I'd bet on the pickup coil. When mine went bad I just changed the whole distributor. It was easier that way. : ) Ken Quoting Marc Montoni <Freedom@xxxxxxxx>: > > russ hathaway <russh97309@xxxxxxxxx> said: > > > >I have a 78 Concord 304 that is driving me nuts. It won't start. When I > >release the key from the start position it tries to start and if I am lucky > > >it'll fire, but the key returns to off too soon. I hooked up one of those > >spark testers and I get no spark while it is cranking, then when I release > >the jumper it sparks for an instant. > > > I cracked open the 78 TSM. For "no start, no spark", it says: > > - no voltage to ign > - primary wiring connector not fully engaged > - coil open or shorted > - cracked distributor cap > - defective rotor > > In my experience some other possibilities come to mind. Dave Stohler > mentioned the rod-actuated switch attached to the steering column. I picked > up two cars in a row several years ago that the owners had a no-start > condition on that they couldn't figure out. In both cases, that switch was > simply misadjusted! If you look at it, you will see that it has elongated > slots so it can slide back and forth. If those switches aren't in exactly > the right spot, they can cause all sorts of mischief. > > > >I took off the batt cable to charge it as I wore the battery down cranking, > and the car cranked for a second. Whats going on? > > > You disconnected it but it continued cranking? Now that is weird. However > I've noticed a discharged battery can make the starting system do all sorts > of really weird stuff. But that symptom suggests either there was some > residual current left in the system somewhere or that the engine actually > fired as you disconnected it and the starter was still engaged and went along > for the ride. > > I'd take a look at the basics first. Make sure your switch is applying > current to the right wires at the right position of the key, and go from > there. Once you have that, test current at the coil, and so on. > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > MARC MONTONI > Harrisonburg VA > http://FreeVirginia.blogspot.com/ > Freedom. Responsibility. www.LP.org > Cu vi parolas Esperanton? > I'd rather push a Rambler than drive a Toyota. > Visit www.AMCRC.com or www.AMONational.com . > http://RichmondRambler.tripod.com/ > http://Hasdrubal.tripod.com/Index.htm > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > This work is licensed under a Creative Commons > Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. > > > _______________________________________________ > AMC-list mailing list > AMC-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx > http://list.amc-list.com/listinfo.cgi/amc-list-amc-list.com > _______________________________________________ AMC-list mailing list AMC-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx http://list.amc-list.com/listinfo.cgi/amc-list-amc-list.com