Not out of the realm of possibility... .............. ............th ey don't go bad that often but when they do the effects can be mystifying as no two ever seem to fail with same symptoms.

Autolite or NGK's..

I originally changed ignition modules because I had an extra one on the shelf in the barn. 
Then a Ford 2.3 Turbo guy I know said, "I'll tell you right now that your problem is that ignition module."
So I bought a new one and tried that.   (by now we're on module #3).
A couple of weeks later when I got the '76 Pinto engine, I bought all new stuff for that....coil, ignition module, cap, rotor, etc...
I figured that I'd try the other new ignition module on the car (#4 now).
No ignition module gives me any different result than any other ignition module.

Since my last post, I've done nothing.
I got hurt at work and everybody's been on my back to do NOTHING that doesn't have to be done.

However....


I drove the car on Sunday and it started and ran perfectly.  It's now 49 degrees outside and has been raining for 2 days.  I figured that this was the perfect time to see if the car would start. 
Of course, it would not.

I pressed the gas pedal once (all the way to the floor) and let my foot completely off.  I cranked it for 30 seconds or so and it turned over like nobody's business but wouldn't start.   I turned the key off and waited 30 seconds then without pressing the gas, I tried again and got the same result.

I pulled the top of the air cleaner off and the choke was closed.  I stuck a screwdriver down the carb and the car started right up.
When I pulled the screwdriver out, the choke did not close all the way anymore but the engine idled fine.

I turned the key off and tried again.  The choke slams shut as soon as I crank the key.  It does not open until the car starts.
Once the car starts, the choke opens up, everything is ducky and the car idles beautifully again.


I decided to check the timing.  So I made a white mark on the crankshaft pulley (at zero).

Here's a picture:



Here's where the timing mark is at idle (less than 1000 rpm).

(Also, you'll see the interesting spark issue at the end of the recording.)




Does that timing look correct to you?  I thought it was supposed to be something like 6 or 7 degrees?

Dave

Too far advanced but vacuum advance to distributor must be unplugged while checking timing. If not done then could explain why so far up.

Been awhile since I played with these but the choke may not be closed all the way at stone cold engine before starting, often they have a 'qualification setting' meaning when you go and hit the accelerator pedal once to set the choke plate it closes but not quite fully shut, there is a small aircrack set there on purpose. Some cars require that, if no air at all with choke shut the engine instantly floods plugs and no start. Need to look up your year and see if that carb needs to be cracked open at choke a bit. In fact you can loosen the cover and simply adjust by rolling the cover one way or the other to get that dead cold setting cracked open a bit. Then lock cover back down. Try different air gaps at the choke plate and see if your starting gets any better. Setting the plate has nothing to do with the plate opening fully as motor gets hot, it will still do it.

You got bad plug wires there, could be the problem right there......... .......

When you say, "you can loosen the cover and simply adjust by rolling the cover one way or the other..."
What cover? 

The round cover on the side, loosen the three screws on the clamp and rotate the cover accordingly, the colder the weather the tighter it needs to be but without a coke pull off you need a slight gap or it will flood when it starts. A choke pull off operates on vacuum as soon as the motor starts the vacuum pulls the choke open a crack to let air in.