Electrical issue, wont start justs makes one "click" noise

[mcampbell26915]

Turing into  a FB style post....where you will have to go back and REREAD all of the OP issues/changes that got to this point!

I Have reread, see you have been "changing a lot of things"  so you have to either go over your work and confirm done right OR start from here and pin point what the problem is.

Fuel or SparK

1) Fuel  - just use some of that Starting fluid and see if THIS TIME WHEN CRANKING "it fires" !!    If so you have a fuel issue.

2)  From above IF NOT.....then you have a secondary spark issue (too weak).  

If spark, I would clean the points with sandpaper lightly and try again.  SOme would say replace the condenser - but for now let's see if it is just a corrosion issue.  

Remember you can isolate the entire car and run a wire from the battery + to the + of the coil  to isolate wire harness issues.

Mark

P.S.  WHat I hope is that there isn't something you haven't told us .....like "I took the distributor out to change the cap/wires" !    (Then we would be looking at ignition timing not secondary spark/advance.     Did you TURN the distributor at all ????

Hi Mark, thanks for your help.  I did mention in the last couple posts that I did get it to turn over and run for a little bit but then it stalls out, no starting fluid needed to get it to fire (in reference to #1).  as far as spark goes (#2), I just replaced all of the plugs so I dont see how they would be corroded already being only 24 hours old, so sandpaper wouldnt do much there. I'm thinking its a carb issue since its running way too rich.  I think this because there are black deposits lining tailpipe and black smoke coming out. I also pulled one of the plugs and found that there was fuel on it. that combined with the constant smell of fuel whenever I try starting it laeds me to think it is running way too rich (possibly there is grime in the carb keeping the needle valve open).  If that is the case then I think just rebuilding the carb would do the trick, or getting a new carb.  would you agree with that? or do you think it is something else altogether.

Thanks again!

 

[Hemikiller]

Next time you turn it over, disconnect the (+) lead from the coil and look down the carb while cranking. If you have fuel dripping out of the boosters, then your needle & seat are stuck. If not, get it running and hold it at a high idle (1500 ~ 2000 rpms) to let it warm up and clear out the cobwebs.

FWIW, SVO was talking about sandpapering the points, not the spark plugs.

 

[73pony]

From what you are describing above I would agree you are getting too much fuel. I would think a carb rebuild is in order.

 

[Don C]

Likely the carburetor. But as has been stated many times in the forum, new does not mean good. Too many products are bad out of the box so your new components also need to be tested.

I would start by rebuilding your carburetor. It likely has varnish inside and the accelerator pump and enrichment valve diaphragms dried out.

Test your fuel pressure and delivery.

Test your spark output.

 

[SVO2SCJ]

I wouldn't throw more parts at it until you confirm SPARK or Fuel !

You could pinch off the rubber hose for the fuel with needle nose vice grip and just start on starting fluid (to confirm if a bad fuel or bad carb issue) People know that "sitting with ethanol laced gas" plays havoc with rubber.

I think the LACK OF SPARK is contributing to the inability to fire the fuel (good or bad) THere is so much you haven't confirmed ...like the "choice of coil" all has to work in harmony. If you have a coil that requires a ballast and are running from the resistor wire you maybe getting less than 9V's to it. We are almost the point of putting the stuff back on the car you took off! Don't make me come down there!

Mark

 

[mcampbell26915]

I just ordered a carb rebuild kit, so after I finish that in a few days then I will update again, hopefully that's the issue, but if not then it probably needed to get rebuilt anyway ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

as far as the coil goes-

This is the new coil: https://www.autozone.com/ignition-tune-up-and-routine-maintenance/ignition-coil/duralast-ignition-coil/111849_576402_17367

The old coil was this: https://www.autozone.com/ignition-tune-up-and-routine-maintenance/ignition-coil/valucraft-ignition-coil/966579_576402_17367

I am not sure if either of those are good for my car, to be honest I just got whichever coil that the parts store said fit my car and didnt think twice about it.  if those are bad coils then let me know and I will order a proper one asap.  

