She won't start! HELP!

When I bought my 74 cj5 with a 258, she started great. Within two seconds, almost instantaneously. Maybe three cranks of the engine. Nothing else on it worked, but it started and drove and the 4wd worked, so we had alot of unregistered trail fun. Less then a week later, I did a tune up, oil change, rotor, cap, plugs, wires, air filter, etc. I think it started fine for a little while but shortly after, very hard start. Don't know if its a coincidence or not, but I doubt it. I'm always wrong tho. It would eventually start and run great and start pretty good once it was warm. Last night, i took out the points and grinded them down, put em back in, never started again. No spark. My dad always said, "you don't have to change points, just hafta clean em up." but I am gonna buy a new points set today. the points have continuity when closed and arc when I open and close em manually with a screwdriver. Honestly I think the points are good enough to at least get it running. Does this sound like a fading ignition coil? Maybe it started fading, hence the hard starts, and happened to go coincidentally when I took the points out? Is this the characteristics of a bad coil? It was hard to start but then ran great?Thats what I think it is, but again I'm always wrong. I am gonna try putting my old ignition coil wire on. I didn't like the new one I got, as the boot wasn't very deep. Also, I'm sure the points have to be reset. I think to adjust them, you just loosen the screw and move the base around via the grooved screw hole? I was unaware of this when I took the points out and put them back by eye. I am used to my m38a1 with a 225 in it which has points that are very easily adjusted via an allen wrench. Is the point adjustment that touchy that even putting them in close to how it looked would cause it not to start? Whats it sound like to you guys??

 

New points might fix it, and it could also be the coil. Someone here should be able to give a little more insite into it. Your distributor isn't loose is it?

 

i would double check my points gap.....you said it never started after you removed and ground out the points, possible your gap is off...dont know exactly how much the gap setting is but i know to get you out of a jam, you can fold down a match book and use that as a temporary gap setting. good luck

 

Strider, first off I would suggest you do one thing at a time. Changing or fixing a bunch of stuff at once just makes it more confusing to figure out the original situation. Go slow, be systematic.

As for "grinding" the points, I wouldn't. In the old days the material was solid through and through, and could be filed down and resurfaced. BUT I believe nowadays they only have a thin plating on the wear-surface. Heavy grinding or filing ruins them.

At the most, clean lightly with some 400 grit squeezed between the contacts. Then I always polish with clean paper or cloth, even brand new points - sometimes a speck of grit or oil can remain between the contact points and spoil everything.

Another thing that can happen is if the heel that follows the cam is wearing down, the point adjustment will change for the worse. A TINY amount of lube is used. Excess oil can foul the points.

And, yes, the adjustment is very "touchy" and must be accurate. Set it as best you can, and check AGAIN after tightening it down. It may take several tries to get it just right.

I suggest you leave everything else alone until you get the new points carefully installed, and set precisely, and are certain they are good. One thing at a time. ;-)

Good luck!

Pete

 

Thanks everyone. I don't believe my distributor is loose? My friend was coming over at 6 to go off roading in his rubicon, me in my cj. I was bringing the cj to tow him around when he needs it and show him how a jeep is suppose to perform. Its now 6:30 and i just got home. If I can get the thing to fire, its still on. I got a new points set and even bought an ignition gauge thing with 26 sizes on it. I should be able to get the points set perfect, and I have a good feeling about this. I'll let ya know, thanks again.

 

Took off the cap, put in the new points, put a socket with breaker bar on the crankshaft, cranked the engine clockwise until the points were wide open. Stuck my .016 in between, loosed the points, tightened the points, tried to put the .017 in- wouldn't fit. perfect. Got it first try. Went to start the engine, heard banging and realized the breaker bar was still on the crankshaft. oops. Knocked itself off. Started on the third crank. Back to 2 second starts! It was the points setting guys, sorry for wasting your time. I am sooooooo happy. And I set the points first try. The gauges mean everything. Now if only my van had a points set. That things been starting hard for three years...

 

Good work, man.

Pete