil negative?
With key in start position, do you have 12.6V at the last wire to the ECU connector (4-wires total)

If the answer to a question is No, you most likely have a wiring problem to fix.
If the answer to all 3 questions is Yes, I suspect a bad ECU (ignition box)

 

[O_Knut]

Questions. Which is under your distributor cap?

If the distributor has points like the ones below under the distributor cap, the ECU or "ignition box" is worthless
Point ignition picture
View attachment 563337
Or if it has magnetic pickup (black cylinder) and reluctor (metal gear with arrow) under distributor cap, you have electronic ignition
View attachment 563338

I suspect you have electronic ignition and you are not getting spark.

Question 2
If you remove a spark plug wire from a spark plug, then put a screwdriver into the spark plug boot against the metal contact for the spark plug, then hold the screwdriver handle with a rubber glove such that the metal for the screwdriver is near a bolt head on the engine, then have an assistant turn over the engine with the key, do you see spark jumping from the screwdriver shaft to the bolt head?

If no spark
Question 3
At the ignition coil, with someone attempting to start the engine with the key, do you have 12.6 V at the positive terminal?
Add the ignition coil, with someone attempting to start the engine with the key, if you put your voltmeter in the Ohms reading position with one lead connected to ignition coil negative and the other connected to battery negative, does continuity turn off and on rapidly?
My guess is that the answer will be no. If so go on to question 4

Question 4 (3-parts) Only applies if you have electronic ignition, see question 1.
Do you have continuity from both wires of the 2-wire connector at the distributor to 2 of the ECU connector wires?
Do you have continuity from one of the ECU connector wires to coil negative?
With key in start position, do you have 12.6V at the last wire to the ECU connector (4-wires total)

If the answer to a question is No, you most likely have a wiring problem to fix.
If the answer to all 3 questions is Yes, I suspect a bad ECU (ignition b

If it was points and condensers how would it have driven home from the mechanics shop? Like wouldn’t have it just not started at all? If I’m wrong do tell because I’ll look the second I’m home

 

[57fury440]

You said you fixed the distributor. What did you do to it? The positive terminal is grounded? I would look at a schematic for electronic ignition and make sure everything is hooked up properly.

 

[thethee]

Let me ask you this first, do you have easy access to the car? I.e. is it parked at your house?

 

[1970FuryConv]

It is points and we are gonna convert it to electronic but why on earth would parts that should be grounded out not grounding even when we grounded them out manually

Questions. Which is under your distributor cap?

If it was points and condensers how would it have driven home from the mechanics shop? Like wouldn’t have it just not started at all? If I’m wrong do tell because I’ll look the second I’m home

In the first quote, you say "It is points."

I thought you were telling me the car has points and condenser. I think you are now telling me it has electronic ignition. The rest of my questions above would still help us help you if you decide to answer them. Best of Luck!

 

[O_Knut]

Let me ask you this first, do you have easy access to the car? I.e. is it parked at your house?

Yes

 

[O_Knut]

You said you fixed the distributor. What did you do to it? The positive terminal is grounded? I would look at a schematic for electronic ignition and make sure everything is hooked up properly.

So inside of the distributor was held down with one screw causing it to rattle around, we got 2 more screws to hold it down in place, because we thought that was why it wasn’t drivinf