The Ford Barn

MBI Houston · 04-25-2011, 10:04 PM

What are the steps to check that the coil is sending electricity to distributer. My engine is turning over but the car is not starting. I know I have power going into the coil but not sure I am getting power out of it. Thanks for your help

J Franklin · 04-25-2011, 10:14 PM

Hold onto the end of that thick wire coming out of the coil and have somebody crank the engine with the key on. If you drop the wire and howl you will know you got current. Don't do this if you wear a pacemaker please, get the neighbor kid to hold it

Pilotdave · 04-25-2011, 10:15 PM

You can test this by holding distributor end of coil discharge lead close to the engine block, cranking engine and seeing if you get a spark jumping from coil lead to block. BUT you could have other issues such as incorrect (or no) point gap, no power to distributor (from ignition switch) due to failed or grounded wire, failed ignition switch, and so on. Try doing a search on here for ignition issues - there are several really good posts addressing the steps to take. Or read one of the primary references such as Les Andrews Vol III.

Tom Wesenberg · 04-25-2011, 11:14 PM

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Stop the engine with the points open and key on. Now you should have 6 volts on both coil primary terminals, and at the movable point contact. If you do, then short the contacts on and off with a screwdriver and see if the coil wire has spark when held 1/4" from a head nut. If you now get spark, then the points need to be cleaned.

If both coil primary terminals have 6 volts, but the movable point doesn't, with the points open and key on, then the switch or wires from the coil to the points have a problem.

04-25-2011, 10:04 PM	#1
MBI Houston Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: The Woodlands, TX Posts: 173	How to check to see if coil is outputting electricity to the distributor What are the steps to check that the coil is sending electricity to distributer. My engine is turning over but the car is not starting. I know I have power going into the coil but not sure I am getting power out of it. Thanks for your help

04-25-2011, 10:14 PM	#2
J Franklin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,966	Re: How to check to see if coil is outputting electricity to the distributor Hold onto the end of that thick wire coming out of the coil and have somebody crank the engine with the key on. If you drop the wire and howl you will know you got current. Don't do this if you wear a pacemaker please, get the neighbor kid to hold it

04-25-2011, 10:15 PM	#3
Pilotdave Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Grafton, MA Posts: 1,226	Re: How to check to see if coil is outputting electricity to the distributor You can test this by holding distributor end of coil discharge lead close to the engine block, cranking engine and seeing if you get a spark jumping from coil lead to block. BUT you could have other issues such as incorrect (or no) point gap, no power to distributor (from ignition switch) due to failed or grounded wire, failed ignition switch, and so on. Try doing a search on here for ignition issues - there are several really good posts addressing the steps to take. Or read one of the primary references such as Les Andrews Vol III.

04-25-2011, 11:14 PM	#4
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: How to check to see if coil is outputting electricity to the distributor Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Stop the engine with the points open and key on. Now you should have 6 volts on both coil primary terminals, and at the movable point contact. If you do, then short the contacts on and off with a screwdriver and see if the coil wire has spark when held 1/4" from a head nut. If you now get spark, then the points need to be cleaned. If both coil primary terminals have 6 volts, but the movable point doesn't, with the points open and key on, then the switch or wires from the coil to the points have a problem. Last edited by Tom Wesenberg; 04-25-2011 at 11:33 PM.