Re: [Amc-list] The '65 American 330 cranks - now to figure why it won't start

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

Run a wire from the positive post of the battery to the positive lead on the coil.   That eliminates the wiring altogether. A wire with alligator clips on each end works great. In fact, you can start the car with a screwdriver jumped across the solenoid terminals. Old cars are easy to "hot wire"! Since the column doesn't lock, open the door, put it in neutral (or drop on the ground and do it from under the car), jump the "hot wire" to the coil (that's where the name comes from, I bet!!), short the solenoid terminals, then jump in and drive off. That would be when you break a window to get inside (if it's locked)-- after it's running. Column and hood locks foiled most *easy* theft. 

If the coil is bad you need a GM (Delco) 3.3-4.1 ohm coil. The 65 American doesn't have a ballast resistor or a resistance wire in the harness -- the resistance is built into the coil. You can use a non-Delco coil that comes with a ballast resistor though. Connect the coil wire from the harness to the end of the resistor instead of the coil, a wire should be on the coil from the end of the reisitor to the positive side of the coil. Coils are made to use 12V when cold for easier starting. Once the resistance heats up (built-in, ballast, or wire) it reduces voltage (to 6V). That makes the points (and coil) last a lot longer. 


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Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2008 21:40:58 -0600
From: Bruce Griffis <bruce.griffis@xxxxxxxxx>

Thanks for all the info! I pulled all the plugs, cleaned them, cranked it, popped 'em back in. I then pulled the number one plug and held it against the valve cover and didn't get any spark. I then ran the wire from the coil to a plug, held it against the valve cover - no spark. 

I had wanted to try starting it before doing a full tune-up just to hear it run - but you guys are right. That's the wrong way to do it. I'll replace the plugs, spark plug wires, points, condenser, rotor and distributer cap later in the week. I'm not sure if the coil is bad, or if it is just the coil wire - the wire looked kind of messed up. 

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
(free download available!)

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