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All,

I have pulled the distributor out and adjusted the gap to .017. I have retired motor to be sure I am about 7 degrees before TDC. I have tested all wires in distributor and to the unit for continuity. All check good. I have 6+ volts on the positive side of the coil and to the distributor.


Cranked car…not firing.

Gas is spraying in carb

Tried starting fluid. Not firing

Background - changed distributor with exact same distributor from MM. car ran well. Decided to change plugs, coil, cap and rotor. Car started and then stopped. That was last fall. Quick investigation found rotor hit cap or radio filter popped out and hit cap. Ordered new cap and rotor. Car sat all winter and this spring started on it again. Has not fired since. Changed to old coil and back . Nothing. I don’t think I’m getting spark from distributor.

What am I missing?

You said you had 6v at the coil and to the distributor so that would mean the points were open when you measured. Have you verified the voltage at the distributor goes to 0 or to very near 0 when the engine is cranked. Sometimes the point surface can oxidize and not pass current and if that is the case there will be no spark.

I will check and report what I find

Hold one one of the plug wire terminals near the block and see if you see a spark jump. If so your getting spark.

Are you sure you didn't move the plug wires on the cap?

Voltage on distributor dropped to .01 when cranked. Voltage on negative side of coil about 6 volts. Is that correctly operating?

Good thought on the wires. I rechecked them today. Just pulled plug and cranked motor. No spark

That is good. 6v from ign sw is being connected to ground when points close so there should be a spark.

Since you did not get a spark with the engine cranking, disconnect the points wire to coil terminal from the distributor and pull the HV lead from coil going to the center terminal on the cap. Use something to hold and keep the HV lead end positioned near the block so there is a small gap. Touch the primary wire to the block and as you remove that connection there should be a spark. Be careful to use a rag or some insulating material so you do not touch the terminal on the end of the wire as you break the connection. The back EMF voltage from the coil can be substantial and can give quite a shock.

If you get a spark this way there is something wrong either with voltage to the coil dropping too much when the starter is cranking or something in the distributor is amiss. If still no spark, then coil, wire to dist terminal, or HV lead is suspect.

Howard, I appreciate your help but honestly I’m not sure what you are telling me to do.

1. Disconnect distributor power wire. This is the same wire connected to positive side of coil.

2. Pull coil wire from distributor cap

3. Touch end of coil wire to block.

4. When I pull coil wire from block it should spark.

Is that correct?

Do I crank motor?

Do I just turn key to on position?

Basically what this procedure does is make you the distributor. All you need is key on but you do not crank the engine.

You keep voltage going to the negative terminal of the coil but disconnect the primary wire connecting the positive coil terminal to the distributor at the distributor terminal. You also disconnect the HV lead coming from the coil at the distributor cap and put the end near the block. That gap will in effect be the spark plug.

As you touch and remove the primary wire connection you will be doing the same thing the points are doing. When the wire touches the block it is the same as points closing and current passes thru the coil. As you remove the wire connection from the block it is the same as points opening so there should be a spark. Each time you touch the block and remove the connection there should be a spark.

With you controlling the primary wire connection, it eliminates anything but the coil, the primary wire, and voltage going to the coil as being the source of the problem. Just remember not to touch the terminal at the end of the wire when you make and break the connection to the block.

Bad condenser?