Any member in Cambridge/KW able to help get my Poncho running right!

71judge · Veteran Member

Any member in Cambridge/KW able to help get my Poncho running right!

cdnpont · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I could be way off here, but are you sure the firing order is correct?

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Check the simple stuff first. I assume it ran fine before you added these components?

cdnpont · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

And is the gap set correctly between the trigger ring and the Pertronix unit?

71judge · Veteran Member

The engine ran poorly before I added the Pertronix kit. I checked the wires and they are in the correct firing order. The Ignitor kit is a Lobe sensor model so there is no gap adjustment.
Thanks for help.

65 SD L79 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Pete, just how old is the gas?

JC2+2 · Poncho Master!

This is an external coil not HEI -am I right? If so check the polarity. Coil hooked up with wrong polarity will cause a very simular condition. It's possible she ran badly before if the points were bad. Worth a check anyhow.

seventy2plus2 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

You don't provide much history, is this a recent barn find, etc? I'd check for:

1. Vacuum Leaks (if still has the original rubber vacuum lines, change them).

2. Fuel - you indicate the car has old fuel in it. Is there a way to drain the tank and put in new fuel. While you're at it, take a look at the fuel pump.

3. Change your spark plugs, wires, cap, rotor, etc.

4. Verify you have the full 12 volts to the coil & pertronix Your car originally had a breaker point ignition, which required a resistive wire limiting the voltage to the coil. You need to have an ignition switched 12 volts to the coil & pertronix.

5. You may have a stuck float or something in the carb.

Likely offenders are the ignition components, and vacuum leaks.

71judge · Veteran Member

I have had my car for 25 years and only driven it occassionally. The plugs,wires,cap and rotor are newer.The gas is from last summer and I don't remember if I added stabilizer to it in the fall. I wired the pertronix to a 12v ignition source on the fuse box. How do I check the fuel pump? I have a vacuum/pressure gauge that I could use. How much pressure should a factory pump produce?

Another weird thing is when I check the timing, my timing light would flash intermittently. i checked my timing light on my 72 GTO and it flashed like it should. To me, it means that the #1 spark plug is not getting the proper spark or not getting it at the right time.

Thanks, Pete

-- Edited by 71judge on Sunday 2nd of October 2011 07:15:16 PM

SD 396 · Poncho Master!

It sounds like the timing may be off. When was the last time it had a timing chain and gears?

Years ago I had a 400 eat the plastic teeth off the timing gear. It didn't run very well but it ran.

If the car was not running well before the Pertronix kit I would be looking in another area. Just my 2 cents.

71judge · Veteran Member

The engine was rebuilt a number of years ago but has not been driven much since. It was not running well before I put in the Pertronix either.
Thanks, Pete

JC2+2 · Poncho Master!

It still sounds to me like weak spark. You need to put it on a scope and check the secondary voltage and pattern. Or at least get one of those Princess Auto spark testers to see how strong the spark is. Weak spark will seem like fuel problem.

dualquadpete · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I'd be warming up the engine & then do a Compression test with throttle wide open & coil unplugged, this will give you a starting point to engine condition, if OK then move onto the ign. system then fuel system. Would def. get the old gas out of car as it's junk in a matter of 3 wks. run high test in it as the eythanol in reg. will "ROT" your neoprene hoses & carb. & fuel pump "innards" Ate the fuels bowls right out of car club members Holley Double pumper on his 28 Ford "Vickey" & no, it doesn't have historic plates on it!!!!!

Are you sure the engine was rebuilt & properly, these US Poncho's are hard on T/ chains, ASK ME!!!!!!! good for around 40 thous. mi then you do it again before youre left at the side of road [been there,done that, used the Tee shirt to clean my hands]

-- Edited by dualquadpete on Wednesday 7th of September 2011 01:09:46 PM

macsleuth · Guru

Did you get anywhere on this? Kind of sounds like bad ignition wires to me, yes, they do go bad. If gas is a year old, how much was in the tank, how much new gas did you add. Hmm, now that I'm thinking about it, popping thru the exhaust sounds like timing. I'd pull clean/replace the plugs and try a different set of wires (off good running engine if possible). Friend once replaced cam, chain plugs, wires, etc. After a day and a half and a no start situation, they put the old cap, rotor and wires back on and got the engine running. Funny stuff, frustrating, but funny later. much later. Good luck.

dualquadpete · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Did you check the dist. to see if it was installed "right" in the 1st. place??? I'd roll the engine up to TDC on #1 & pull the dist. cap & see if the rotor is pointing to #1 on cap???? It's easy to be out a "tooth" or 2!!!! Still think a comp. test will tell you alot, then go from there,thats how I found out the valves were "TOO TIGHT" in the 52 w/350V8 & that engine was "rebuilt" by well known shop, mistakes can happen in the best of machine shops.

71judge · Veteran Member

The engine was rebuilt about 20 years ago but has been rarely driven in that time. The distributor has not been removed for many years and ran fine in the past. I bought a spark tester and each plug is getting a spark. The exhaust is leaving black soot on garage floor indicating a rich mixture. I removed old gas and put in new gas but no change. I got it started and went down the block,ran poorly,quit and would not restart.I now believe that the carb is the problem. I have ordered a carb kit on ebay and will rebuild it next. If that does not help, then i will look at the fuel pump and ignition again.
Thanks for all your help.
Pete

-- Edited by 71judge on Sunday 2nd of October 2011 07:24:39 PM

ashmore · Guru

What do you have for a carb. Thinking stuck power valve.

71judge · Veteran Member

Its the original rochester quadrajet # 7041264 that was rebuilt about 15 years ago (not by me).

73astregt · Veteran Member

hi i see there hasnt been any updates for a while on this thread, did you get the car running right? if not send me a pm i have a very good friend in kitchener who does a lot of work on old cars and bikes(mechanic by trade) i know he could figure out whats wrong with your car! he does work at home in his off time. let me know if you are interested, fred.

macsleuth · Guru

Did you get it sorted? Did the carb kit do the trick?

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

confuse

68post · Poncho Master!

Hi Carl!