No spark baffled????

[Gm all the way]

Hi guys I'm new to this forum. I am also 15 and fixing my mothers 72 chevelle Malibu by myself. In advance I must tell you this car has been sitting for 4 years. When it was put away it ran pristine. So my problem I am not getting spark. No problem right, well I replaced my plugs with gm acdelco plugs still no spark so I replaced my wires. Still no spark, so I replaced my rotor. Still no spark, so then I replaced my distr cap with an MSD cap. Still no spark, so I replaced my coil, still no spark. So I replaced my, sorry drawing a black it's right behind the coil. It's connected to the neg side of the coil. Still no spark, so after all this I did before hand check my coil and it was bad ( checked with multimeter). So now what, me and a buddy put the coil wire to the distr next to metal and it did not spark what does this mean. Don't wanna be picky but would like to know ASAP since I work on it everyday.
Thanks

[flash]

Where are you in Ohio ,some friends of ours in Northern Ohio would gladly help you out .Look up Northern Ohio Chevelle Club ,if you have no luck PM me and I can get you some contact info. They would welcome you as a member if you are interested ,we are long distance members .

[flash]

I also forgot to say WELCOME ,so Welcome .

[Gm all the way]

I'm in northwest Ohio just south of Toledo out in the sticks. Yea Ill look these guys up and let you know. Thanks man

[shadowgray396]

You mention everything except the points. The points need to open and close in order for spark to go out the spark plug wires. So when you take the coil wire (center wire) out of the distributor cap and put it close to the block and you are not getting spark then my guess its the points. You have already replaced everything else. Do you have gauge to check the gap of the points? If you have a dwell meter you can check it with that also. I assume you have power to the coil? You may need to take a finger nail file and clean the points if it has been sitting for so long because they may be corroded. Most likely your problem is inside the distributor and not what's on the outside. . The condenser is what you replaced on the back of the distributor. Welcome to the site

[Gm all the way]

I'm not sure how to check the distance my neighbor told me this but I wasn't sure what he was talking about. Don't know a lot on how the distr works. Pull the cap and rotor off the I check the gap between the this that opens and closes/ moves back and forth. Sorry don't know the tech terms in this case.
Thanks.

[Gm all the way]

Oh and yes I do have power to and from my coil ( pos and neg).
Thanks again.

[shadowgray396]

This what you need to do to check them if you have points. Do you have a HEI system in the car? When I have had no spark in all my car the trouble has always been at the distributor.

Pull the coil wire out of the coil secondary tower. Remove the distributor cap using a screwdriver. Install the remote starter switch by connecting one of the two leads to the small S terminal on the starter solenoid and the other on the positive terminal on the battery. (If not have someone help you)

2
Place the transmission in neutral if the vehicle has a manual transmission. Set the initial point gap. Watch the point-rubbing block where the points ride on the distributor cam. Bump the engine over with the remote starter (or help from a friend) in short bumps until the rubbing block is dead on top of a cam lobe. The points will be as wide open.

Measure the gap between the two sets of points using an 0.018-inch feeler gauge. The feeler gauge should slide between the points with a small amount of friction. If the feeler gauge does not fit between the points or is too sloppy the points must be set. There are two types of points differing only in the way they are adjusted. One type has an obvious screw with a hole in its head made for an Allen wrench and the other has no such screw. This type needs to be adjusted using a screwdriver to loosen a screw in its base enough to spread or close the points followed by tightening the screw. This type has a slot in the base that allows it to be adjusted.

4
Insert the Allen wrench in the first type of points and turn the wrench clockwise to close the points and counterclockwise to open. Do this while inserting the feeler gauge until you feel a slight drag.

5
Connect the dwell meter by connecting the black wire lead to the negative terminal on the coil and the red lead to the positive terminal on the battery. Watch the dwell meter scale for your engine: four-, six- or eight-cylinder. If the engine is a four-cylinder the dwell should be 40-45 degrees. A six-cylinder should be 30-35-degrees, and a V-8 should be 23-28 degrees. Crank the engine over with the remote starter and watch the dwell. Adjust the points as previously described to bring them within limits. To reduce the dwell open the points and close them for more dwell.

6
Remove the remote starter switch and the dwell meter. Install the distributor cap and tighten with the screwdriver. Plug the coil wire into the cap.

