IT LIVES!!!

"functionoverfashion" (functionoverfashion) 04/27/2020 at 08:02 • Filed to: None

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Ugh, after a couple !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! at getting my truck started for the season, I finally got it running. tl/dr: It was the POINTS of all things. More below if you want ... to know more.

So a few weeks back, upon getting it out of its winter garage, it started initially but then died. For a few reasons, I was leaning toward a fuel problem - largely since it started at first! But I eliminated that for the most part, ordered up some ignition-related parts just for troubleshooting purposes, and finally got back at it this weekend.

One of the first things I tested now that I was armed with my PowerProbe (one of my favorite 12V electrical troubleshooting tools), was “do I have 12V+ at the coil with the ignition on?” Yes and no. If I disconnected the wire going to the + side of the coil, it had 12v+ with the key on, like it should. Touch it to the coil, bam, nothing. Like it was grounded / shorted. So I put in the new coil I had bought “just in case” - thinking the coil was dead shorted internally - and... nothing changed.

I was reluctant to mess with the points at all, because they’re hard to reach and finicky. But they are also fairly simple if you’re not trying to get them exactly perfect... so I replaced the points and condenser. I guessed at the gap but made sure they were opening and closing. Still no difference. No spark.

I gave up. I opened my celebratory beer I was saving for after I got it running; it’s now a condolence beer.

I called a friend whose knowledge on such things is head and shoulders above mine, and he came right over. We talked over what I’d done, and he took my electrical tester and found that the points were grounded all the time, whether open or closed. He took them out, tested and found they work fine, and put them back in. In that process, he noticed something about the electrical connectors on the ends of the wires for the points: because they’re square, he thinks it’s possible that they were rotated a little such that a corner was grounded to the inside of the distributor. A simple mistake on installation. The truck fired right up.

Now why didn’t it run before? Impossible to tell. But for sure, there was no spark. Our best theory is that the points were a bit corroded from winter storage. It was able to start, but as the corrosion came apart, it wasn’t able to fire anymore. Maybe I also flooded the engine trying to get it going, and maybe the other ignition components I replaced were weak enough that they didn’t help the cause. But now with new plugs, cap, rotor, coil, points and condenser, it runs great.

So we immediately put it to work on the land. It’s a bit muddy on the path over there across a logging landing. But it sure beats making my own road through the woods! There are some pretty deep spots, but this thing just chugs right through the mud, unsurprisingly. It’s great to get this truck off the pavement a bit!

The loggers dumped many yards of ~4" rocks on the landing so we’ve been commandeering some of them, and using the best areas as our primary “road” - they were backing in full-length log trucks on that same path in October, it’s quite firm. Until it ends.

This is the deepest hole, thankfully none of these are very long. I expect they’ll dry out some, too, it’s only April after all. Every trip out we bring some of those rocks and the kids love throwing rocks into mud. They also generally love riding in the truck and driving through mud. I can’t complain either.

I’m just happy it’s back on (and off!) the road! It’s a true sign of spring.

vondon302 > functionoverfashion 04/27/2020 at 08:16

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Fixed and used properly.

Congrats!

Tripper > functionoverfashion 04/27/2020 at 08:24

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YEEEEEEEAAA BOOOOOYEEE! This truck makes me happy. Also had trouble with the points on the 02. I’ve had a new dizzy with an electronic ignition for almost a year. I don’t know jack about timing and the guy who was going to help disappeared.

functionoverfashion > vondon302 04/27/2020 at 08:32

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yesss.. thanks! I’ve barely used 4wd on this thing, not wanting to venture out off-roading  alone and not being willing to make time to go with friends. But this is like the ideal situation for this truck, and having a truck like this is ideal for managing the land we now have. win/win

functionoverfashion > Tripper 04/27/2020 at 08:37

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Points are a little tricky to get set perfectly, and I’d imagine the 02 is a little more sensitive because of how you’re driving it. This old V8 will chug along even if the point gap isn’t perfect, but I can tell I need to adjust it a little.

Timing is a PITA in my experience. I’d definitely want someone with experience if you don’t know. It sounds like a straighforward exercise in lining things up when you read about it, but in reality I’ve had “varied” experiences.

