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TR6 TR6 spins but no start

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brgrmyster

brgrmyster

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Folks,
Finished a two year restoration on a 1976 TR6, and here's where I stand (likely easy solution to a dumb question!):
Engine spins nicely, but car won't start (not even a sputter suggesting electrical). Last night I put a meter on the + side of the coil with IGN on, and found 12 volts. Tonight, I'll isolate the distributor by pulling off the high tension lead and running a plug wire from the coil to the block with an old plug installed, have wife crank it over, and look for a spark. If no spark - coil problem? If a good spark, distributor / points problem? How do I determine that I've not grounded the points somehow? Plus, where precisely should the condensor lead be on the points? On the spring beneath the nylon insulator, or above the insulator on the post? Duh...

Thanks much men and women!

Jeff
 
Hi Jeff,

I am by no means a TR6 mechanic but here is a close-up
photo of the interior of my 1969 TR6 distributor that shows how
the electrical leads and plastic insulators stack on each other.
My engine starts easily so my arrangement might be correct

Others more knowledgeable than I am will give you better info
than my photo.

https://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q101/TinsterTR6/dizzy2.jpg

Blow up the photo to full size and you can easily see the detail.
There are other dizzy photos from different angles at my site..

best wishes,

dale
 
did the car run before you started the restoration? did you drain the gas tank and carbs and fill with fresh gas?

Hondo
 
Thanks Dale. Precisely as I installed them. Very helpful photo.

Jeff
 
Yes. Carbs rebuilt, tank drained, pulled, cleaned and sealed before replacing, fresh gas. New fuel pump, filter, and hoses. I'm not going to fuel as a problom until I get through the electrical. I suspect it's at the distributor.

Many thanks,
Jeff
 
During your coil test tonight,"if" the coil doesn't generate a spark, that doesn't necessarily mean that the coil is bad. Consider what makes the coil fire in addition to feding it the 12 volts for starting the engine while the starter is engaged.
Another something to think about is, if you still have the ballasted ignition, you should have 12 volts only when the starter is engaged, less than that, somewhere between 8 and 10, when the key is in the "on" position. Again, this is provided that you still have the coil ballasted.
 
Or, if the points are "open", you will have 12V, no matter if you have a brazillion ohms of resistance.
With points open, no current flow, same voltage everywhere......

Put your voltmeter on the distributor side of the coil priomary and have someone crank it with key on.
If you don't see the voltage jump with every lobe, the problem is from that terminal to the block
 
Take a screwdriver and flick open the points, with the key one,
from a closed position, if no spark you don't have voltage between the points. If they are new points, some company's use a coating to protect them in storage, run a finger nail file through them a couple of times and repeat the test. If it sparks you should be away in style.

Wayne
 
i would take off the air cleaner and pour a half ounce of gas into each carb and if it doesn't atleast momentarily try to start then i'd look at electical. my 6 sat all summer while i did some work on it and had to prime the carbs twice in this fashion to start it......worth a try.
 
Thanks Men. I'm going to try them all in the order suggested. Once I see a spark, I'll go the half ounce of gas route as this car has not been fired up in 25 months! I'll keep you posted, and many thanks.

Jeff
 
Gentlemen: Many thanks. I had the points grounded. Fixed that, then static timed it, and then cranked it over. Fired up first turn of the key. A great sound after two years on jack stands!

Regards,
Jeff
 
Thanks Gentlemen. Took it out for a road test yesterday with my British mechanic (who was good enough to make a housecall and setup the Strombergs properly), and everything operated flawlessly. What a great feeling (and sound) after two years on jack stands. And, to those of you who provided counsel on the front suspension (you may recall my concerns about binding), you were all on the money. Under load everything worked as expected...steering is tight and crisp. The car handles as if new.

Thanks to all,
Jeff
 
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