Ill go ahead and clean the points and replace the condenser as well.

Thanks guys Ill update in a few days.  hopefully it wont take too much more to get this thing back on its wheels :thankyouyellow:

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I got behind on this one, lol.

You say you smell the gas after cranking. Check your oil level if it has came up I would suspect a hole in the fuel pump diaphragm and pumping gas into the crankcase.

You can test the fuel pump with a brake bleeder pump to see if diaphragm is leaking. Hold finger over one hole and put the vacuum pump on the other. If it will not hold a vacuum there is hole in the diaphragm.

I about went crazy with mine found the excess fuel in the oil and changed the fuel pump. The car had sat for 27 years. I had also took tank off and it was spotless put new pick up filter on and new hoses and blew out the long line to the front. All back together with new fuel pump and it would not fire. I could squirt gas in carb and it would run. BTW if you are going to squirt gas in the carb I suggest you use an old plastic water bottle and take the cap and use a razor blade to cut a short slit in the top. Put a little gas in the bottle and you can control how much comes out and if it backfires will not set the gas on fire in the bottle. Also keep 5 gallons of water handy just in case.

So back to what I did. After it would not start I pulled the new pump and checked with brake bleeder vacuum pump and the new pump was bad out of the box. I went back and showed gal on the desk and she got another and it held vacuum.

Keep us informed. If you have fire and it runs while squirting gas in I am betting on fuel pump.

 

[Don C]

Back to the coil, it looks like the right one for a stock system. AutoZone has test instructions for the coil. Did you download them and test the new, and old, coils?

FYI, whenever I am going to any parts house for a part I look it up before going and either order it online for pick-up at the store or take the part number with me. The RockAuto commercial about relying on the counter person to get the correct part the first time is spot on.

 

[NG8264723]

What type of carb> Did it run rich before you put it away

 

[NOT A T5]

Ijust wanted to add...when I got my car shipped back to me from overseas after sitting for 16 years gas in the tank, lines and carb was still liquid and after changing oil and filter buying new battery, cables, starter and solenoid engine fired right up. I don't know... but for sure I thought everything would've been gummed up!

 

[mcampbell26915]

Hey guys so its been a little over a month since my last post and Ive done a few things to the car in that time.  I rebuilt the carb like we talked about and also replaced the ignition switch, neither of which solved my problem.  then I cleaned the points with sand paper and then replaced the condenser and it fired right up no problem and ran well.  the only problem was that it idled wayyyyy too high.

 I had the idle adjustment screw backed out really far (4.5 turns) and still idled way too high. my air/fuel mixture screws are backed out 2.5 turns as well.  not sure what is causing this- maybe it could be a vacuum leak but I sprayed starting fluid around the base of the carb and vacuum lines and didnt hear the RPM's kick up at all, so Im thinking its probably not a vacuum leak.

 it could be an issue with the automatic choke.  When I start it it sounds good and then when the choke opens up after 10ish seconds thats when the RPMs kick up way too high, and then when I put my hand over the choke plate and block some of the air from going in, it slows back down to a normal idle RPM, but as soon as I move my hand back off then the RPMs kick way up again. 

as always, I really appreciate any help you guys have to offer. Thanks!

 

[Don C]

You never did say what carburetor you have. Carburetors have two idle speed adjustments, the primary idle speed and the fast idle speed screw. The fast idle works off the choke fast idle cam, which may be stuck in the fast idle position, or the fast idle screw is turned in too far.

 

[mcampbell26915]

You never did say what carburetor you have. Carburetors have two idle speed adjustments, the primary idle speed and the fast idle speed screw. The fast idle works off the choke fast idle cam, which may be stuck in the fast idle position, or the fast idle screw is turned in too far.

I have a Holley 4412 500cfm 2bbl carb.  I will go ahead figure out how to adjust those properly and then update again, thanks!

 

[mcampbell26915]

SOLVED

the fast idle adjustment was way out of wack and so after adjusting that and some more adjustments on the choke and mixture screws its finally back on its wheels after almost 2 years of sitting. Thanks everyone for the help!