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Bugeye won't start after tune-up

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Bob_Irwin

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My 1960 bugeye (with a 1098 engine) was running a little rough, so I thought a tune-up was in order (it had been about 2 years and 3,000 miles). I adjusted the valves, changed the points, condenser, and spark plugs. I went to adjust the timing (using the static timing technique) and was unable to get my indicator light to light when I rotated the engine. The coil has current on the switch side, so I believe the ignition wiring is OK. But there is not voltage anywhere in the distrbitutor side. I tried the distributor side of the coil, the distributor terminal, and then took the distributor cap off and tried several places inside the distributor with no luck. Is it likely the coil? It seemed to be working fine before I started the tuneup. Any suggestions? Thanks
 
Did you hook up the low tension wire back to the dizzy?
You don't want to know how many times I forgot that wire.
Also you might want to double check the insulating washers on the points spring band. The band can NOT touch the post.
 
Here's a crude sketch of the correct orientation of the points components.
Jeff
 

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My first thought was the same as Jeff's. Make sure the insulator washers shown above are in place correctly or you'll have used your points to build a very effective kill switch.

On the later 45D distributors I've seen people put the condensers on during a tune up such that the forked lug on the condenser wire can accidentally touch parts in the dizzy it's not supposed to... also creating a permanent kill switch.

On the 25D series distributors with vacuum advance there's also a ground wire that's supposed to be in place between the breaker plate and the dizzy housing. Make sure that's in place or your points won't provide a good ground connection for the coil.

If none of these suggestions help, download the PDF I put together and go step by step through the troubleshooting:
https://home.mindspring.com/~purlawson/files/LucasPointsIgnitions.pdf
 
Jeff, that drawing needs to go in the WIWI.
 
And just what is the prob with a 30 sec sktech? It show how it should be done and I have seen the issue at least half a dozen times right here. It just may save someone down the line a bunch of greaf and frustration.
 
Oh, no problem with the scketch, per se. I've built a lot of prototype parts from much less than that, usually scrawled on the back of a bar napkin! When I was at GM, we held informal "Engineering Review" meetings at a local watering hole. Before leaving, all of the napkins were carefully collected to be examined later. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
Jeff
 
Funny, that. "Napkin drafting" is abundant even now. Most of the "plans" for the hovel's refurb went no further than semi-scale pencil sketches on the back of printer test pages. Even with drawing proggies and an old parallel arm drafting machine on a table.

Friends have said they notice I can't tech-talk without pencil & paper to hand. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif
 
DrEntropy said:
Friends have said they notice I can't tech-talk without pencil & paper to hand. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif
Click to expand...

Same here, Doc. Can't express myself without the proper tools!
Actually, I think it's a case of wanting to make absolutely sure I'm being understood.
Some of the mouth breathers I have to deal with need graphic instructions to wipe their......nose.
Jeff
 
That's "quick-n-dirty, get th' point across" sketchin'. Works as well as a CAD drawing, too! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbsup.gif
 
Okay, I dug around and found this illustration in the BMC Special Tuning book. As well as 1970's price lists. Oh, to have a time machine and a bag of cash! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
Note that this doesn't show the lower plastic insert, as it wasn't used then as it is now, just the lower insulating washer, coupled with a longer upper insert. Either/or is correct, as long as the spring is insulated from the base plate.
Jeff
 

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Bob - you put in a new condenser?
That cost me three days and a lot of the hair on top of my head after rebuilding my MGC. (20 years ago)
I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't start.
I tried everything.
Finally took a multimeter to my old condenser and saw capacitance and then metered the new one and saw no capacitance. Popped the old one back in & Vroom!
That was the nicest Vroom I've every heard!
 
Good point, Rick. I, too, have seen bad-outta-the-box condensors. It can make ya crazy.
 
Thanks to everyone for the help. The condenser lead was indeed touching the distributor plate (the previous condenser had been installed with the lead under the spring on the points, so I put it back that way). When I moved the up to the top of the spring, it started right away. I find myself wondering what I would do without a forum such as this - I have three how-to books on sprites, and none mentioned this. I'm glad I know where to find all the accumulated knowledge. Thanks again.
 
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