how to test coil/condenser

[retro rider]

after going through the steps above, thanks mike v, i have voltage to the points and they open and close. still no fire, not even a pop or a puff. i've cleaned the carb and i believe it is working properly. would bad points or condenser fool me. even if i have voltage and they look like they are working.

[Milton]

Originally Posted by retro rider

after going through the steps above, thanks mike v, i have voltage to the points and they open and close. still no fire, not even a pop or a puff. i've cleaned the carb and i believe it is working properly. would bad points or condenser fool me. even if i have voltage and they look like they are working.

Turn the engine to close the points and tell me if the voltage drops to zero. If it does then the points seem right, if it does not then there is a bad ground on the adjustable point side.

[Bruce,Upstate NY]

The distributor body needs to ground to the head.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by retro rider

after going through the steps above, thanks mike v, i have voltage to the points and they open and close. still no fire, not even a pop or a puff. i've cleaned the carb and i believe it is working properly. would bad points or condenser fool me. even if i have voltage and they look like they are working.

Voltage when they are open and nothing when they are closed?

[retro rider]

what i mean is i have voltage when the points are open but i can't get the engine to fire. i took the plugs out and turned the garage lights off and then turned the engine over and i can see spark at all four cam breaker points but it is irregular and white and somewhat scattered. not a nice even blue spark. but shouldn't the engine at least spit or sputter or something? i have ordered new points, condenser, rotor, cap, coil, and more. parts seem inexpensive enough and i figure it can't hurt.

[Milton]

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Originally Posted by retro rider

what i mean is i have voltage when the points are open but i can't get the engine to fire. i took the plugs out and turned the garage lights off and then turned the engine over and i can see spark at all four cam breaker points but it is irregular and white and somewhat scattered. not a nice even blue spark. but shouldn't the engine at least spit or sputter or something? i have ordered new points, condenser, rotor, cap, coil, and more. parts seem inexpensive enough and i figure it can't hurt.

When you say that you can see spark at all four cam points is that spark at the points or from the coil wire?

[retro rider]

i see spark where the points open and close.

[Milton]

Originally Posted by retro rider

i see spark where the points open and close.

Assemble the dist. rotor and cap. Take the coil wire out of the dist. cap and hold it about a half inch from a head nut and crank the engine. Does spark jump the gap between the coil wire and head nut?