Bill_4570 Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 Hi all, Ive got a 71 International fleetstar 2110 with a 549 v8 in it. I got a good deal on it and i will use it to haul hay once or twice a year, and maybe a little dirt/rock here and there. I first drained gass and cleaned tanks. I fixed the fuel pump wiring. I filled the bowl and threw a battery in it, it fired up and ran on 5 cyclinders. Plug wires were severed or missing. So i put new wires, cap, points and condenser, plugs and rotor in. now it wont fire at all. Ive got power to my coil, and power from to coil to the points. But no spark at the plugs. The condenser was new about 15 years ago, so it shouldnt be a cheap garbage one. The plug wires were universal ones, and i havnt had good experiences in the past with those, could it be as simple as bad plug wires? Is it worth the 80 bucks to get the electronic points conversion? i know that made a huge difference with my Y-block. The only thing i havnt changed is the coil, but, it ran before i did anything to it. So i know its something I put on or did. Any help is greatly appreciated. Also, if someone could tell the difference between a 549 and a 537, that would be helpfull. Was told it was a 549, but most of those ive seen have distributer in the front, not the case with this one. Thanks in advance -Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomorejohndeere Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 You've got spark at the points? engine/battery ground good? Both primary and secondary side of coil test good? If you put an old wire back on it does it spark at the plug? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_4570 Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 Ive got spark at the points. Power to the coil all the way around. Tired a couple old wires. And cleaned grounds. New battery as well. No spark no matter what Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomorejohndeere Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 Are you using ignition key? or jumping at the starter? Correct rotor to go with cap? Does it spark at the cap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_4570 Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 Im using the key and factory push button start. The cap and roote mesh together like the old set. How do I test for spark at the cap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomorejohndeere Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 ground wire then hold close to a cap terminal...... could your key/push button be losing power to coil? put jumper from battery to coil so you know it has power, then crank and check spark........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_4570 Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 So i can just pull a plug wire off the cap and hold it close while it cranks? Should see it spark. I got a new coil this morning as well. Hopefully i can wonder out there again this afternoon and try a few things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirt_Floor_Poor Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 Did the replacement rotor and cap look like what came off of it? It’s hard to say without being there. I had a replacement cap one time that did not make contact with the rotor. I would look very closely at that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_4570 Posted February 11, 2022 Author Share Posted February 11, 2022 So I finally got a good blue spark to the plugs. But it still wont fire. Could engine ground be the issue now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_4570 Posted February 11, 2022 Author Share Posted February 11, 2022 So I finally got a good blue spark to the plugs. But it still wont fire. Could engine ground be the issue now? Update. If i hold the throttle open, i get backfires with no actual flame out of the exhaust, if i leve the throttle at idle, it just cranks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Shepard Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 Are these engines timed off of #8 like a 392? If it's backfiring through the intake, then the plug wires may be on wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomorejohndeere Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 check firing order check timing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_4570 Posted February 11, 2022 Author Share Posted February 11, 2022 7 minutes ago, Dave Shepard said: Are these engines timed off of #8 like a 392? If it's backfiring through the intake, then the plug wires may be on wrong. Yes i think they are timed off #8. 4 minutes ago, nomorejohndeere said: check firing order check timing I got the firing order off the intake manifold. And have checked it several times. Is there a way timing could get off besides physically turning the distributor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomorejohndeere Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 check your weights in distributor, for free movement, the swivel they mount on for play or oblong shape........springs on weights on correct or not stretched or worn out.......etc. vacuum advance unhooked? is the rod frozen in place? Are the screws used to put your new points in the same length as the originals? Not longer poking down into someplace they shouldn't...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_4570 Posted February 11, 2022 Author Share Posted February 11, 2022 4 minutes ago, nomorejohndeere said: check your weights in distributor, for free movement, the swivel they mount on for play or oblong shape........springs on weights on correct or not stretched or worn out.......etc. vacuum advance unhooked? is the rod frozen in place? Are the screws used to put your new points in the same length as the originals? Not longer poking down into someplace they shouldn't...... Okay. Im trailering it back to the shop tomorrow. Then I can get a better look at things like that. Thanks for all the help today, i gained a little. Side note, anyone know how to release the air brakes on this truck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomorejohndeere Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 not really but there is usually a place to put a socket or drive extension to do just that search youtube......... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Shepard Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 My 392 has the distributor installed so that it's timed off of #1. Had a similar problem when I put new wires on it. Instead of monkeying with the distributor, we just moved the wires. You can get the timing mark on tdc and see where the rotor is pointing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_4570 Posted February 11, 2022 Author Share Posted February 11, 2022 13 minutes ago, Dave Shepard said: My 392 has the distributor installed so that it's timed off of #1. Had a similar problem when I put new wires on it. Instead of monkeying with the distributor, we just moved the wires. You can get the timing mark on tdc and see where the rotor is pointing. Okay, ill give that a shot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acem Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 If your points are set way wrong it will affect your timing and can make it backfire. If you have the plug wires wrong it can make it backfire. Make sure the points are set correctly. Verify TDC. Make sure the spark plug wires are correct. Thx-Ace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_4570 Posted February 12, 2022 Author Share Posted February 12, 2022 20 hours ago, Dave Shepard said: I got it fired up this morning and made it home. Turns out my new cap was cracked, couldnt see it. Also, put the old cap in backwards, dumb mistake, got it all straightened out. Thank you for all of your help Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_4570 Posted February 12, 2022 Author Share Posted February 12, 2022 Just now, Bill_4570 said: I got it fired up this morning and made it home. Turns out my new cap was cracked, couldnt see it. Also, put the old cap in backwards, dumb mistake, got it all straightened out. Thank you for all of your help Bill 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.