Coil, condenser or points?

M

mndodge

Member
Last night I had a little extra free time so I decided to see if I could get the new project to fire.
It has sat for over 10 years I believe without running and probably 30 years prior to that. I put on a new coil and cleaned all contact pins on top of dist cap and also cleaned the straps that go to the plugs and so on.
I pulled one plug and set on the head and turned over and no spark, I have power at the points but did not have my file and gauge to clean and set them and will do that tonight.
My guess is a bad condenser, dirty points or possibly a bad coil (it came with two that look brand new) and may try the one off my running 29 if I hit a dead end after trying the above, I also have a new condenser and plan to toss it on also.
The only thing I didn't check was the power cable that runs to ignition switch, but with power at the points it should be making a circuit.....other than trial and error, is there anything I'm over looking to get spark at the plug?
I do have four new plugs and don't think it would hurt to put them in either.
 
Any time something with points sets for a year or more and has no spark the first thing I do is clean the points. They can corrode over time, and especially if stored in a cold or damp garage.
 
Thanks Tom.....
Kind of what I was thinking but didn't have my feeler gauge or file at home last night and I wanted to clean and set them and them and eliminate that as an issue.
 
I had to remove the flywheel and clean the points about a dozen times before my 1939 motorbike finally ran right for more than a minute or two. Most times one or two good cleanings should have it sparking correctly.
 
My first 29 I brought home 3 years ago had sat for 40 years in storage, I replaced the coil cause I had no spark and then as you just mentioned, play around with the points cleaning and then setting them and had it running ( not perfectly ) the first night and after a little more tinkering it was running and driving the second night.
These "A" motors are really kind of amazing, if they are free and turn by hand......and then add air, gas and spark to the equation and have a little "I want to make this thing run" in your blood, they usually do, to what extent.....that can be a whole other story!!;)
 
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