i already told you to simply hotwire the coil in post #8
if you aren't going to follow advice.. there's no point in continuing this diagnostic....
I can't help you if you won't follow thru....
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Sorry sound guy, I'm flustered so I didn't make it clear in my posts (after your post #8), that I have tried everyone's advice thus far to no avail. I hot wired it as you said, and I still got no spark. I thank you all for helping out, and I will try to be more complete in my own re-posts in the future.
if you hot wired the coil and got no spark, then you need to do the following.
start with hot wired coil.
check voltage with a meter on the wire to t e coil.. should be battery volts. check the wire leaving the coil going to t he distrib points. it should be bat volts points open, and 0 closed. roll engine over to test.
if it shows 0 all the time.. check the condensor, it may be shorted.. or check the feedthru insulator it may be shorted to the distrib housing.
if it shows bat volts the entire time, check the points to ensure they are gapped properly and can close, and check the smal wire or metal tab running from feedtrhu insulator over to the points.. sometimes it is a copepr flat , uninsulated wire and cracks from vibration.
if no help.
unhook coil from distrib..
use a test lamp from battery to side of distrib and roll engine over.. lamp should BLINK.
if lamp off.. then no ground thru points or wire broke in distrib.
if lamp stays on, something is shorted at points hinge, feedthru insulator, wire in distrib, condensor, or on spot on the breaker plate that SHOULD be isolated.
post back
Ok, so I tried this while I was outside, and I couldn't see any spark, but by chance I ended up touching the end of the wire while I touched it to metal, and shocked myself. So by curiosity, I brought the battery and the coil down in the basement with the lights off, and I could see spark. Is it supposed to be that weak? And same for the plugs? If so, the plugs might be getting spark.
Another side question... the IH 460 came as a factory 12v system, but when I ordered the new coil it had "universal 6 volt" on the side and of course it came with the resistor. Does the hotwire pass through the resistor first, then go to the coil? Or doesn't it matter at the moment? Because right now, and according to the wiring diagram, it looks like electricity can bypass the resister. I don't know what I'm talking about though:o
for testing.. bypass the resistor.
in practice.. loose the resistor and the stupid 6v coil and get a real 12v coil...
which is why i told him how to use a test lamp.. and or check voltages. that will tell him if his points are closed/shorted.. or too wide / open.
the info's all there waiting for him...
the 'test lamp' test definatively tells you about the points state... it's a no brainer...