BBR's 83GT - 552 BBF version 3.0 (at least)

[BBR]

Distributor tech and a look at the tool I made with my 3d printer.

[BBR]

Got it all buttoned up yesterday. Got a few ka-chuffs and a brief run out of it before I ran out of time. It definitely has spark now. Getting closer.

[BBR]

I 100% have the magnetic pickup wired backwards.

I was confused yesterday because everything is set up right and it was kinda acting weird. It would act like it wanted to start when cranking, but just wouldn't light off.

That sent me down the path this morning to verify stuff was wired correctly. Then I noticed it.

The Accel's wiring:

PURPLE (+)
ORANGE (-)

Duraspark distributor wiring:

PURPLE (-)
ORANGE (+)

I verified this using the MSD 6AL instructions. It also has the MSD purple (+) wire attaching to the Ford orange wire (+) and their green wire (-) connecting to the Ford purple wire (-).

So today i am going to swap the wires around and see if that improves things.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'd be interested to hear how a magnetic pickup could be wired backwards. On my Corvette, the pickup wires from the timing wheel I'm using are both black....

[BBR]

It causes it to trigger on the wrong side of the reluctor, which ends up throwing your timing off up to 20-30 degrees.

I knew it was something to watch, but didn't expect the wire colors to be completely opposite.

[BBR]

That was the ticket!!

[langleylad]

Well done James !

[BBR]

Crawled around on the floor under this thing today. My favorite place. Nope.

I re-routed the fuel lines away from the muffler and wrapped them with a heat wrap sleeve.

Afterward, I fired it up just to make sure it still works. Haha.

I found it won't start with the key... I suspect a neutral safety switch malfunction.

[DanStokes]

Crawled around on the floor under this thing today. My favorite place. Nope.

I re-routed the fuel lines away from the muffler and wrapped them with a heat wrap sleeve.

Afterward, I fired it up just to make sure it still works. Haha.

I found it won't start with the key... I suspect a neutral safety switch malfunction.

We don't need no stinkin' key!

[BBR]

The no crank with the key problem is fixed!!

I traced wires and traced wires and finally found the problem. There were two wires over on the driver side fender well that were originally spliced in a connector and they had both broken free of the connector and were just loose.

Check continuity on both of them, twisted them together and voila we have crank again.

This thing is turning out to be what I feel like is the best version of this car so far.

[BBR]

Fine tuning the mechanical advance on a Duraspark distributor!

[BBR]

First drive! Whoo hoo! Fired it up and let it idle for 15 minutes. Only got up to 150 degrees. Added some trans fluid to it and took it around the parking lot. I like the slightly tighter converter, it just spins the tires at will.

She's a leaker though. Pulled back into the shop still letting it idle and looked under it. There was a small puddle forming like the rear main is not doing it's job. Never had one leak like this. Yikes.


Not going to be a fun fix, but whatever.

[Captain]

Well DIAMNIT !!

[BBR]

Ignored the leaking oil and installed the MSD tach adapter!

Simple to install and it works great!

[DanStokes]

Maybe it'll go away? Or add a can of "seal in a can"?