Stock Ignition Limitations?

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I read out the harness and all associated wiring for the ignition system and it checked good. I did find a repaired alternator wire that had burned the harness connector. It was corroded pretty bad, so I put a barrel on it and soldered it together again. I also moved my coil back by the carb instead of the fender. I used Accel spiral wires for my plugs, but when I moved the coil to the fender I used regular suppression wire for the coil and it had over 10K ohm of resistance. Now it only has about three inches of the Accel spiral wire connecting it to the distributor. I fired it up and it still runs, which means I didn't screw anything up during all my tugging of wires. Still waiting on my fuel sending unit float to take it for a spin and try jumping the ballast if necessary. Also bought a heavy duty Accel cap and rotor kit to have on hand. The cap seemed to have a little bit of play on the distributor body. Thanks!
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You said the battery was good but "a little low". This is a bullshit diagnosis and I'll tell you why. If you drive the vehicle much at all and the alternator is good, you will keep the battery charged. If the charging system is good and the car is driven even semi regularly and the battery tests "good but low" or "good needs charging" then the battery is bad.
 
As to that rotor; I read you said it was good, but the only time I ever saw a rotor that bad, was when it was firing right through the material, to the dizzy center-post. And it only did this when the coil was called upon to work hard, as in full load-WOT. The rest of the time it ran fine. I think I would have a real close look at the inside of it and also the top of the dizzy where it slides on. Then I would throw it away.EDIT Wait don't throw it away,just yet.
 
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AJ/FormS said:
As to that rotor; I read you said it was good, but the only time I ever saw a rotor that bad, was when it was firing right through the material, to the dizzy center-post. And it only did this when the coil was called upon to work hard, as in full load-WOT. The rest of the time it ran fine. I think I would have a real close look at the inside of it and also the top of the dizzy where it slides on. Then I would throw it away.
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The contacts look good, just that burning around the rotor tab. No signs of burning through the rotor body. I ordered a new Accel cap and rotor.
https://m.summitracing.com/parts/acc-8321
 
73Swinger18 said:
The contacts look good, just that burning around the rotor tab. I ordered a new Accel cap and rotor.
https://m.summitracing.com/parts/acc-8321
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No, I'm not talking about the contacts. Flip it over upside down and look into the center tube with a MagLite. It's not often you can trace a problem like yours to the rotor, so I know you have ordered a new one, but I'd sure like to know if this one is as bad as it looks. Don't throw it away! After you get your car running right, swap this one back in and see what happens.
 
AJ/FormS said:
OK, I hear you. But I think something is going on there. IMO, that is a lot of arcing going on at a place where there shouldn't be any. Does it wipe right off?
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It doesn't wipe off. There is nothing on the underside, not even a speck. Maybe the contact on the rotor is not properly seating on the center conductor and flashing causing the burn marks on top of the rotor. There is some wear on the cap center conductor. It is the same type of wear that I had on another NAPA brand cap. Maybe it's normal, maybe not. I got my new control module, cap, and rotor today. Hopefully that float comes soon so I can try it out.
 
73Swinger18 said:
It doesn't wipe off. There is nothing on the underside, not even a speck. Maybe the contact on the rotor is not properly seating on the center conductor and flashing causing the burn marks on top of the rotor. There is some wear on the cap center conductor. It is the same type of wear that I had on another NAPA brand cap. Maybe it's normal, maybe not. I got my new control module, cap, and rotor today. Hopefully that float comes soon so I can try it out.
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Well the Round Black mark on the rotor , and the Shine on the carbon tower, say they were in intimate contact with eachother. If the wires are good and the plug gaps consistent then there is only three reasons for that stuff to be there; 1) the gap from the rotor tip to the tower at the time of firing was almost too much for the coil and it put everything into driving the spark that it could,which created a huge fireball in there; which is not attested to by wear on the towers and rotor tip, or 2) The spark was happier going to the rotor-body than to the tip, or C) it was there when you first put it in there.
I'm gonna take a wait and see attitude. Let's see what the new parts do. We can always slam that rotor back in there later.
I got my fingers crossed.
 
I spin mine to 6 grand with the stock ignition all the time,i had a problem with my ecu once that it wouldn't rev passed 4 grand.
 
I originally had Autolite 66 spark plugs installed, then went down to 64s. The porcelain is still white even when I put big jets (68/70) in there. You think I could still have too hot of a plug? I was considering getting some 62s and trying that if all else fails.
Heat.jpg
 
RN12YCs. Convert the Champion 12 to Autolite, if you like those

I am on the second set in my 360, since 1999. This engine has over 100,000 miles on it. So these Champions do pretty good. I don't recall them being out since 2005ish.
 
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I got my sending unit float installed and fired her up in the driveway and checked everything out before the high speed run. No voltage from the alternator, zero. Ran to NAPA and returned my Chinese remanufactured alternator for another one and took her for a spin. The miss is gone. I left the old rotor, cap, and ignition control installed. Guess that explains my ammeter dipping low. It must have been on it's way out and intermittently failing at high speed. When I removed the old one and spun it by hand, you cold hear it chaffing on something internally. Thanks everyone for your help. At least I can go to bed tonight knowing that for one day, she has no problems. Tomorrow is another day....
 
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