352 Engine Problems..No Spark

ford4life · Post by **ford4life** » March 14, 2010, 11:24 am

My dad and I have swapped engines, 352 to 352, we know the engine runs good as we heard it and saw it, but we have it all hooked up in our truck.

It turns over and sounds like it wants to go but there is no spark. We have tried adjusting the timing numerous times and checked grounds and all wires to make sure everything is in correctly. We are going to try new plugs today, what else could it be?

I appreciate any and all help, thank you!

Garrett

Post by **Greg D** » March 14, 2010, 11:33 am

Start with a test light. Check everything in order to make sure you have continuity.
Both wires from the ign to the coil.
at the coil
check your grounds
Your are looking for power at both ends of each wire. Your wiring is probably 44+ years old like the truck - one could have broke inside the insulation just from moving it.
I had a bad 9v feed on mine in the pink resistor wire from the switch (I couldn't find one to replace it either) - would catch but wouldn't run. I just ran a new wire with a ceramic resistor from a 70s dodge truck.
It was fine with the 223 in it - swapped in the 292 and no spark in the "run" position.

ford4life · Post by **ford4life** » March 14, 2010, 11:53 am

Alright thanks. We have a test light and have checked, and its getting power at the coil, but no spark after that so possibly something wrong with distributor?

Post by **Greg D** » March 14, 2010, 12:00 pm

If you have power at the coil then it's probably either the coil itself the coil to dizzy cable or in the dizzy. Is it still points?

ford4life · Post by **ford4life** » March 14, 2010, 12:19 pm

What do you mean still points? Sorry haha..

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » March 14, 2010, 12:22 pm

last time i had that issue it was a bad condensor.

Post by **Greg D** » March 14, 2010, 12:23 pm

It's not uncommon for alot of these old trucks to get converted to electronic ignition - either Pertronix or a Ford Duraspark. That's why I asked if it's still points. If the truck (or car) you pulled the 352 from was converted to a Duraspark and you didn't move the control box too it probably won't run unless you kept your old distributor.
The Duraspark control box would be an bare aluminum (unless it was painted) finned box mounted somewhere under the hood with several wires in a harness running to the dizzy.
I don't know how familiar you are with working on these either.

ford4life · Post by **ford4life** » March 14, 2010, 12:59 pm

I am going to go talk to my dad when he gets home, maybe we will put the old distributor back on. I don't think the other truck had a different ignition system but I could be wrong..

I do not know a ton about these trucks but I am learning alot, this is our first 60's Ford

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » March 14, 2010, 1:11 pm

Hey ford4life, Glad to see you like tinkering on the old trucks. now you know that the more you tinker, the more addicted you become, right...

where are you and your Dad located at?? Maybe there are some members around you that could help?? Most of us are willing to help out on these trucks...

ford4life · Post by **ford4life** » March 14, 2010, 1:16 pm

Thank you, we are in Las Vegas, Nv

Uncle Skip · Post by **Uncle Skip** » March 14, 2010, 1:48 pm

Only a couple of issues it could be.
Bad condenser.
Bad points.
Bad coil.
Broken wire from coil to distributor.
I'm betting its the condenser. Do you have an extra you can put in?
That's it.
U@ss

ford4life · Post by **ford4life** » March 16, 2010, 4:28 pm

I think we might. We have tested everything multiple times. I will try the condenser and see what happens. Thanks for the help guys!

Jonas · Post by **Jonas** » March 16, 2010, 5:55 pm

It is pretty easy to get the timing 180 degrees out. Make sure #1 is top dead center on the compression stroke. If you had the distributor out, this could be what is going on.

Tech · Post by **Tech** » March 18, 2010, 10:06 am

Lets split the system into smaller parts.
If you pull the coil wire from the distributor and place the bare end 1/8" away from something grounded then try to start the engine, can you see the spark jumping the 1/8" gap?
If yes then the low voltage 12V side is working.
if no
then is there at least 9V from ground on the plus side of the coil?
Tech

Paranoid! · Post by **Paranoid!** » March 18, 2010, 4:15 pm

Sounds like your trouble shooting it pretty hard and coming up with nothing

Have you checked the gear on the distributor?

Uncle Skip · Post by **Uncle Skip** » March 18, 2010, 4:33 pm

Garrett.
BTW
Look at the coil.
The ground wire (-) should go to the distributor.
The positive (+) wire should have 8 volts when the ignition is on.
Make sure you don't have them hooked up backwards.
Uncle Skip

64 f100 · Post by **64 f100** » March 19, 2010, 12:00 am

Get out the old multi meter, and check to see if the points are making contact. I've had more trouble with points than any other single thing with these trucks. The first thing I do when starting a truck with no spark is check the pints to see if these are making contact. Easy to check, pull the coil wire from the cap, find a good clean ground to put the coil wire near, pull the cap, turn the ignition on, take a screwdriver, and short accross the points. If you have fire if so clean the points (replace), and it will start. If, someone has left the ignition on for any length of time it wil burn the points if closed. Anytime you want to leave theignition on, disconnect the wire to the distributor, or the hot wire from the coil. This goes for the petronix also

Rich

jmf66 · Post by **jmf66** » March 21, 2010, 9:13 am

This has happened to me more than once with points. Finally figured out... it took cleaning the contacts with an emery board or fine sandpaper.

With the distributer cap off, you can check voltage at the points and also manually open/close the points observe voltage at the coil.

don luster · Post by **don luster** » March 23, 2010, 10:37 am

Here is a couple of quick test. Bump the engine over until the points are open. Take a small screwdriver and short the open arm of the points to ground and you should see a small arc to ground which means that the primary side of the ignitions is good unless the arc is very very small. Next bump the engine over again until the points are closed. With the switch on take the screwdriver and open the points while holding the coil wire close to ground. If there is a spark then the coil is good. sshould be a good blue spark. This will check out the secondary side of the ignition. still could be b ad plugs and or wires to the spark plug. Make sure you have fuel by looking into the carb while moving the linkage. If there is no or not enought compression it will also not start. and must bne in time. Hope this helps