ok so about to drop the engine back in .. Got compression in all 4 .. The motor I switched spoob to had solid lifters. Hopefilly that will quiet my car problems for the time being haha

Sooo it's cranking but won't start . Seems like it's killing the battery hella fast . The negative battery line that's grounded to the frame keeps smoking and the plastic on it is melting . What do I do now ? Pretty sure I got it on tdc.. carb is getting gas . Fuel pump seems to be working .

Oh and now all my dash lights don't come on either . Great ha

That thin wire to the body should not be carrying current for the starter. There should be a heavy wire to the starter mounting bolt from the negative. Look for a bad connection.

The started only has one big wire going to the + side of the battery. So there should be one to the - side as well??

I'm not 100% familiar with the ea81. But if the only wore on the negative of the battery is small, like number 10awg, that is not correct. There needs to be a thick one like the one that goes from the positive to the starter.

There's a thick wire that's grounded on the block next to the cylinder head . So I need an additional one from the battery - to the starter - ??

I think it's supposed to go from the ngeative terminal of the battery to a ring terminal that's bolted on by the top starter bolt.

The best way to provide a return path for the starting current would be a thick wire equal to the + one to one of the starter mounting bolts.

Make sure the connections are clean, and the crimps are clean. A little grease smeared on them will keep them clean for years.

Ok so added the cable and it still wont start . And my throttle cable got cut in half in an unrelated incident . Sounds like it want to turn all the way over but just wont. fml

give it a 1-2 second shot of carb cleaner in the throat.  Then crank with gas part way down, like 1/3 throttle.

Still nothin

so where should the #1 spark plug wire be if I'm standing directly in front of my car? In regards to a clock it's at like noon or 1 o'clock at the moment

1 oclock for no.1

 

Working anticlockwise 1-3-2-4

only thing I can think is that I need a new distributor

sounds like not getting spark.  pull the center wire off the distributor, place / arrange it so the contact on the wire is close to grounded metal, not near fuel. like 1/16 to 1/8 inch.  Make sure it can't move, don't hold it.  Have someone crank the engine while you watch for spark.

Ok and what's next if it doesn't have spark?

Check for + voltage [to GND] on the + terminal of the coil, key in run position, and in cranking position.

There's no spark

 

Check for + voltage [to GND] on the + terminal of the coil, key in run position, and in cranking position.

How do I do that?

Edited December 7, 20178 yr by Jaysus

Voltmeter or test lamp.

 

One lead to the coil + terminal, other to engine block.

Goes in between 6.8 and 7.2 while keys in start position .. Jumps up to 18 to early 20s during cranking ..

That's odd.... I'd expect 10 to 12 in run, while not running. Something lower than 10 while cranking. Over 12 is very odd.

Are you measuring the spark plug terminal? Don't do that...

 

You really shouldn't have anything much higher than battery voltage... The negative terminal actually will have some weird spiking on it. However it's a good one to check. You should see voltage on the negative terminal going between (nominally) ground and 12v with some high frequency ringing on the falling edge.

I was puting the red pointer thing in the + side of the coil and the black one on the engine block