No spark

H

Hitchhiker

Senior Member
Im not sure what I am doing wrong. But I can't get my A to run. It's recently been reassembled. I've triple checked the wiring and I believe it to all be correct.


It turns over.
I have 6.34 volts on both sides of the coil and junction box.
I have 6.34 volts on the end of the armored wire when the ignition switch is on.

when I screw that back in, Only 2 to 3 turns, i get 6.34 volts at the points arm. Whether they are open or closed.

What the heck is going on here. Shouldn't it show no voltage when the points close?

Do I have a ground problem? I'm unsure of what to try next? I'm about ready to hire a professional. I just want it to work!
 
yes when the points are closed and the key is on you should lose voltage at the dist side of the coil as well as the rest of that circuit.. do you have dirty points or a bad dist plate ground to the block?? take a jumper lead connect it to the moveable point arm,,,when you touch the other end of that lead to a good ground the coil should throw a spark and you should lose voltage back to the dist side of the coil...
if so it is a point contact or ground issue.. you can also try shorting it across with a screw roger;)
 
Mitch//pa said:
yes when the points are closed and the key is on you should lose voltage at the dist side of the coil as well as the rest of that circuit.. do you have dirty points or a bad dist plate ground to the block?? take a jumper lead connect it to the moveable point arm,,,when you touch the other end of that lead to a good ground the coil should throw a spark and you should lose voltage back to the dist side of the coil...
if so it is a point contact or ground issue.. you can also try shorting it across with a screw roger;)
Click to expand...

If I am doing it right, it does not throw a spark.
 
are you losing the power at the dist side of the coil when you ground the points
the batt side of the coil should keep a constant 6v
 
Mitch//pa said:
are you losing the power at the dist side of the coil when you ground the points
the batt side of the coil should keep a constant 6v
Click to expand...

I am not, and I just filed the points and reset them, But nothing. Also Forgot to mention. Earlier today I swapped distributors. with the previous one I had no power at the points, but I have power there now with the new one.
 
try the jumper wire method connected to the moveable point arm and to a head nut, key on do you lose the 6v at the dist side of the coil?
 
Mitch//pa said:
if so it is a point contact or ground issue..
Click to expand...

That's it the only two things it can be.

Place one lead of your meter on the points block and the other on the distributor upper plate.

With the points open do you have a voltage? Yes it's not a ground problem.
With the points closed do you have a voltage? Yes then you have a points problem. They are not making contact when closing.
 
Mike V. Florida said:
That's it the only two things it can be.

Place one lead of your meter on the points block and the other on the distributor upper plate.

With the points open do you have a voltage? Yes it's not a ground problem.
With the points closed do you have a voltage? Yes then you have a points problem. They are not making contact when closing.
Click to expand...

What is the points block?
 
Mike V. Florida said:
That's it the only two things it can be.

Place one lead of your meter on the points block and the other on the distributor upper plate.

With the points open do you have a voltage? Yes it's not a ground problem.
With the points closed do you have a voltage? Yes then you have a points problem. They are not making contact when closing.
Click to expand...

doing this I have no power om my meter.
 
Key ON and points OPEN, then short across the contacts of the points with a screwdriver while holding the coil wire 1/4" from a head nut. You should see a hot blue spark each time the screwdriver is removed from shorting the contacts.

If not run a jumper wire from the condenser ground strap to a head nut or other good ground, then try the same thing again.
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
Key ON and points OPEN, then short across the contacts of the points with a screwdriver while holding the coil wire 1/4" from a head nut. You should see a hot blue spark each time the screwdriver is removed from shorting the contacts.

If not run a jumper wire from the condenser ground strap to a head nut or other good ground, then try the same thing again.
Click to expand...

nothing either way
 
It seems you do not have 6 volts at the points, or if you do show 6 volts, the connection is so poor that it can't carry the current to run the coil.

If you have a fuse, jump across it so you don't blow it out, then connect a jumper wire to ground and touch the movable open points arm to see if you get a spark. If not then touch the jumper to each coil terminal to see if you get a spark. Just strike the wire across the terminal or points to check for a spark.

What was worked on since you last had a good spark?
Any chance the key was left on and burned out the coil?
 
I do have power out of the wire that screws into the distributor and I will check the wire between that and the top plate after I get done with dinner.
 
Hitchhiker said:
I do have power out of the wire that screws into the distributor and I will check the wire between that and the top plate after I get done with dinner.
Click to expand...

That is likely the problem. The terminal on the points stud needs to be bend close to the nut, or it can touch ground, as it did on my Tudor when I first bought it. Also, the cable only needs a couple turns to be good. Too tight and it will ground out the insulated strap (bus bar) connecting the brass contact button and condenser.
 
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