Next steps for the 63?

[Asshat]

Took the carb apart, only thing w I noticed was the accelerator pump was sticking. Replaced it, bit still no luck. Doesn’t start and acts like it is out of time.
Next step is to pull the valve cover and maybe pull the front timing cover.

[AcampoDave]

I know you check the coil, ut all those symptoms jive with a failing coil. Even a failing coil can deliver a spark. They act up when they get warmed up and a failing coil gets hotternhell to the touch after a short drive.

[Joe P]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Get a clean pan and drain the engine oil. If the oil is clean, you can put it back in. If you see fibrous material, your cam gear is probably shredded. Did you pull the timing cover when you had the engine out, before? The cam gear going bad is unlikely, but your comment about the way it sounds makes me think of it as a possibility.

My thought was the same, cam gear failure. Perhaps first pull the distributor and have a look at the drive gear and make sure its still in good shape and properly attached. Try to shine a light down the distributor hole and check the condition of the drive gear there also.

[Steeveedee]

OK, the only real change was that rebuilt distributor, right? Worst case, pop the old one back in and see what happens. Nothing to lose, at this point.

[Asshat]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

OK, the only real change was that rebuilt distributor, right? Worst case, pop the old one back in and see what happens. Nothing to lose, at this point.

Yeah, I thought about that too. If it is the new distributor, why would it work for a while and then fail?

Tomorrow I will try this and pickup a new ignition coil.

[Asshat]

WTF?

I tried a coil first, no deal - wouldn’t start.

Put the old distributor in and it started right up.

Someone please explain this!

[Steeveedee]

Old is the electronic one, right?


On the points distributor:

Pull on the wire that goes into the condenser. If it pulls out, you have the culprit. Not a common failure.

If you have an ohmmeter, check the condenser resistance. The meter will (maybe) give a little blip, and then settle to infinity. Anything less than infinity, the condenser is shorted.

Check that the breaker plate ground wire is intact.

[Asshat]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Old is the electronic one, right?


On the points distributor:

Pull on the wire that goes into the condenser. If it pulls out, you have the culprit. Not a common failure.

If you have an ohmmeter, check the condenser resistance. The meter will (maybe) give a little blip, and then settle to infinity. Anything less than infinity, the condenser is shorted.

Check that the breaker plate ground wire is intact.

Yes, the old one is electronic. It probably is the condenser; it probably wouldn’t have started if the ground was bad. But, I don’t know, it’s been a strange problem. I guess my trouble shooting skills need a tune up.

[Steeveedee]

OK, so now you need to go and see if you can take that hill with the throttle opening all the way...

Maybe just return the distributor? They are dirt simple, and should be easy to fix. But if it's running well enough with the old distributor, I wouldn't bother with it.

[Asshat]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

OK, so now you need to go and see if you can take that hill with the throttle opening all the way...

Maybe just return the distributor? They are dirt simple, and should be easy to fix. But if it's running well enough with the old distributor, I wouldn't bother with it.

The distributor was $25, I think I’ll just keep it.
The condenser test resulted in OL. It must be faulty.

I’ll get out there and drive it again this week, just feels a little sketchy. Hoping I don’t get stranded again.

I wonder if the condenser failed because I didn’t have a ballast resistor wired up.

[Steeveedee]

If you had no ballast resistor the points are probably toast, but it usually takes awhile to scorch bad enough to fail. Possibly the coil is now walking wounded.

[Asshat]

Right now I have the Pertronix conversion installed(old distributor), no ballast resistor, and a new coil.
I may take it for a drive tomorrow.

In case anyone is wondering what’s under the plate (this is the new distributor) in the pic.

[Asshat]

Drove the truck to work this afternoon, no problems at all. It was a relatively short drive; the actual commute if I go straight to work is 1.9 miles. However, today I drove it a bit more, about 10 miles.

Got a few compliments at work too.

I think I may take it to the muffler shop this weekend and get the exhaust all done, the right way.

[Steeveedee]

More importantly, did you take that hill?

[AcampoDave]

Great, hopefully this is it. You've really busted your arse trying to solve these issues and stuck with it. A lesser man might have gotten discouraged and thrown in the towel. I hope it hauls the hill with pride.

[Paul Y]

Pleased to see that you have resolved the truck issues.

We NEED a hill report. Preferably with video, drone footage and a voice over done by the Marlborough Man....

P.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by Paul Y

Pleased to see that you have resolved the truck issues.

We NEED a hill report. Preferably with video, drone footage and a voice over done by the Marlborough Man....

P.

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by Paul Y

Pleased to see that you have resolved the truck issues.

We NEED a hill report. Preferably with video, drone footage and a voice over done by the Marlborough Man....

P.

That would be one expensive video...

[Steeveedee]

Digging the Marlboro Man up and animating him would be the most expensive part.

Hey George, with all us guys pulling for you, that truck oughta cruise right up that hill!

[Paul Y]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Digging the Marlboro Man up and animating him would be the most expensive part.

Hey George, with all us guys pulling for you, that truck oughta cruise right up that hill!

Oh alright then...Garrison Keillor.

Failing that I am available for a reasonable fee...

P.

[Asshat]

Originally Posted by AcampoDave

Great, hopefully this is it. You've really busted your arse trying to solve these issues and stuck with it. A lesser man might have gotten discouraged and thrown in the towel. I hope it hauls the hill with pride.

Originally Posted by Paul Y

Pleased to see that you have resolved the truck issues.

We NEED a hill report. Preferably with video, drone footage and a voice over done by the Marlborough Man....

P.

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

That would be one expensive video...

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Digging the Marlboro Man up and animating him would be the most expensive part.

Hey George, with all us guys pulling for you, that truck oughta cruise right up that hill!

Originally Posted by Paul Y

Oh alright then...Garrison Keillor.

Failing that I am available for a reasonable fee...

P.

Ok, I drove it up that hill today and it still just doesn’t have any guts. Did not get a video.
I shift through the gears, into 5th gear, cruising along at 50 (4:10 rear), it starts up this hill and it just continuously gets slower and slower. I shift down to 4th and the engine is revving up pretty good, but I’m going slower of course.

Then I turn the corner and start up this other small hill, going in 4th gear and as it gets up half way it just slows again, just no power.

I don’t know, it’s just gutless. Don’t have a tach, so I’m not sure what rpm I’m at, but it must be getting up at least 3000, pretty loud inside that cab.

[Asshat]

Originally Posted by Asshat

Ok, I drove it up that hill today and it still just doesn’t have any guts. Did not get a video.
I shift through the gears, into 5th gear, cruising along at 50 (4:10 rear), it starts up this hill and it just continuously gets slower and slower. I shift down to 4th and the engine is revving up pretty good, but I’m going slower of course.

Then I turn the corner and start up this other small hill, going in 4th gear and as it gets up half way it just slows again, just no power.

I don’t know, it’s just gutless. Don’t have a tach, so I’m not sure what rpm I’m at, but it must be getting up at least 3000, pretty loud inside that cab.

I still start out in 2nd gear, with that 4:10 rear I get nowhere in 1st, even with the T5. When I’m cruising down the highway, about 60, it’s pretty loud in the cab. I think it’s a combination of the driveshaft spinning, engine noise and road noise. Not much insulation left on the firewall either.