Got a 1962 544 recently, seller knew nothing on history of the car but insisted it was running 3-4 months ago and was his “daily driver” all last summer. Said coil was bad. When I got the car, original coil was gone and armored ignition wire was cut to expose the wire so I got new “2-post” coil and cleaned the negative connector wire up from distributor, added about a foot to the ignition wire, and figured if it worked a few months ago, it should work now.
Nothing. Cranks and cranks but won’t fire. Removed plugs and they look okay, and were wet so at least it’s getting fuel, right? Points look okay and gap looks good, and turning engine by hand it looked like was at #1 wire at right time. Tried to clean up the contacts in the cap and the rotor. Still won’t fire, but then I tried removing coil wire from cap and putting it just above valve cover when I crank it over with starter. Figured I’d see sparking as turned over but nothing, but the I notice ever time I let the switch go back to the run position, it would produce one spark.
Any ideas from anyone what is happening?
I have a complete tuneup kit (plugs, wires, points, cap & rotor) coming but I thought maybe I could get it to run even roughly on the old setup, assuming that it was actually running not too long ago.

Thanks everyone who helped me understand the PVs ignition system.
I cleaned up the distributor and installed a tuneup kit and it roared to life!
I think the root causes were: 1) points look burnt, and (2) spring from breaker arm was loose from the “post” and was sprung out and contacting the distributor body.
I couldn’t see that until I held the new breaker pieces in my hand and could see how they were supposed to look.
Thanks again all!

Wait for your ignition repair kits. .Oil the center wick under the rotor. Make sure the advancement weights are free movment, otherwise you'll get no advancement of timing or sloppy timing settings and advancing.

Although the problem probably has to do with a grounded wire as already suggested, you may want to run a points file (does the modern tool box have one of those?) through them--corrosion can build up when the motor hasn't been run for a time. -- Dave

It is like waiting for Christmas! I bet that will make a big difference. I want to be sure to have all the bases covered once I get the parts. Thanks for the guidance.

Don't forget the New points have a thin coating of oil on the contacting lugs. Just slide some cotton cloth between them. I have three distributors for my 57 PV . And I've rebuilt one of them with 6volt electronic points under the cap. I left the other two stock rebuilts. Best to always dismantle (Carefully) and clean up and lube these old dizzys. The advancement and Idle will be so much smoother.

Quick check - With points shut and ignition on, flick the points open with a screwdriver. There should be a small spark across the points. If a big splashy spark suspect the condenser. If no spark, points are shorted to the case (assuming no other problems) and likely to be due to wrongly fitted insulating washers at the LT connection of the dizzy body. This fault is common and just needs care and common sense to fix. This has been mentioned already. Beware the end of the spring touching the inside of the body.

I will try this test with the points. I am starting to grasp the concept of how the whole thing works now. I have tune up kit on order, plus I also ordered the BOSCH kit for the washers for the thru-bolt negative wire from points to the coil. Going to pull the distributor and clean it up, install the new components and start over from square 1 for the timing.

Which exact distributor do you have?

There should be Bosch part numbers on it.

How about a picture if you can't find the part numbers?
--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502

I think it’s a VJU4BL33. I can make out the “VJU 4” on the metal plate but the rest is hard to see with it installed. I have some photos I’ll try to post.

You have an early distributor.

And as I said in my previous post, the available distributor post kit has only 1 of the 2 correct insulating washers and that's why I sell a custom distributor post kit for the early distributors.

Although I haven't done it, you might be able to use the small insulating washer that is included with the kit you ordered to replace the 1 needed for the inside.

You need to use the 1 correct sized washer on the outside as the distributor body has a recess to hold the washer centered over the bolt hole so the bolt doesn't touch the distributor body, but originally, the inside and outside insulating washers are supposed to be the same.



--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502
hiperformanceautoservice.com or oldvolvosonly.com

I finally got the parts, and it warmed up enough to work out in the garage, so I got the distributor off and disassembled. My question at this point is - the oil cup on the side of distributor body seems to be seized, but I don’t know if it is threaded or pressure-fit or what. I didn’t want to force it.
Any hints on the Oiler cup?

