1965 Barn Find Dart starting issues

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goosehunter1

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Hi all, I recently purchased a '65 dart from an old farmer. It hasn't ran in 10 years, and today I tried to start it. Starter turns nice, and I put a little gas down the carb and on another occasion tried a little ether, nothing happened. Pulled a plug and turned the starter and sure as ****, no spark. Where would you guys start on troubleshooting the issue? Please explain well because I am new to mopar. Any input is appreciated. Thanks
James
 
I'd look at the points, check for power at the positive coil terminal and make sure the ballast resistor had continuity of about 1.5 ohms or so. May have to hot wire it if you want to hear it run, then back track wiring.
 
Are you trying to start this to get it home??? if it's at home you might as well buy all new parts instead of trying to get off cheap. it's a lot less headache to do it right the first time... just sayin
 
After spark is fixed-
Gas from a fuel can vs. from the tank.
Plugs cleaned.
Fresh oil. Check for general compression with plug out. May need to prime cylinder with some oil (small amount) to help seal rings initially if stuck.
Nice that it turns over.
 
Car is at home, I'm not stranded haha. I'm looking to flip the car so I'd like to just hear it run. Test light shows distributor is getting power. Plugs look about 30 years old, could it be these are completely shot or should at least some spark happen? Since everything should be getting power, could it be the coil that is out? Thanks
 
But is it getting power with the key in "start" position? Like I said, I would hot wire it first and see if you get spark to save diagnosis of a few other components. Glazed or fouled plugs are a possibility as well. Points properly gapped and cleaned. It could be a bad coil but have you spark tested it?
 
Cleaned the points and rotor last night, still nothing. For all I know they might not be at the right specs. How do you spark test the coil? I brought up the plugs being bad idea but I find it hard to believe all are without spark. I'm an idiot so you're gonna have to remind me what two things do I touch together to Hotwire the car?
 
Cleaned the points and rotor last night, still nothing. For all I know they might not be at the right specs. How do you spark test the coil? I brought up the plugs being bad idea but I find it hard to believe all are without spark. I'm an idiot so you're gonna have to remind me what two things do I touch together to Hotwire the car?
Run a jumper from the + side of the Batt to the + side of the coil. Hotwired. It does not have to be a large gauge wire, 14 or 16 will work. AWG.
 
Does the distributor itself have a ground? Since I'm getting power to the distributor and not past, could it have a bad ground? Also is there any test to test the distributor other than pulling out a plug and checking for spark?
 
Does the distributor itself have a ground? Since I'm getting power to the distributor and not past, could it have a bad ground? Also is there any test to test the distributor other than pulling out a plug and checking for spark?

You're shooting in the dark and not following what others have suggested already.

The ignition is fairly simple, but after not running for so long there's probably multiple issues.

You'd do well to replace the spark plugs, wires, cap, rotor, and install an electronic ignition or replace the points. You're going to have to gap the points and even set the dwell to do it 'right'. Electronic ignition will be easier and improve your chances of success if you're not familiar with points operation.

You should also do diagnosis work: check voltage between battery negative and the following locations with the key in the ON position: battery positive, ballast resistor posts (both sides), coil positive. Then, disconnect your starter relay, have someone hold the key in the 'start' position and check the same exact things.

List all those voltages here and you'll probably get more useful help. If you don't do these things, you're relegated to throwing random parts at it and drawing the ire of several forum members who can't stand 'askholes' ;)
 
You say the car been sitting for 10yrs. You should have checked your points when you had the distributor out, since I'm sure you primed motor with oil ???? I'm not a fan of people that buys car to turn a buck.. If your going to be a flipper for a buck, than buy and sell chevy's that's what there made for.... I hope you tell the new owner everything you didn't do....
 
@bowtiehunter If it wasn't for me, the car would never have seen the light of day and rotted for the next 30+ years... I would hope a real mopar fan would rather buy one that has been resold rather than never getting the opportunity to own it in the first pace
 
get +12 to the coil and lay the high tension lead from coil tower on the exhaust manifold, get the conductor brass as close as you can to the iron without touching it. now just take a ground wire from the coil - and touch it to the manifold. as soon as you lift it, you should see a spark. Its the breaking of the ground connection that causes the coil to generate a spark, ie. "breaker points" Thats what the distributor does when it opens the points 4 times a crank revolution.
 
I'd look at the points, check for power at the positive coil terminal and make sure the ballast resistor had continuity of about 1.5 ohms or so. May have to hot wire it if you want to hear it run, then back track wiring.

You can run a hot right off of the battery positive post to the distributor wire and it should fire,You basically bypass the ignition system. it will tell you what side the problem is on if it doesn't fire off. You can at least hear it run or verify it runs. It probably didn't run when parked.
 
The ballast resistor is cheap.
New spark plugs.
Cap
Rotor
Coil.
Gap
Timing-
 

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The clarification on flipping the car made my day. Thanks for that!

Only favor I ask is that we respect our fellow mopar brethren and don't hike prices cuz' mopar..

Onward!
 
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