Urgent help with starting problems!
 

I usually try and run searches when I have a question, however, I don't have that luxury since my 71T is sitting at a grocery store parking lot unable to start. Is there anything I can do to help it turn over? I smell lots of gas and the starter is turning but its not cranking over. Help! Not trying to fix the problem now, just want to get it home. Thanks.

Spare plug lead and old plug.
Stick plug lead in top of coil ,crank engine look for spark on grounded plug.
If no spark, check points may have closed up. or poss coil failure.

Personally I would just "AAA flatbed it home", and deal with it either in daylight or a lit garage

Jeff (and yes I'm speaking from experence here!)

If you are smelling gas you probally have a electrical problem. Starting fluid will also help determine which one you are chasing. As above it sounds like the points have closed up or coil out to lunch. Remove distributor cap look close and have someone crank the engine. The points need to be opening and closing. OH yes your capacitor may also be the trouble. You could stick almost any cap on there to get it running.

Jeffs (pl), thanks. I ran back (couldn't leave it there all alone) and she started up for me. Something is definitely wrong, however, this happend occasionally. Will go with your inputs in my lit garage. Thanks, again.

Marc

Marc,
Classic coil prob, fails after getting hot, works again after cooling off
Good luck
Jeff

Marc,

I had a similar problem and it turned out to be improperly gapped spark plugs, bad spark plug wires and a bad cold start valve. Just my .02 worth...