Your 72 cap should have a little door on the cap that lifts up for the allen wrench to adjust them.

[Ms Grumpy]

Welcome GM (love the name)

Ray, your explanations are always awesome.

GM, I am hoping that Ray's explanation helps, but either way I would still look up the Northern Ohio Chevelle Club. I will tell you, from personal experience, it is an amazing group of people who are always willing to help.

Oh yeah, welcome to the site.

[Gm all the way]

Thanks for the welcoming guys. Yea I'm gonna try and join that club it didn't wanna let me sign up yesterday but I'm gonna try again on my laptop not iPad tonight. Anyways so I had my neighbor (he's very old and it's been 26 years since he's worked on a classic car) help me today, we hooked his remote start up and it didn't want to work for Some reason. Not sure why but we were both there so we forgot about it and just did turn key. Soo we cleaned the points with a fine file he said since it ran when we put it away the dwell should not have been set off. Wile we were cleaning and turned the motor over he noticed play in the distributor. He said more than he's ever seen, and said this could set the dwell off. I happened to find a new point laying around my dad bought years ago ( just to let you know my dad pasted multiple years back and is the reason nothing runs) so were planning on putting it on tomarow. If this doesn't make it spark and we do have a dwell meter and everything is set correctly and it doesn't start it must be my distributor right. When I say this I mean bearings must be bad and while the motor is turning there to much slack and its setting the dwell off. Correct me if I'm wrong because I might not have my facts streight. Thanks ms grumpy and grey for the welcome and help. Ill try and upload some pics. Bowtie smiley

[Gm all the way]

The last pic is the rotor taken off on the inside of the distributor

[Gm all the way]

The last pic is the rotor taken off on the inside of the distributor and these are all my projects. Bowtie smiley

[shadowgray396]

The distributor should not have much play to it. If you crank the engine over with the cap off the points should open and close and you should see a spark if it some what dark under the hood. If you don't then you points are not getting any power to them. A wore distributor will cause problems, but should not keep it from running.

[Gm all the way]

Yea I think we're gonna put points in it then set the dwell and gap cause ik it isn't easy putting a new one in it. I have a brand new MSD ignition distributor but ik it's pretty hard putting on in specialy in a chevelle since the front ends so long. Thanks Bowtie smiley

[Gm all the way]

By the way shadow the gray on your SS looks sweet.

[Gm all the way]

Oh I noticed ms grumpy your north of Detroit. Well for ur information the last place this car was, was the Woodward dream cruise. I'm sure you know that event it's HUGE.

[flash]

She knows it very well and has been trying to get me to come up there to the show ,just not been able to do it yet .GM ALL THE WAY ,you should really try to come to the Northern Ohio Chevelle Show later this year inStrongville ,you would have the opportunity to meet the Grumpy's ,Shadowgray(Ray) ,as well as my wife and I among many other colorful people .But you really dont want to miss the awards banquet as it really gets fun in there .

[Gm all the way]

Ok so I was just barely turning my motor over trying to open the point. I opened the point with my finger and it arced so I grabbed a flathead and opened it and it arced again so does this mean I am getting spark. I also noticed in my gm book looking at my distributor I don't think my wires are in the right holes. If you know what I mean each wire is in the wrong hole so I'm getting spark but its sending it to the wrong cylinders at the wrong time. But I don't know how they would be on the wrong holes if it ran before. Bowtie smiley

[shadowgray396]

That great.
The firing order is 18436572 is the order, and it goes the same way the rotor spins when the engine is turning over, but finding the place to start can be a problem. Do this: Remove the drivers side spark plug that is closest to the front of the engine (cylinder No. 1). Remove the power (+) battery connector that goes to the cap. Have a friend help you, and have them turn the engine with the starter in short quick bursts, that will turn the engine over a tiny bit at a time. Place your thumb/finger over the spark plug hole tightly. As they turn the engine, you will reach a point to where the pressure will blow your finger off the hole, so stop there. Check the timing mark on the crank pulley and it should be near the timing mark so you know that you are on the compression strock for cylinder 1 (which is reffered to as top dead center) Now, remove the distributor cap to see where the rotor is pointing. The plug wire the rotor is pointing to, or closest to, will be your starting point. Replace the cap, plug the (+) wire back into the cap, and install the wire (#1) into the cap that goes to the plug you just used. Replace the spark plug. Work your way in the direction the clock runs around the cap with the rest of the wires. From front to back on the drivers side will be 1,3,5,7, and on the passenger side from front to back will be 2,4,6,8. This should get you going to make sure all the wires are in there correct position. You did mention you replaced the distrubtor cap, so hopefully you got the wires back in the correct place.

