I'm about at my wits end with my Valiant, after getting it and replacing the clogged fuel pump, the broken carb, ballast resistor, plug wires, coil, points and condenser I still don't seem to be any closer to getting it running, I'm still getting no spark at all. Maybe you guys can help, there has got to be something I'm missing.

Here's what I've got:
'63 Valiant 225
-fuel to the carb
-power to the coil
-disty shaft turns fine
-new coil
-new ballast resistor
-new wires
-new points
-new condenser

I'm getting power (checked with test light) to the positive side of the coil and until today (when I replaced the points and condenser) I was getting power to the negative side of the coil (to disty) and the points as well. The points, cap, rotor and condenser were replaced not too long ago (by previous owner) but I went ahead and swapped the points anyhow since they looked a little iffy.

After swapping the points and condenser I am no longer getting power to the negative side of the coil. I did notice that the plate (?) that the points and condenser screw to moves quite a but, a little up and down and a lot side to side, so much so that the part of the points that contacts the disty shaft isn't even close to touching the shaft. You have to try and place the plate so the points are touching it (the shaft) manually.

So what is my problem here guys? I've never had this much problem getting a mopar running. Do I need to replace the disty? I'm at a loss here....

Help me out here, someone beat the windows out of my daily driver this week and stole my stereo, I'd feel much better if I could get the Valiant going and move it over to my dads house.

if you have power and fuel, make sure that the plugs are firing by pulling a plug wire and putting a sparkplug in it and crank the engine, if you have fire at the plug then your spark timing is off or your valve timing is off?

It does sound like your distributor is pretty far gone. Mark it, pull it, and check the bearings for wobble back and forth.

Sorry to hear about your daily driver.

Best of luck,

Joe

_________________
Joe Hoppe

71 D100 225 Super Six 727 AT on 2008 Crown Vic CopCar frame

64 Valiant Wagon 225 904 AT 3:23 8.75"

The plugs aren't firing, I've done that with both the plugwire and the coil wire to check, with both the old wires and the new wires. I just don't seem to be getting anything coming out of the coil. Like I said before, I was getting power to the disty before, but now I'm not, though I think that may be a seperate issue. Is it possible for the loose plate to cause a bad ground or something? I don''t think it's a timing issue though, nothing has really been screwed with, it was running a few years ago, parked and then it just wouldn't start back up.

I don't have a problem with replacing the disty if it's my best bet, they're pretty cheap and knowing the rest of the car it's most likely been on there for 45 years.

Oh, I also forgot to add, the firing order is correct.

Are you getting power to the coil when you have the ignition switch in the crank possition ? If you rjust checking it when the key is on and not when you in the start possition (like when cranking the engine) this could be the porblem if its not got power in the crank possition.


Jumping the starter to crank the engine instead of doing with the key would insure you have power when you crank it.


When you check for spark at the plugs are taking the plug wire and letting it jump to ground, or using a old plug ? You list of new parts does not show new plugs, gas fouled plugs can cause a no spark also.


Jess

if you have fire at the coil wire into the dist. then the point or condenser are faulty, when you hold the coil wire close to a ground source you should see a nice blue spark jump to ground when cranking the engine. if the point are clean and opening (.022/ .020 gap) then the condenser is the trouble. if you have another dist try it or swap the point out. you can have power to the coil but the coil still can be faulty,just check it.