carnuck wrote:If the spark goes into the dist, but doesn't come out and cap isn't cracked and the rotor still spins, replace the rotor. I've had 5 or 6 burn through to the dist shaft in the past 10 years with MSD spark.
Mr Carnuck, thank you for your reply.
The cap is not cracked and the rotor spins & both look like new but I will replace them as soon as I can find the correct part #
My MSD distributor in a 8477 pro billet, the one with the small distributor cap.
Do you know the correct part number for the MSD distributor cap & rotor ?
Also note that you will only get one pulse per revolution out of the distributor. So 1/8 the rate of fire as from the coil. I agree to check the cap and rotor.
Only other thing I could think of is the pickup is out of phase to the rotor so it's firing the coil when the rotor isn't aligned to the plug terminal. Simple way to check that is to mark the base of the dizzy where the plug wires go into the cap and crank the engine over with the cap removed and see if the spark plug fires when the rotor is aligned with the marks on the base.
crazyhorse wrote:Mr Carnuck, thanks for the link.
That is my distributor in the link.
Can you please give me a part number or link for a distributor cap and rotor ?
I can order online from Amazon .
I am not good on computer,, sorry.
Thank you for your reply.
That link has the MSD part numbers on the right side of the screen where it says "tech sources" and "parts and kits" (click it)
MSD 8467 for the rotor and 8431 if you have the red cap.
You can order online or most autoparts stores can cross reference the MSD numbers.
Ranchero50 wrote:Also note that you will only get one pulse per revolution out of the distributor. So 1/8 the rate of fire as from the coil. I agree to check the cap and rotor.
Only other thing I could think of is the pickup is out of phase to the rotor so it's firing the coil when the rotor isn't aligned to the plug terminal. Simple way to check that is to mark the base of the dizzy where the plug wires go into the cap and crank the engine over with the cap removed and see if the spark plug fires when the rotor is aligned with the marks on the base.
Mr Ranchero , I will check that when I get a little time to spend on it. Thanks
crazyhorse wrote:Mr Carnuck, thanks for the link.
That is my distributor in the link.
Can you please give me a part number or link for a distributor cap and rotor ?
I can order online from Amazon .
I am not good on computer,, sorry.
Thank you for your reply.
That link has the MSD part numbers on the right side of the screen where it says "tech sources" and "parts and kits" (click it)
MSD 8467 for the rotor and 8431 if you have the red cap.
You can order online or most autoparts stores can cross reference the MSD numbers.
Mr Carnuck, thanks .
I ordered MSD 8467 and MSD 8431 . thanks for the part numbers.
I hope this solves the problem.
Well the MSD Ignition 84315 Distributor Cap And Rotor MSD Cap/Rotor Kit (8431 8467) came today and I installed it.
NO DIFFERNCE.
I need all the help/advice/information/instructions you can give me.
My motor , battery, wires , everything "looks" good.
Keep in mind, I drove the truck and the alternator stopped working and killed the battery.
I put a good battery in it and it will not has not run since.
When I turn the ignition switch on the hands in the instrument cluster work normal.
I have spark jumping from the coil wire to the NEW MSD distributor cap center coil wire hole.
I have NO spark leaving the distributor and going to the spark plug wire.
I hope you all will not let me down.
I have looked , checked as best as I can.
I set & checked the gap between the magnetic pickup module inside the MSD 8477 distributor and it is .028.
The specs. says .019 -- .032.
I feel like I am overlooking something .
I checked the timing to make sure I have it in time.
Removed #1 spark plug ,(standing at front looking at motor 1st plug on left of motor, this is on the passenger side) put thumb over #1 spark plug hole, turned engine with socket & pull handle until the compression pushed my thumb, the timing pointer is at TDC, the rotor button is pointing to the #1 post on the distributor cap.
What could possibly stop the fire from traveling from coil wire at the distributor cap and not traveling out to the spark plug terminals on the distributor cap?
I hope some of you can direct/ instruct/inform/ in other words tell me where to go from here.
If ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED, PLEASE ASK.
I sure would appreciate your help and I thank you in advance.
Today my friend came by in his 72 Ford pickup with a 429 .
We removed his distributor, coil, coil wire, spark plug wires and put them on my 72 Ford pickup with a 429.
My motor still will not start.
Same problem , fire from the coil wire to the distributor cap, No fire from the distributor cap to the spark plug wires.
I cannot understand this problem at all.
Here is a reminder how this came about.
"I drove it about 20 miles to town at night . Stayed about 1 hour.
When I tried to start it up the battery would not turn the motor over.
I put a new battery in it and it turns the motor over but the motor will not hit a lick.
I am getting gas to the carb , but no spark to the plug wires.