Thank you for your complement on my car.

[Gm all the way]

I plan on doing that tomaro. So I need to set my distributor on my truck it's a 95 and electric so would I just set the motor to tdc and set my rotor to were cyl 1 is firing and slide it down in. Is that the procedure. I have a how to build a gm 350 but that's for HEI and this is electric, and i don't know all the terms. If this is the case to I need to turn my oil pump shaft or whatever it is the distributor sits on down there and notches into. Sorry I got so many questions for so many projects. I hope you don't mind I'm not talkin chevelle just gm 350.
Thanks is your grey custom or stock. My moms used to be silver but the guy before us repainted it silver puter metallic. Really sparkly in the sun and unique color. ThanksBowtie smiley

[Gm all the way]

Yea flash ill look into that I need to sign up if I can get this car all finished, if anything me and my brother will be taking it (considering I can't drive quite yet). Yea I'd love to meet you guys and learn more about classics ik quite a bit as it is about a gm 350 but that's it. I've got a lot of projects, I got 10 classics in my barn, every one is a gm. 2 chevelles, 1 parts other mothers( the one were talking about ) 3 Comaros, 67 RS, 68 SS BIG block 396, 69 project RS, I wanna say 74 nova (badass ), 78 comaro z28, 77 comaro z28, 66 impala motor all custom 327 with 11:1 comp with 350 horse corvette cam, and one Malibu. So basically I will prolly need a lot of help specially with the 69. It's in primer and all the electrical is torn out.

[shadowgray396]

I plan on doing that tomorrow. So I need to set my distributor in my truck it's a 95 and electric so would I just set the motor to tdc and set my rotor to were cyl 1 is firing and slide it down in.

Thanks is your gray custom or stock. My moms used to be silver but the guy before us repainted it silver puter metallic. Really sparkly in the sun and unique color. ThanksBowtie smiley

Yes

My car is the stock color that came from the factory. Chevy offered a cortez silver and a shadowgray color. The gray is more rare.

[Gm all the way]

So my book says get it to tdc then turn the motor ccw 15 degrees then turn it clockwise so it's reading 12-0 on my hermonic balancer gage (idk tech terms). Do I need to do this. If so why because that's the exact firing position?
Thanks shadow

[shadowgray396]

Most motors run 15 to 20 degreess before or after top dead center. But I always set that using a timing light.

[flash]

Ray ,give us all a lesson on how to set timing with a timing light ,I have three timing lights that have never been used .I have always just set mine by ear but Im not very good at that anymore.

[Gm all the way]

Wait so would setting the ignition timing b easier when I can turn the motor over (I can right now oil pan needs cleaning and new headers)

[Gm all the way]

Ohh by the way thanks to you guys the 72 chevelle runs now stated it last night. It's got a bit of a miss not really noticeable only at a certain amount of rpms like 2000. I'm thinking before we take it to woodward I'm gonna convert it to electrical distributor. That's my best guess on why its missing. And it's got a small exhaust leak right before the muffler. Now change the tannyy fluid, oil and check the rear end fluid. Already started on the big block camaro. That's another question. I'd hate to ask a camaro question on a chevelle site but same motor right. When I turn the motor over with the cap off I can't see the point opening at all. I'm getting power to the points. The first thing I thought of was the cam on the distributor is striped and its not opening. Or does it need new points. And does anyone know the distributor firing order for a 396.
Thanks guys for the help.

[shadowgray396]

Same drill, stop the distributor on the high lobe and check your points. If they are not opening adjust them so they do. The firing order is the same for almost all chevy motors. Glad to hear you got the Chevelle running. The miss could be timing, carb adjustment, or a vacuum advance problem. You can convert your original distributor with a protronics ignition system. I running that in my Chevelle. It looks stock, but is not. A search on the net will give you info about it.

[Gm all the way]

Thanks and the camaro runs now there both clean and waxed and we drove the comaro but the chevelle has a bad tranny gasket. That's the next thing. Thanks guys really epprieciate the help.
Gm all the way

[shadowgray396]

Glad to hear you got everything running.