So is it KISS or Everything Needs to be Tight?

So, for the last few weeks I have been testing the truck to see if it starts regularly and consistently.  I would start it some days and at different times during the day.  Sometimes I would let it sit for a few days and see what happens.  All the time - started right up - not a problem at all - guess that is what a tune up to the generator will do.

Well, my Boo told me 3 days ago that the Argyle 4th of July Parade was cancelled - and that hurt.  So sitting around the fire the other night and with good social distancing - me and a few of the neighbors decided to have our own parade in the development this Memorial Day Weekend.

Guess I better give the truck a test run and a bath before Monday's (tomorrow) Parade. 

The truck started right up, got it out of the garage, and that was about it.

Seemed like it was not getting any gas - sounds familiar, but anyways here goes:

Took the fuel vacuum line off, cleaned out the few particles of dirt that were in there = nothing.
Blew into the fuel line to the gas tank to make sure it wasn't plugged = nothing.
Check the spark plugs - changed out 2 of them = nothing.
Check of the amount of gas, about a gallon = nothing.
Tried some starter fluid = nothing.
Checked the distributor cap, clean looking, one wire seemed loose = fired right up, but backfiring. Changed out the condenser = running better.

Guess it is time for a spin around the parade route/development.
It was backfiring along the way and then I got 3/4 of the way around the development, (yeah you know Dave and Eugene, same spot as last time you were here), and she just didn't want to go anymore.  Pretty sure I saw Jeffery drive by heading home, but in the meantime I will start pushing it by myself for a distance.  As I got closer to home Jeffery and Mike up the hill came out to help me push it back into the garage, (Thanks).
  
Once in the garage, time to bust out the tools - Hood up - spark plug tester attached and NO SPARK - Jeffery looked at the distributor - looked clean - could it be the new ignition coil?  I don't have another one - time to get the old one that was in the old parts pile and put that on - while changing that out - WAIT - is that a frayed wire going to the ignition coil?  Can't be, can it?







Sure enough - broken wire to the ignition coil - Jeffrey fixed that - but should we put the new ignition coil back on?  Nah, let's see what happens - YEAH - you know - FIRED right up with the old ignition coil, guess it wasn't bad after all.

So are all those condensers I tossed in the old parts pile really bad?  Not sure - but they got moved into a new bin - Questionable good parts?  Guess it is time for a new wiring harness.....

Was it KISS or Everything Needs to be Tight - my vote is a little bit of both.


Location: Fort Edward, NY 12828, USA

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