Look for the factory resistor.  You probably have two resistors now, which is why your voltage is even lower.  Since you only had 6v before, you surely don't need to be adding a resistor.  Remove the one you just installed.  Don't know why it is smoking.  Maybe a short.

Did you check for a spark, as I suggested?

A very simple way to determine if it might be a voltage issue is to run a jumper wire from battery + to coil +.  This eliminates the entire ignition circuit and provides full battery voltage to the ignition.  If it starts, then it probably is a wiring problem.  If it still doesn't start, then it is probably some other problem.  Remove the jumper wire as soon as you have finished the test.

Again, acquire a shop manual.  It will have a wire diagram that will help to identify the resistor wire.  I think it is pink, but not sure.  And the trouble shooting is great, probably better explained than anyone here will do. 



Lawrenceville, GA

Well when I got up today and checked the voltage I had 12v at the coil. I don't know why it only showed 6v yesterday. I am getting a constant 12 v to the coil with the ignition on. As for spark I am getting a strong spark. I am almost positive there is fuel in the carb. It tries to start and will almost catch but will not start. I try iced moving the dizzy around to see if it would start but no luck. There is no chance that it is 180 out on the dizzy if it is trying to start is there? The only thing left to do is pour a bit of fuel in the carb and see if it takes off.

Don't pour too much in and make sure you set the fuel container down away from the car. A flash fire wouldn't help. If you pull the number one plug sticky a finger in the hole and crank the engine until air pressure pushes your finger out. Look at the damper markings and make sure they are somewhere around the TDC mark. Now, pull the distributor cap and see where the rotor is pointing. If it all seems close then move the timing mark to TDC by rotating the engine with a socket . Then point rotate the distributor until the number one wire lines up with the rotor. That's a good baseline to try again. Chuck



Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

It won't try to start if it is 180 out but it could try to start if it is 1 tooth off, which is easy to do by mistake, or the timing is off.  You can also use a timing light while cranking to see where the initial timing is.  It does not have to be running for that.



Lawrenceville, GA

How would you correct it if it was one tooth off? Do you need to pull the dizzy out and move it one tooth or can you just rotate it? I will try all that and see what happens.

Yes.
But you can check it first before you pull the distributor.  See Moonshadow's post.
If it's a tooth or more off, report back and we can help you set it correctly.
You did say you had it running at some point did you not?

Pull the dizzy and reinstall it. When you push it into engagement with the drive gear on the cam it will rotate a bit so you need to take that into account. Note where the #1 plug wire is on the cap, find TDC on the compression stroke for #1 cylinder. Mark the side of the distributor below the #1 wire where it goes into the cap and check to see if the rotor is reasonably close to the mark. If not, pull the dizzy and reinstall until the rotor lies up with the mark. That will at least get you in the ballpark and it should start if all else is copacetic. Get it up to temperature and adjust base timing with a timing light. Don't forget to disconnect the vacuum line at the dizzy and plug it with a golf tee or some such to eliminate any vacuum advance.

I forgot to ask but was this engine running before you parked it or is it a new engine? Where are you located? If you like you can setup your tagline with City and State. Makes it easier to figure out if you are "in range" of any of us.

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

I had a similar problem. The engine cranked and cranked but didn't start.  Turns out my point gap was way, way off.  Fired up right away once it was set right.

MplsMike
'56 Parklane
Minneapolis, MN

Well it is a new engine in that I completely rebuilt it. Right after I rebuilt it I had trouble with getting it started till I found out it was 180 out. So I got it where the #1 cylinder was in the #1 wire and she started up but it still was never easy to get her runny I would have to pump it a lot and give it lots of fuel to get her running once she would catch she would run alright unless the throttle was pulled all the way back. But since than I had readjusted the pint gap to 15 and put a new set in and installed a new fuel pump and 3
New starters (haha). So I don't understand if it was only a tooth off can't you adjust
The dizzy one way or the other to compensate for that? Oh and I live in Bentonville AR