1964 missing 318

[Mantadp]

I have a 1964 Savoy with a 318. Cylinders #1, 4, 6, and 7 don't fire. (Every other cylinder in firing order) I have actually pulled the wires on all of these cylinders at the same time without changing the way it runs. The plugs are wet so I think I am getting fuel. I have changed plugs and wires, set the points and timing and rebuilt the carb. Help!

[Andrewh]

Very odd. One side doesn't work. There are 2 things to look at. Both of them are in the distributer. Check the base, where the points make contact, check to see if any of the points have flatened out. This would cause a no spark condition like you describe. I would guess 4 of them are rounded. The other possiblity is the distributer cap. Perhapes 4 of the posts are corroded, or gone.

[Mantadp]

Thanks,

I will check the base tonight. I beleive it is OK though because I can pull the plug wire from any of the missing cyliders off the distributor while the engine is running and watch the spark jump from the distributor to the wire. (it looks like it is firing) The cap is fine - I had already checked it.

thanks for the help

Darren

[Andrewh]

Okay then, 2 other possiblities. The plug wires are bad, or the spark plugs themselves are bad.
You can swap plug wires and see if it changes which ones don't fire.
Or pull a plug from the good side and bad side and see if they both fire from a plugwire from the bad side as well.

[hurst136]

Originally Posted by Mantadp

I have a 1964 Savoy with a 318. Cylinders #1, 4, 6, and 7 don't fire. (Every other cylinder in firing order) I have actually pulled the wires on all of these cylinders at the same time without changing the way it runs. The plugs are wet so I think I am getting fuel. I have changed plugs and wires, set the points and timing and rebuilt the carb. Help!

I wouldn't think that your problem would be in the dist. because as you say fire jumps from all the wires. and if you will take note, cylinders 1 and 7 are the outter most cylinders on the left bank and 4 and 6 are the inner most cylinders on the right bank !, that would lead me to believe that your problem would come closer to having something to do with the intake manifold ( maybe a leaking manifold gasket) . anyway a sure fire way to tell is to run a compression test on all the cylinders., if the two cylinders righ next to each other (4and 6) run low compression you can almost bet on a blown head gasket or cracked head. and for the other two (1 and 7) if they run low compression, try putting a tablespoon of automatic transmission oil into each of the cylinders then re-run the compression test; If the compression comes up that would indicate bad piston rings and if it doesn't that's a sure indication of bad valves. in any cylinder that runs less than 100 foot pounds of compression do the oil test to test for valve or ring trouble. again if cylinders 4 and 6 run low compression and the oil test produces no real increase in compression you will most assuredly will have to pull the head