Also, there are 3 little round holes evenly space around the base of the distributor body.
Are these supposed to be just open like they are on mine? Seems untidy. Like easy way for lots of moisture to get in... but then I thought maybe they are open to allow for drainage or air circulation?
Any ideas on distributor body holes?

Havent had the oiler off in a while but pretty sure it's just pressed in.


dean

Phil;

I agree with Dean...it's "friction fit" into the Dist housing in my experience...if outer shell cannot be turned to align the holes to allow filling, I'd recommend saturating it for a couple of days with prenetrant, then trying to get it free to turn...either the shell will turn, or you will crush it trying to get enough purchase to get it to turn, or it will turn in the Dist and you will be able to remove it.

Good Hunting

That worked! Soaked it overnight with the “cup” held submerged in a cap of penetrating oil & this evening a gentle nudge with pliers got it working. It was so corroded that I couldn’t see the little hole in the outer cap but after a few minutes in the oil it was visible and after the night, it would spin and the opening at the 12oclock position is now fully visible and seems clear. Thanks for the help!

Phil;

...good results...that will now allow you to oil the Dist bushing with engine oil occasionally...

Cheers

Thanks for the guidance- Mine seems to be rusted into a solid mass. I really hate to try to force it much more, so I guess I’ll just not worry about it. Many other bigger issues to deal with anyways!
Any thoughts on the holes in bottom side of distributor body?
They are each about 1/4” and smooth, not threaded.

These holes are just drains. It does mean that you can spray down the mechanism with PB Blaster to clean and loosen everything before re lubing after everything has dried off.

Guys;

That whole strategy of relying the insulated shoulder-washers to assure position of throughbolt in the hole is a bit too unpositive for my taste...if that minuscule shoulder is worn, or one doesn't take notice and allows assembly to slip off-center as they are tightening it, it can still get pretty close or even make inadvertent contact (short)...to absolutely assure the bolt is centered in that hole, and can NEVER make contact to Dist housing, I cut an insulating ferrule (the length of the Dist Housing wall thickness, so not very long at all!) from a crimp terminal, and add that to the stack...this keeps bolt positively centered and from contacting Housing!

Pointsbolt stack showing correct order with minuscule shoulder of shoulder-washer and insulated centering ferrule added at Red:


Cheers

Phil;

See also:http://www.sw-em.com/Volvo%20Ignition%20from%20Scratch.htm#Troubleshooting%20IGNition%20System

Good Hunting!

The early Bosch distributors have a couple of insulating pieces where the small bolt goes through the body of the distributor.

The earlier version uses 2 round insulating washers, one on each side of the body of the distributor to insulate the bolt from grounding out on the distributor. There is a recess in the outside of the distributor body to locate the outer washer.

The later version again has a round insulating washer on the outside, curiously smaller in diameter but thicker, and a piece of paper, a square insulating washer and special metal washer on the inside to insulate the bolt from grounding out.

The later distributor post kits are still available from Volvo and it is a Bosch generic parts kit that has extra pieces for different Bosch distributors for other brands of cars. See picture below of later post kit.

For some reason this kit has 1 and only 1 of the early version insulating washer. And since this early washer isn't used with the later versions, I have saved them and build my own distributor post kits for the early style distributors.








--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502

I think you have a problem inside the dizzy. The points are supposed to make and break contact 4 time every revolution of the dizzy. The negative wire from coil to dizzy is making to ground all the time and never breaking contact. When you release the key, it momentarily breaks power to the coil causing it to fire.
Check the insulation where the negative wire attaches to the dizzy. Something is causing that wire to always be grounded. Make sure the proper plastic or nylon washers are used and that one of them has a shoulder on it so the bolt won't contact the side of the hole. Black rubber washers are no good as they contain carbon and cause problems. Ask me how I know! The point set could also have a problem.
Hope this helps. Post back when you find the problem. Tom