If it ain't broke why fix it? Do you know for sure the CD unit is toast? I would fix first things first. It was running before you installed the Crane unit ...right?

That's part of the problem - it wouldn't start before I installed the crane. Here is what happened, from a previous post of mine.....

"I just returned from a 300 mile trip, the last 15 of which my 72T made on a flatbed! It had been running fine, other than a very low idle(500). During the course of this trip, it started to sputter at lower rpm under load, like when accelerating. Symptoms got worse and worse until it started backfiring really loudly under load and eventually wouldn't stay running when you pushed in the clutch. Over 3000 rpm it runs great - cruising down freeway at 75-80 no problem. After several restarts from popping the clutch, I finally got to a light and had to let it stop. Cranks but will not fire-up. Most curious bystanders (an old 911 getting winched onto a flatbed gets a lot of attention in small-town Ohio !) suggested timing and/or points. Could I be this lucky?"

Most guesses on this board also suggested points, so I decided to go with the crane unit instead.

wahoofan-

watch out when messing with the CD..it packs a big wallop that might make you cross-eyed for a few minutes.

have you cranked the engine with distributor cap removed, to verify the shaft is turning?

you could try running the HT wire from the coil directly to one of the cylinders and see if that one cylinder fires, to verify the spark is strong enough to fire a plug.

are you sure you have the cap fully seated on the distributor body?? if it is sitting cocked, it won't contact the rotor. make sure the tang by the vac retard seats in the notch in the cap.

fumes,
Shaft is definitely turning and cap is on straight and tight. I'm leaning towards CD now because Sherwood suggested that my spark was not behaving correctly, and because I can't find any problems relating to the cap/rotor/wires/dizzy.

Does anybody have another guess as to what would cause just a single spark from the coil, instead of continuous pulses?

Wahoo....I have a used Permatune that you can use to test the CD. PM me your address and I will send it to ya. No charge ..just a loaner. Don't use it permanently as it is crap but it should at least put the CD arguement to rest. I can ship over night. You owe me one.

In hindsight, I think you should have had the initial symptoms diagnosed before digressing with a new accessory install. That adds another element of potentially crossed wires and incorrect assembly.

Troubleshooting over email isn't really the optimum method, just best-guesses based on the available information you provide.

If after exhausting all possibilities examined in this thread you can't find the solution, I'd remove the Crane and revert back to the setup you had before, then go from there. If it was just the points that caused the engine stoppage, that should be easy enough to diagnose.

Sherwood

I'm with Sherwood. Go back and start over. From the git go it sounded like points to me. the offer still stands on the Permajunk.

wahoo,

Impossible to be absolutely sure over the 'ether' ... but it sounds like a problem with the Crane unit to me. Big problem is ... you have multiple threads going on the same situation, and different description of the problem in each ...

One spark when you turn ignition switch on, and one spark when you turn it off ... sounds like the Crane is putting out one pulse to CDI, then latching up, and when you turn the ignition off the discharge triggers the CDI again. Doesn't sound like the CDI is having a problem to me!

Disconnect the Crane unit from the CDI trigger wire ... Black or Black/Violet ... and use the 'Telegraph Key' method with the ignition switch on, multiple times: touch trigger wire to ground and when you lift it off ground the CDI should generate a spark! EVERY TIME!!!

Warren speaks truth.

I'm picking up a set of points tomorrow and going back to the beginning to see if I can't get this thing running!! The problem for a guy like me onthis board is that I've got the desire to DIY, just not always the know-how. Even when things are explained, it's kinda hard for the mechanically challenged to understand sometimes! My goal is to have the car running dependably w/o a lot of dollars invested before it goes into the wrench for the once-over, MFI check, etc. Often it is easier for a guy like me to bolt on a new part than to diagnose an old (33yrs. old) part, but I'm gonna give the points a try, and then MAYBE test and clean the CDI, before I give up and go msd!

No need to apologise to anyone on this board. We all started like you in our day. you are in the right place. well Cleveland ain't exactly the place but as far as this board....ask away. it's what this board is all about. the depth of knowledge here is astounding. Every model has it's pros here and they are willing to share what they know. good luck and keep us up to date.

OK time for an update. First, I picked up points today(Wells from Autozone) and got home to find that they are backwards!! Soooo, I ordered the correct set from my local import parts guy and he will have them tomorrow morning. Fingers are crossed!!

Next, I went ahead and changed the plugs. After finding the factory tool in my front kit (very cool!) they came out like nothing. Much easier to change them than the stupid cylindrical air filter!! Plugs smelled like gas and looked pretty dirty - any ideas on if this is just from flooding by trying to start it about a hundred times, or if the condition means anything else to worry about? I hope these pics show up good enough!!http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1125633391.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1125633471.jpg

BTW - when I install the points, what should the gap be? Haynes says .012, but I thiught I had read a thread where Warren recommended .014.
Early S Man, you out there?

Not Warren, but 0.014" – 0.016" should be fine. A business card is also close enough to arrive at the requisite point gap.

BTW, the plugs are "wet" because of raw fuel going unburned (as you surmise). Make sure the plug wires contact the spark plugs securely and in the correct firing order. You don't want to introduce another "bug" into the equation.

Sherwood

When you return the points, get some anti- seize for the install of those plugs. I'm confused, what do you mean the points are backwards?

Targa,
I actually mean literally that they point the wrong way - with screw slot facing up, the moving part faces to the left instead of the right! I'm actually leaving soon to go pick up the correct Bosch set, which the import place even e-mailed me this picture of to confirm that they are correct!!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1125670041.jpg


Soooo.....when I get home, it should be just install points and set gap to .014, install dizzy, make sure middle fuse on 3-fuse panel is removed so I don't foul the new plugs, and fire her up!!! That sound about right?

why remove the middle fuse? You have MFI right? the cold start solenoid don't work above like 38 dgrees. It's not THAT cold up there yet is it?

wahoo,

The 'mirror image' points interchangability problem is very common for '72 - '73 models ... distributor version changed some time in '73 production, so visual identification of the points in your distributor is always a good idea!

Warren, why would he remove the middle fuse?