Recently rebuilt engine. It was running well about 2 weeks ago. I went out of town and returned to a no start. Checked for spark at a plug - none. Pulled coil wire from the distributor and no spark. Replaced my coil, the condenser, distributor cap, and rotor....still no start/no spark. I checked the point gap and I'm .016. Was running very well -- plenty of fuel. What am I missing? gpk1961
Check to see if you're getting voltage to the upstream (ignition switch) side of the coil. You could have a loose connection, a bad switch, or a burned out ballast resistor. With the points closed and the ignition switch on, you should see about 9V at the coil + terminal, and battery voltage at the ignition switch side of the resistor. On the distributior side of the coil, points closed and ignition on, you should see very close to zero volts since the points are grounded. With the points open, you'll see battery voltage all the way to the side connector of the distributor. Dirty or burned points will show 2-3 volts or more on the downstream side of the coil and will give a weak spark of none at all. A shorted condenser will also kill the spark on an otherwise good ignition system Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Sometime in the mid to late 1960's, GM deleted the ceramic resistor and went to a nickel/chrome resistance wire from the ignition switch to the coil. Check at your coil + terminal to see if there is a stiff silver-colored wire with woven fiberglass insulation. If so, that functions as a voltage dropping resistor. That wire is about 10 feet long, and it doubles back on itself inside the wiring harness. There should be a wire from the "I" terminal of the starter solenoid that also goes to the coil to bypass the resistor during cranking. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Thanks for all the advice. Today when I got home from work I checked the right side plug into the firewall and it was loose...plug tight and she starts. So I have an extra cap, rotor, condenser, and coil!!!
Again - thanks for the replies. GPK1961 Frisco Texas