EI would be nice though - and that’s the way to do it, with a whole new distributor . On the other hand, p oints are just so dead simple, and if they don’t work, a spare $5 set kept in the glove box will solve it ... next time maybe I won’t wait so long to try that. 

Tripper > functionoverfashion 04/27/2020 at 08:55

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Yep the 02 gets a fucky idle and skippy at WOT when they’re not perfect (those are industry terms;)

I’ve got a set in my tool roll. Once people are able to hang out again I plan to bring a case of expensive beer and a few cash dollars over to the local 02 guru and ask for help.

functionoverfashion > Tripper 04/27/2020 at 09:00

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Exactly! My truck isn’t idling quite right and doesn’t love higher RPMs... I mean, more than usual - it’s not a high-revving engine at all anyway.

Sounds like a plan with your 02 guru. My friend showed me something that seems so, so obvious, I don’t know why I never thought of it - he used the fan to turn the engine slowly, to move the distributor cam into place to set a point gap - I had set up a push-button switch to engage the starter a little bit at a time to do the same thing, but not as well. Duh. It only works if the belt is tight enough, but damn.

I paid him in beer as well. 

dumpsterfire! > functionoverfashion 04/27/2020 at 09:02

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nicely done. i’m currently trying to wake up a VW1600 from its winter slumber with minimal success. i have been target fixated on fuel. maybe time to investigate spark a bit more thoroughly. i was assuming after ditching points for electronic distributor, i was safer, but maybe not so much.

shop-teacher > functionoverfashion 04/27/2020 at 09:22

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Awesome! That looks like so much fun!

Old-Busted-Hotness > functionoverfashion 04/27/2020 at 09:39

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When the points are iffy, it’ll start but not run because the ignition switch bypasses the ballast resistor in the Start position. In Run, the points get reduced voltage so they don’t burn up as fast. Put an emery board in your tool kit for emergency clean-up.

functionoverfashion > Old-Busted-Hotness 04/27/2020 at 09:51

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I did sand the points down in the process of troubleshooting. Maybe I did something else in the process - maybe I rotated the connectors THEN, and caused a ground issue with the old points, too. Possibly. Hard to know now.

functionoverfashion > dumpsterfire! 04/27/2020 at 09:55

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For sure, it’s good to verify spark just to be safe. I was on the wrong track from the get-go, but at least the carb is clean and it’s got a fresh fuel filter!

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > functionoverfashion 04/27/2020 at 10:06

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I was looking at the points on my Datsun yesterday and was thinking how in the old days you would do a full tune up every 10,000-15,000 miles that included cap, rotor, and spark plugs, not to mention oil changes around 2,000 miles. I replaced the spark plugs on my mazda at 70,000 miles and honestly they didn’t need to be replaced.

functionoverfashion > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/27/2020 at 11:14

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I still remember the commercials (I think it was for a Ford Taurus) where they advertised “100,000 miles before a tune-up” which prompted eye rolls and groans from my father, but now it doesn’t seem so crazy. 

Derpwagon > functionoverfashion 04/27/2020 at 11:31

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That is an excellent truck. 

functionoverfashion > Derpwagon 04/27/2020 at 12:08

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When I had my ‘72 2wd pickup, I always wanted a 4wd , knowing how much more useful it could be with 4wd. Truth be told, up to now, I have barely used the 4wd except “because I could” but now, I’m like FINALLY I NEED IT and I can use it to harvest firewood, etc. which is an actual, practical purpose. Plus it’s fun. 

jeepoftheseus > functionoverfashion 04/27/2020 at 12:08

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I did the points on a 1955 Ford tractor and the service manual gave the exact tolerance but went on so mention that the thickness of the flap of a matchbook was the about same. Handy tip for a service manual I though.  That truck is a beauty by the way!

functionoverfashion > jeepoftheseus 04/27/2020 at 13:34

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That is a great tip in the service manual! I used a piece of paper doubled up, thinking it was pretty close.

And thanks! I love the truck, and I’m very happy to put it to good use.