[Bob's66396]

My 1966 396 was running just fine two days ago,went out for a gas run. On the way back,my 46 year old KK tach stopped working. It has been off by 300rpm's for two years,so I ordered one from Ground Up,and installed it tonight with no problems. Go to start it up,and it won't start,just cranks and cranks. It is getting gas,but no spark. I have fresh plugs, a new coil,less than a year old,and I even tried my old coil to make sure that wasn't the problem. The dizzy has a Pertronics, installed two years ago,and the 396 has always started right up. Hot ,cold,after sitting for two to three months(winter),always fired right off.Any thoughts,suggestions,or comments would be helpful. I need T/C's help...Bob

[bluefishgary]

No way that car will not start!!!!! Talk nice to it.

[383ram]

Electrical issues are fun, huh?

OK, so it cranks and you have fuel. Thats good. No spark. And with pertronix I assume its a points distrib converted. So the first thing you need to do is make sure your getting 12 volts to the coil. I assum you have a Volt or DVOM meter to check this? If you have power to the coil, and being you swapped the old one to check (good idea BTW), I would say the Pertronix died. My only other concern would be that either you missed hooking up a wire to the coil or that you reversed the connections.

Another quick thing to check would be the cap and rotor to make sure all the terminals are in good shape. I have seen where the tab on the center of the rotor gets a small hole burned in it creating a no start and also where the terminals start growing green fuzz on them--again, no start.

Good luck and post back.

[magicrat56]

disconnect the tach first! bet its grounding out ignition.

[Bob's66396]

I should know better than to try any figure something out after working 12 hours,installing a tach with hands the size of a catchers mitt,in my small garage,raining outside,10:30-11 o'clock at night,hungry,and with not so good lighting. To top it off,I am listening to the NFL Draft on one radio,and the Orioles game on the other. What an idiot. It has to be a stupid wiring connection. I am going to get a meter on it tonight.
Keep the suggestions coming. Thanks,Bob

[oliver69]

It happened to me same thing , it was the tach ... took the tach off , everything was working again , the wires were swapped and was grounding out the ignition

[Stickman]

I would start with removing your new tach since that's when it died. However, those symptoms sound like when my 66' died in the middle of a drive. Turns out there were some corroded spade plugs in the wire harness bulkhead at the firewall. Cleaned those up and she started right up...but not until I had replaced the ignition switch, recabled a bunch under the dash, and then some. click here for some additional info if you like...

[Bob's66396]

Problem solved-- The new KK tach from Ground Up is a $175.00 POS. It is a shame,The people and most of the products from GU have been good,but not this KK. I disconnected the tach,and my Chevelle fired right up. I also tried to reverse the connections(there is only three),to see if it would work-no such luck.
Is there a better source of supply,or are all the repop KK's the same? Let me know. Thanks,Bob

[70SSTHUMPER]

Originally Posted by Bob's66396

I should know better than to try any figure something out after working 12 hours,installing a tach with hands the size of a catchers mitt,in my small garage,raining outside,10:30-11 o'clock at night,hungry,and with not so good lighting. To top it off,I am listening to the NFL Draft on one radio,and the Orioles game on the other. What an idiot. It has to be a stupid wiring connection. I am going to get a meter on it tonight.
Keep the suggestions coming. Thanks,Bob

hehe, pretty good Bob, two radios at one time and trying to solve an eletrical problem? That is true multi-tasking. But its the hungry part that probably did ya in, I have the apptitude of a turnip when I go too long without food. Last time I left the shop towels in the cylinders when I sprayed the copper head gasket sealant on the deck. Bolted on the heads, intake etc. Went to start up and guess what? Yep, the rags. Ughh! Glad you got it solved. Victory!

[Bob's66396]

Originally Posted by 70SSTHUMPER

hehe, pretty good Bob, two radios at one time and trying to solve an eletrical problem? That is true multi-tasking. But its the hungry part that probably did ya in, I have the apptitude of a turnip when I go too long without food. Last time I left the shop towels in the cylinders when I sprayed the copper head gasket sealant on the deck. Bolted on the heads, intake etc. Went to start up and guess what? Yep, the rags. Ughh! Glad you got it solved. Victory!

Glad to see I am not the only one not invited to the Mensa meetings and conventions...Bob