Pull the distributor cap to see if the points are open or closed. Turn the engine over by hand with the ignition off and you will see the points opening and closing. If the wire from the starter goes to the distributor, it will keep the engine from starting; it must go to the + coil terminal. With the points closed you will read about eight volts on the + coil terminal and zero volts on the - coil terminal with the ignition on and a ballast resitor or resistance wire to the ignition switch in the system. Both coil terminals will read twelve volts with the points open.
The capacitor on the coil is for radio interference.
