Distributor issues...I think

[beesquad711]

Originally Posted by NO_H2O

Engine/transaxle ground strap is good?

How do I check that. It was good a week and a half ago so I'm sure it still is but just in case...Is there any way I can check the condensor? Same story...worked then, probably still does, just making sure. Thanks a ton for the help. At least the tires will look nice while it sits there

[NO_H2O]

To check the ground strap you must inspect it an make sure you have no resistance to the chasse and the bonding areas are clean.
Just repace the condenser, due to the fact that you hooked the coil up backwards I would go with a new one. I would susspect the coil might be damaged also .

[beesquad711]

So far everything I have tried has done absolutely nothing. I still have 12vdc into the coil and 0 out of the distributor. After trying 4 coils, 3 distributors, and 3 condensors I am beginning to think that maybe that's not the problem. Is there anything else that might cause this to happen outside of coil, distributor, rotor, points, cap, points, condensor, etc.? I am absolutely mystified at this point. I'm gonna give my parts guy a call this afternoon to see what it'll set me back to get everything from the coil to the plug wires...definitely not looking forward to that. The thing that bothers me the most is that I know it's something so simple and I'm just missing it. I'm sure it'll be good for a laugh when I figure it out though.

[NO_H2O]

Are your plug wires good?
Is the distributor turning?

[beesquad711]

brand new and yes...I don't get it.

[NO_H2O]

OK, sounds like it is time to check for wierd stuff. Do you have a tach? If so unplug it from the coil and try it. I have seen a tach or tach wire shorted to ground keep a coil from firing. If no joy is found there then get a wire long enought to go from the Battery to the + side of the coil and swap the original 12v wire to the coil with a temp wire from the battery. If the wire in the harness is almost open it will show 12vdc at the coil but will not carry any current and will have a bad voltage drop. When to try it make sure that ONLY the new +12vdc wire and the - wire from the condenser are connected to the coil. I once boght a cap and rotor and eithe the cap was too tall or the rotor was too short and it (my 73) wouldn't run, it took me a while to figure that one out so check that. If your old set of plug wires were working before this go back to them (sometimes new dosn't = good).

[beesquad711]

Well I got it to fire and I'm one throttle return spring away from being on the road . After chasing my tail for just about a week I have found the problem and solved it....the points. It's a little more complicated than what it sounds so here it goes...

First, I hooked up the coil backwards and unknowingly fried the points that were in the distributor. After noh2o suggested that points might be an issue I proceeded to gap/adjust the aforementioned fried points. Also following up on the advice that the coil and condensor were likely blown after hooking it up backwards I proceeded to try several combinations of the coils and condensors I had in various parts boxes around my garage. After ruling out those 2 parts as the source of the problem along with my earlier checking of everything else (wires, points, rotor, cap, timing, etc.) I began to look for weird stuff. One thing I forgot to mention earlier was that I also tried a second distributor. This is where the fun begins . Having adjusted the points on the first (busted) distributor, I thought nothing of it....even after I swapped out for a new dist. BIG mistake. I knew it had to be way too simple but the points in the second distributor were WAYY out of adjustment (less that 8/1000ths gap). After fixing that I immediately got spark, checked timing and firing order and fired it up. Man I can breathe a big sigh of relief. Thanks for the help noh2o!!!! You're a life saver .