I have an '80 w/2.3 motor. Just put new spark plugs, dist. cap and rotor on. engine turns over, just won't fire off. Spark seems real weak at the plugs. Any help, suggestings, ideas of a fix. Thanks for the input.
Should add that about a month or so ago the daughter was driving the car. It was below freezing in the mornings. She went out started the car to let warm up, when she came back to the car it had died. She tried to start it and it wouldn't start again. Just now have tried to get it running again. The battery is new and has a full charge.
How's the alternator?
Bum coil?
Did you change the points (if it has them)? I know if you leave the key on the on position with out it running, it will burn the points together. That happened to my car, although it started and ran, it suddenly it started running terrible. We change the points and all is well.
Maybe your points are burnt to bad to let it start?
Kimmy, when you say it runs terrible, are you meaning it lacks power? Or it shakes? My mechanic-neighbor suggested I change the points but all I hear is banana banana banana. I asked for a clue in The Flying Avocado thread but no one came forward with a clue for me. :-\ Can you take a picture of an alternator's points? If I knew what they were I've forgotten. It might be why Wildfire suddenly ran like you-know-what. Sorry. I didn't mean to hijack this thread but it's possibly a similar situation to Meanie's.
Quote from: blupinto on January 31, 2010, 09:37:20 PM
Kimmy, when you say it runs terrible, are you meaning it lacks power? Or it shakes? My mechanic-neighbor suggested I change the points but all I hear is banana banana banana. I asked for a clue in The Flying Avocado thread but no one came forward with a clue for me. :-\ Can you take a picture of an alternator's points? If I knew what they were I've forgotten. It might be why Wildfire suddenly ran like you-know-what. Sorry. I didn't mean to hijack this thread but it's possibly a similar situation to Meanie's.
Becky, don't know if you said alternator and mine distributor or not, but points are in the distributor. Did you want me to take a pic of the points in Distributor?
I would say it felt like the car wanted to die at the lights. I would keep the gas on it while having it in nutrual, once the light turned green, I would let up on the throttle switch into drive and go, once giving it gas, it seemed to go but not as powerful as with good points! Didn't really make a noise!
Hope that helps?
Duh. I meant distributor. lol. Guess I have alternators on the brain...
Yes please take a pic of early Pinto (2000 cc) engine distributor points. Thank you.
That kind of sounds like mine. Jerry the mech-neighbor said it "sounds" like Meanie's running on three cylinders. She rattles a lot but I chalked that up to her being an old car. She has new spark plugs but points are a mystery to me. I can just flip the clips and pull the top part of the distributor off without messing with the timing right?
Yes, just unclip and make sure you put it back on the same way!
I will try to take pics tomorrow. The points are the thing that rubs on the center of the distributor's rod under the rotor!
Thank you. That'll be tomorrow's project. :D
Ok, I found a pic of a top view of the distributor. you can see the points!! The points are on the top right of the pictured distributor! It is a VW distributor but they are basically the same!
(http://www.vw-resource.com/images/points-1.jpg)
OK I'm stupid. Kimmy, get your red arrow out and point to the points! lol.
Ok, circled points in red!
Wow. I guess I had something else in mind. Thank you Kimmy! Are they hard to replace?
I have done it before! The hardest part is getting them adjusted right! Small space and somewhat big hands, coupled with have to hold them apart to their correct gappage and tighning screw at same time! I prefer to have my hubby do it! LOL
I'll ask mech/neighbor Jerry to help me! Thank you. I do have small fingers at least... ::)
If you want to do something with the key on with motor not running, disconnect the coil wire! Either that or turn the key to ACC position if your car has one!! ;D
Quote from: Last One on January 31, 2010, 04:45:09 PM
I have an '80 w/2.3 motor. Just put new spark plugs, dist. cap and rotor on. engine turns over, just won't fire off. Spark seems real weak at the plugs. Any help, suggestings, ideas of a fix. Thanks for the input.
Should add that about a month or so ago the daughter was driving the car. It was below freezing in the mornings. She went out started the car to let warm up, when she came back to the car it had died. She tried to start it and it wouldn't start again. Just now have tried to get it running again. The battery is new and has a full charge.
Did you put the wires back on right? is the coil wire good check it ,,,check hole it plugs into in the coil make sure it`s clean
Quote from: beegle55 on January 31, 2010, 08:40:48 PM
Bum coil?
I was leaning toward the coil or the ignition control module. Will try a coil first.
Quote from: blupinto on January 31, 2010, 11:37:24 PM
Wow. I guess I had something else in mind. Thank you Kimmy! Are they hard to replace?
Becky, not hard to replace but there are some tricks of the trade! Also you should replace the condenser at the same time. It's that little round can looking thing on the side of the dist that has the terminal that the points wire hooks to. If your mechanic pal can't help let me know, I will try to guide you through it. Yep, from 3000 miles away! :)
Oh yea, you need to reset the ignition timing as well after you get the points in.
OK now I'm scared! lol.
Quote from: blupinto on February 02, 2010, 10:03:21 PM
OK now I'm scared! lol.
If anyone can talk you through it, Becky... Jimmy can!!!
Dwayne :smile: