My engine is showing 12v? Block is hot, Not grounded....

[dsd1983]

Check out my website http://www.cratemotorwarehouse.com

 

[dsd1983]

Okay guys. So after a few hours of messing with this again today here is where I am.....The block is now grounded and doesnt show hot like before. I was also a tooth off on the distributor. I moved it back one tooth and the motor fired up...for a second and dies. Not from fuel. Electric fuel pump buzzes with full power and gas squirts from the carb like a champ. If I go to start again it will just click. I can try again and it will click. Then try again it will start for a sec and die. Will not sustain itself. I pulled the HEI cap off the distributor today and noticed that the middle(ground) blade (between the c and b on the cap) is missing...so when I plug the three prong connector to the cap only the outside two have a blade for connection. The middle blade is gone. So I am thinking that is why it will not sustain idle? Not the carb. 650 Holley Dbl Pumper came off a running MOPAR 383 that I had in my '69 charger before I went all 440 on it. Could the HEI be the issue now? If so, I have an HEI cap from a chevy 350 motor (coil in cap also) can i swap it out with that one? If not I have an Olds 455 in my '69 cutlass that had a points distributor/coil setup. This car runs on the street with no issues. I also think I have a ground issue somewhere still since starter clicks one time and will start on the next key turn. If I charge the battery up the car will start up for a sec and dies. Then it will just click. Battery is new as of 4/20/14.

Thanks for the help! All I can say is from what I heard today this motor is going to be a BEAST when I get this electrical demons exercised.

Doug

 

[CWPottenger]

The middle blade is gone. So I am thinking that is why it will not sustain idle? Thanks for the help! All I can say is from what I heard today this motor is going to be a BEAST when I get this electrical demons exercised.

Doug

You need that middle prong. It is the ground for the coil. Without it the coil can not regenerate the charge for the next firing. Hard to say on any other issue until that is fixed. It is just a prong that goes from connector to under the coil body and gets secured when coil is bolted down.

 

[dsd1983]

Thanks for the reply. U think I can put that chevy hei cap on this olds hei? I never tried that before but they almost look idential.

 

[CWPottenger]

Honestly don't know. Never played with Olds stuff

I would just disassemble the two caps and move the prong if it fits.

 

[CWPottenger]

Looking Hei cap up on Summit Racing looks like they are the same for a Chevy 350 and an Olds 455

 

[dsd1983]

I wasn't sure either. I saw on the site below and ir seems like they will interchange. I will give it a try tmw and will report back. Thanks

Link. -----> http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f10/hei-d ... ty-264416/

 

[85blacksalon]

Yes the chevy cap will work. olds dist turn the opposite direction than a chevy but the caps are the same. as to the starter it sounds like you have a dead spot in it. the best way to check it is have someone help you by holding the key in the start position when it just clicks, give the starter a solid rap with a hammer if it takes off its the starter

 

[dsd1983]

Ok. I swapped the HEI cap, went to start it and got the same "click" then i went to start again and this baby fired right up. Idled right at 2000rpm without issue.
Thanks for all the help guys!! I will get a video posted on here soon.

Doug

 

[workinProgress]

That really sounds like a bad starter solenoid. The clicking that is. As for the fire issue, I had that problem once before when the spring broke on the center button. It would lose contact with the center button. But sounds like you fixed that problem. Something I have found to help with ign issues on these older vehicles ( learned from my import days due to wire decay and resistance buildup in the wiring) is to put in a relay where you use a hot line with a fuse from your batt to the relay, then use the signal wire to the starter from the key to signal the relay, then run a larger gauge wire from the relay to the signal of the starter. Basically boosting the input voltage over the stock wiring that is by now upwards of 30yrs old and likely quite corroded. Its a simple trick I have learned to do on starters, fuel pumps, and pretty much anything that needs good power contacts that are switched pieces. Just a thought. If your wiring is looking rough from the key/ign to the starter sol, might be crap wiring not offering enough volts to trigger the starter. and only works occasionally.