It's running!

[Heliarc]

I've been working on and off with my 88 Marathon.Wiring mostly.A schematic from here got me going in that area.

I removed the tank, drained and cleaned it thoroughly, then farted around for awhile with plugs.Its wouldn't really run at first but it would sort of take off and die repeatedly.Finally I pulled the plug, and really looked at the spark.Looked weak so just for kicks I hooked up an automotive coil.That gave me the fat blue spark I wanted.I had to whomp on the outside diameter of the drive clutch for awhile to free it up but now it runs great.

Now I have to figure out why it's shorting out when I try and crank in reverse.If I put the switch in reverse and try to crank it, the ground cable literally jumps from the short.I've had the switch apart to clean it and didn't notice anything.I didn't take the wires off.Not sure what that might be.Anyone ever have this?

[1fast67]

I would double check all of your grounds. Sounds like a wire somewhere is grounding out. I just got done with that on my 79. It was so bad the the key itself was lighting up with the test light grounded. Its all fixed now. It was a bad solenoid bracket ground.

[Heliarc]

Yea, I have lots of double checking to do.The p/o retired it because of no reverse though so he might have a clue as to what happened.That main ground gets hot enough to melt small wires though so I'm thinking that narrows it down some.

Had it up on a jack for a few hours and found it's a tubeless tire.Got that pumped up.Planning to mount a toggle switch instead of replacing the accelerator switch.Probably have to take the drive clutch apart as well.It works, but it's hesitant to release.It's been sitting for years.

[1fast67]

Hows the solenoid? Got power on both big lugs? I burned one up chasing my bad ground.

[Heliarc]

I'll check that out later on.Right now I have to do wheel bearings on my wifes Jetta.