A few years ago the magnetic pickup module inside the MSD distributer went bad & it did the same way then.
I would like to find the problem first, then buy the part, instead buying parts and hoping that is the fix.
I have compression, timing still good, distributer turns normally."
Sooo now I know the MSD distributor , magnetic pickup module inside the distributor, distributor cap, rotor button, coil , coil wire, spark plug wires are all good.
So the problem has got to be somewhere else.
PLEASE give me information, advice , help where to look at next.
When I turn the ignition switch on, everything looks correct BUT COULD the problem be in the ignition switch?
Unless ya'll can give me another option , I think I will replace the ignition switch next.
I hope ya'll can advise me, guide me, through this problem.
I have not had a problem like this before.
How are you checking that it's firing? Are you using a spare spark plug or just looking at the gap to ground or some kind of light?
What system does your buddy have? Is it a MSD or Ford with points?
Personally I'd pull the spark plugs and distributor. Lay everything on the intake and drive the distributor with an electric drill to isolate and verify that the spark system is working correctly. MSD should have the multi spark below 3000 rpm so you should be getting a good light show from the plugs.
It may also be worthwhile to post some pictures. Maybe something obvious will show in them.
The way I am checking spark ----I have a spark check adapter with the glass in the middle.
I plug one end into the coil wire, the other end into the center MSD 8477 pro billet distributor cap, turn the switch on and spin the motor. I can see the spark in the spark check adapter pass through the glass.
Insert the coil wire into the center of the MSD distributor cap, plug the spark checker into the distributor cap spark plug wire socket , plug the other end of the spark checker into the spark plug wire that I removed from the distributor cap, turn the ignition switch and spin the motor, NO spark is passing through the spark checker leaving the distributor cap to the spark plug wire.
My friends 72 has the same set up as mine.
We installed his distributor , coil, coil wire, spark plug wires on mine and it Is the same as when my distributor, coil, sparkplug wires, coil wire were on mine there is NO FIRE leaving my distributor cap to my spark plug wires.
There is spark from the coil wire to the distributor cap.
With my spark checker hooked to my friends truck,, there is spark leaving his distributor cap to his spark plug wires but none when the same is removed from his truck and hooked up on my truck..
I have looked , and looked , checked and checked until I feel like I am looking at the problem and still not seeing it.
I put a new voltage regulator on my truck today , no difference, still will not start.
Here is a list of the replaced parts, some was switched from my friends truck and put on my truck, then removed from my truck and put on my friends truck.
I wonder if your spark plugs aren't fouled. Pull the spark plugs out and burn the tips with a propane torch. Follow along and I'll try to explain what may be happening. DC electricity flows from the negative terminal to the positive terminal on the battery. Same for the high voltage ignition circuit. That you are seeing spark between the coil and cap makes me think that the spark is jumping to ground around the rotor in the distributor vs. firing across the small gap on the plugs. You should also be able to see a visible spark if you stick a screwdriver into the plug wire and hold it within 1/16" of bare metal on the engine.
Mr Ranchero, I really appreciate you taking your time to reply and help me.
I have NO fire leaving the distributor cap. I put the spark tester in the distributor cap spark plug socket and hold it to a bolt or andy metal part of the motor and NO spark.
I am getting a little flustrated this is how I checked the spark coming from the distributor cap.
PLEASE DON'T ANYONE TRY THIS.
I plugged the spark tester in one of the spark plug wire sockets on the distributor cap and held the other end of the spark tester in my hand and spin the motor over , it did not shock me.
THERE HAS GOT TO BE SOMETHING STOPPING THE SPARK FROM EXITING THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP.
Could a bad ignition switch cause this?
If the MSD 6AL distributor box is bad, would a spark go from the coil wire to the distributor cap?
I think I am looking at the problem and don't "see" or recognize it.
I hope ya'll will keep up the good comments/help/information. I appreciate it.
I don't get to spend a lot of time working on it, just have to work on it in my spare time.
Ranchero50 wrote: You should also be able to see a visible spark if you stick a screwdriver into the plug wire and hold it within 1/16" of bare metal on the engine.
Report back.
Mr Ranchero, this is exactly what I did to begin with.
There is NO SPARK FROM THE SCREWDRIVER TO THE BARE METAL.
NO FIRE in leaving the distributor cap period BUT fire from the coil wire to the distributor cap has spark.
This is MSD 8477 distributor ,since this problem started , I have put in a new magnetic pickup module, new rotor button, new distributor cap.
I removed from my friends running truck which he drove to my home, his complete distributor , distributor cap, rotor button, spark plug wire and hook it up to my truck and it does EXACTLY the same . THERE IS SPARK FROM COIL WIRE TO THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP BUT NO FIRE FROM THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP TO THE SPARK PLUG WIRE.
