1963 marauder trouble shooting

[Fatality51]

hello everyone! this is my first post on here so bear with me.... so i bought a 1963 marauder so the 04 marauder dosnt get lonely. anyway when i bought it the thing started and drove fine. now it wont start. got a new starter, solonoid, wiring cap, coil, condenser, distributer and spark plugs. its getting gas and spark and turns over but just wont fire! timing belt maybe? carb rebuild? i dont know! also when i was driving it on the highway it would stutter at about 55mph and it seemed to lose power. city driving was completly fine but highway it would backfire. thanks!

[fastblackmerc]

hello everyone! this is my first post on here so bear with me.... so i bought a 1963 marauder so the 04 marauder dosnt get lonely. anyway when i bought it the thing started and drove fine. now it wont start. got a new starter, solonoid, wiring cap, coil, condenser, distributer and spark plugs. its getting gas and spark and turns over but just wont fire! timing belt maybe? carb rebuild? i dont know! also when i was driving it on the highway it would stutter at about 55mph and it seemed to lose power. city driving was completly fine but highway it would backfire. thanks!

Possible timing CHAIN.

Did you change the points? Are they gaped correctly?

It the coil connected right?

Did you get the firing order right when changing the plug wires or changing the distributor cap?

Are the spark plugs gaped right?

Is the timing set to specs?

[kirk]

Possible timing CHAIN.

Did you change the points? Are they gaped correctly?

It the coil connected right?

Did you get the firing order right when changing the plug wires or changing the distributor cap?

Are the spark plugs gaped right?

Is the timing set to specs?

What he said.

Backfire and low power at high speeds would point me toward timing, timing chain, and/or valves. Check your timing. Timing gear (nylon coated?) may be toast. How many miles on this thing?

[Fastbob]

Also check or replace the points condenser. I have in the past seen some strange things happen when the points condenser was flakey.

Probably a compression check is in order also.

Bob

[fastblackmerc]

Also check or replace the points condenser. I have in the past seen some strange things happen when the points condenser was flakey.

Probably a compression check is in order also.

Bob

Condenser was already replaced.

[Fastbob]

Condenser was already replaced.

Looks like I missed that. Figured it likely was replaced. Wonder if some of the young guys on here even know what a condenser looks like and what it does? LOL


Bob

[fastblackmerc]

Looks like I missed that. Figured it likely was replaced. Wonder if some of the young guys on here even know what a condenser looks like and what it does? LOL


Bob

Most would be hard pressed without a "code".

[Fastbob]

Most would be hard pressed without a "code".

LOL

[Fatality51]

It's got 132,000 on it. Yea I'm a youngster only 22 but I love old cars! Haha well my dad knows all about that so I'll have him look at it. Luckily it's easy to work on and fairly cheap but I'll check that stuff out. Thanks for the tips!

[vegasmarauder]

Points, point gap or coil. The points have to stay closed a certain amount of time for the coil to build up voltage. Then they open and the spark is discharged. Improper gap, or a weak point arm spring will weaken the spark at higher speeds because the coil doesn't get enough soak time. A failing coil will do the same because it can't build up fast enough. On every point equipped car I have I switched them over to a Pertonix electronic system. Never touched the points again. Only have to change distributor caps and rotor from time to time. I also got a Pertonix coil and painted the top yellow to look similiar to the Ford one. Tape the wires up and it is barely noticable it is installed. Much easier starting and smoother idle.

[71cyclone]

If anybody here has used a Sun tune commercial Scope or Marquis scope[ Back in time] The scope pattern will show that the dwell may be correct but the electrical spike pattern will show fowled points and this will show up in acceleration and midrange power stumbling. the prior thread was right on point with the Pertronix system. I was a die hard that had to make the switch. Happy Motoring. from a Early retired Fo Mo Co Mechanic ,that Switched to Detroit Diesel ,Cummins back in the 80's

[justbob]

LOL Sun scope. Yup, I remember those days fading away when I first started working at 15. I miss the simple graphs and real tune ups.


Self proclaimed Builder Of Badassery.

Buy it, Break it, Build it BETTER.
"Since 2004"

[UncleLar]

I reversed the coil + & - wires up one time by accident,the car ran okay around town but it wouldn't run worth a darn at 55 mph or over.

[Matt34]

Looks like I missed that. Figured it likely was replaced. Wonder if some of the young guys on here even know what a condenser looks like and what it does? LOL


Bob

I have no idea what the condenser is or what it does, but would like to know...
To the original thread starter Im kinda a young guy myself, 34. I've had my 63 Fastback 390 marauder (monterey custom) about a year or so and you should listen to these guys, they really know their ****.

They have helped me more times than I can remember and i still beg for help every now and then and they always come through.

Just thought Id say that because I wasnt sure if you are new to the site or not. Post some pics man, we'd love to see the car, or at least i would.

[Fastbob]

A condenser is really a capacitor. It is round, approx. 1/2 " in diameter, roughly 2 inches long, has a short insulated wire with an electrical connection. It resides under the distributor cap and the electric "pigtail" connects to the 12 volt side of the points.

Condensers can be good, open, shorted or electrically leaky. Sometimes when bad they can cause pitting of the ignition contacts at the points. Modern electronic ignition does not use points. See the link for a better understanding and also do a google for "ignition points" or "ignition condenser".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignition_system
http://www.smokstak.com/articles/capacitors.html

Hope this helps.

Bob