scout ii refuses to start im at a loss

S

scoutinn

New member
I am new to the sure, but have been resrarching for weeks... I would like to thank you guys for your help in advance. 1973 Scout II, 727, Holley 2bb list o-7448,ac delco dist. & 345... For the life of me cannot get it to start. Brief list, I've reolaced wires,pluggs, fuel pump, cap, rotor,ect... Rebuilt carb. Have between 115 to 130 psi on compression check, did the remote starter removed the bhc & sautered the connections. Timed from #8,& double checked it was on compression stroke... I am savy but I am tottaly stumped:mad2:
 
Let's check thing out one at a time..
Pull the coil wire out of the center post of the distributer cap.
Hold the end of the coil wire with insulated handle pliers, 1/4 inch away from a metal surface of the engine.
Get a helper to crank the engine. You should see a good spark jumping that size gap. If not close the gap to 1/8.
Report back.
 
I'd like some more back story too while you're at it. All too often with these issues, the devil is in the details and what might seem like nothing of consequence to you could potentially prove to be the missing link that closes the loop. So here come the questions:

how long have you owned this Scout?

Did you buy it as a solid runner or a basket case learning opportunity?

Have you ever heard it run?

Do you know when the engine last ran?

If it ran and then quit on your watch, was it a sudden event or a progressive condition that devolved over days/weeks from intermittent and annoying to the semi-permanent status of today?

What did the previous owner divulge about the under hood condition?

That should be enough to get the ball rolling.
 
Did the spark test and it was a nice blue...was running but very hard to get going. When it did run it was rough, but sometimes sounded beautiful, but that wasnt very often...I would like to thank you Scout boy & Robert, I usually just look for your guys answers. So thanks for your time
 
So you've got spark from the coil to the dizz. Now pull any plug wire, peel the boot back to expose the internal contact and try the same gap test with a plug wire. Do several of them if you'd like. We're still not ready to anoint you as having the distributor timed correctly. We also don't know about your dwell angle which is the electrical measurement of your breaker point gap. It should be between 28 and 32 degrees for a v8 when measured with a scope or hand held dwell meter.
 
Sorry I didn't include that I have I did the crane came ignition module. I did random tests and have spark at my pluggs.
 
So I restabbed the dizzy & inspected the shaft gear, looks really nice, its pointing at #8 tdc ran the spark pluggs in order after that... Tryed to start it but still same symptoms. Sounds like it wants to but doesn't lol. I'm doing a motor swap in a 2005 f150 and all I can think about is the Scout!! Thanks.
 
The crane xri is a nice product. I'm running one of those myself in hooty's delcotron. I think they are superior to the pertronix modules. I'm satisfied that your ignition system is making sufficient spark. Did you verify that #8 was on the compression stroke (air being expelled from the vacant spark plug hole) when you stabbed the dizz? Each piston will be at tdc twice. Once on compression and once on exhaust. You must be on the compression stroke, otherwise your timing will be 180 degrees off. If that checks out good, then you are narrowing in on a fuel delivery issue. Are you sure you just didn't run the damn thing out of gas?
 
Just returning from out of town...no not out of gas. The filter is full w/no bubbles. Was thinking about my installation of the crane xr-I. I don't have the ballast resistor and nothing hooked up to my "r" on the starter solenoid, because I thought I didn't need it anymore. Could this be my issue? :out:
 
Oh boy. Now we May be getting somewhere. Unlike the pertronix modules which don't require any additional ballast resistance beyond the @ 1.5 ohm provided by the oe coil or an appropriate replacement, the crane item does require additional ballast just as if you were still running breaker points. So we need to determine if your ignition on power feed to your coil + is the original resistor wire, or if it has been replaced with a normal awg automotive wire. In any event, you will also need to run a wire from the solenoid 'r' terminal up to the coil + to provide the resistor bypass for starter cranking.
 
Dang... I do have the original resistance wire, its in good shape. I ran the "r " up to the + on the coil. So I have a pertronix coil 1.2ohms, & the factory 1.5ohm wire. So I should be good to go on my total resistance. So if I have the original resistance wire, I don't need to add a ballast resistor, correct? Thanks again for your time... I totally made a rookie move! Lol keep it simple stu#$#! :cornut:
 
The original resistor wire, if it has not been shortened from the factory length of @ 72 inches, should measure around 1.8 ohm. So that would make a total of 3.0 with your coil which would be on the low side, but sufficient. That wire appears to be much longer than is necessary to make the run and folks have mistakenly shortened it not realizing that the length is critical. This is an either or deal. Either the wire is unmolested and in good shape or you scrap it entirely, run a chunk of standard awg and install a ballast resistor that is minimum 1.8...2.0 would be ideal with your coil.
 
My resistance wire is the correct length, double checked everything and boom started right up...holy moly its back. Thank you for you time, I appreciate it.:thumbsup:
 
Outstanding! It was the absence of the bypass wire from the sole to the coil. You had enough juice going to the coil to run the engine, but not enough to get it started. She can't run until she starts first.
 
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