Hey there folks I’m picking out a distributor for my 302 and I can’t seem to figure out why there is only one wire, is it grounded by itself and that is just hooked up the positive on the coil?
So there is no need for a positive connection due to the points creating spark themseleves I just hook the wire up the the negative side of the coil?
Correct, voltage feeds to coil, points ground it. When they open again, the collapsing magnetic field creates the spark.
Great thanks for the insight, the one wire threw me off at first. Now if im not mistaken I have to get the 1st cylinder on TDC and then should I just plug an inline tester to see where I should put the first wire, or is there a diagram I can just possibly follow and just plug it in and dial it in from there? Thanks
Update I hooked up everything and it didnt want to seem to fire it could be my battery, I had it hooked up to the positive on the solenoid for test purposes but it didnt work, Wheres a good area I can draw ignition power from? it had a lope when I heard it turn over I hope I can bring it back to life.
It's best to use the normal resistor wire from the ignition switch so you don't burn the points. You can temporally use any 12 volt source.
I am not sure where im going wrong Yesterday I hooked up the positive wire to the battery positive temporarily while the ground was attached to the motor on the coil Still absolutley no spark. So I figured It could be a faulty distributor and I picked up a replacement today. I hooked the wire coming out of the distributor onto the positive terminal on the coil and then another wire from the positive coil to the battery temporarily. My grounds and positives were all clean and properly installed, but it got hot on the positive wire on the distributor for a short second, then it went back to normal. and I couldnt get it to spark Took the cap off and the screw holding on the positive on the distributor rotor was a little loose so I tightened it up and still no spark, I am running with a new coil and everything and it still wont seem to get any spark. Is there something that im overlooking here? I tried running it off the ignition on the coil and the positive on the battery with no luck. Could it be because I dont have an alternator currently hooked up?
Check/set the points gap. 12 volts to the coil (+) terminal, distributor wire to the coil (-) terminal. Make sure #1 cylinder is at about 10* BTDC on the compression stroke and the rotor is approaching the #1 terminal of the distributor. With the distributor hold down loosened up a little slowly turn the distributor back and forth a couple inches each way. You should hear a slight pop from the distributor. Lock down the distributor right where it makes the noise. Then try to start the car.
I see what I did I accidentally put the distributor wire on the positive side of the coil frying the points stupid mistake on my end. So Oreilys is going to get me another replacement distributor I ended up frying the spring that springs back the point I took apart the points and realized the arm wasnt springing back so instead of putting a new set of points they want me to replace it and they said I shoulnt have to gap the points is that true? Thanks for the insight by the way. I have a 1980 302 when I built the motor I lost the pointer that points at the harmonic balancer when I moved so I cant exactly tell where tdc is but I did end up taking my thumb finding the compression stroke on number 1. I stuck a stick and figured out where TDC was but I wont be able to see it on the harmonic balancer, I will go out to a junkyard to see if I can find one. But it still should be good enough to see if the motor runs right?
I would think the distributor rebuilders would set the points gap but I would check it anyway since that affects the dwell time. You can buy a piston stop or make one out of an old spark plug to find exactly where TDC is. After that, I've seen people, even racers, just use a piece of sharpened coat hanger wire for a pointer.
Ill go ahead and give that a shot I didnt think of a coat hanger, thanks. Yeah your right probably should check the dwell we will see if oreilys does any good on adjusting it from factory
