No Spark to plugs...please read and help

[Soundguy]

the ic14 coil is fine.

expensive but fine. IIRC the ic14 is a 50-60$ coil, .. that's why I always reccomend an IC14SB.. it's a 16$ coil. both the IC14 and IC14SB are native 12v coils.. have no resistor inside them and need no external resistor. the SB series is their value parts.. no nice logo on them.. otherwise pretty much same coil as a IC14.. just 30$ cheaper.

 

[nj82tj]

So I was working on it more today and found that when the starter nears the end of its cranking, it acts like it wants to start...I even get a little, very little spark from the dist cap to the plugs. I guess not enough to start though. Does this ring any bells for anyone? I'm still trying to get it solved, but at least now I feel like I'm possibly making some sort of progress. Thanks again for all the help so far. There is lots of knowledge floating around in this forum.

 

[Ford851]

Please make sure the dust cap is clean and not cracked. I say this because you are dealing with high voltage on the output of the coil. High voltage will take the path of least resistance. When the old distributor was spinning metal and dust combine and form a film on the inside of the cap. Just clean with some alcohol.

Also, it sounds like you could be clocked off by one tooth on the distributor shaft and maybe the spark has to jump inside the distributor. Sometime it makes it and sometimes not. How do you set up your timing?

 

[crlytlfrm]

If you didn't install a resistor you may have burned out your coil. I would think that be the issue if it worked before converting to 12 volts and then ran a few times after. Even 12 volt coils require the resistor, they start on 12 Volt but run on 6. No resistor would put 12 to the coil all the time.

 

[Ford851]

Why then does the coil say on the side, "Ne external resister required"? I may be wrong, but you should read the posts by soundguy and Dollar Bill and a host of others above explaining this is detail.

 

[crlytlfrm]

Cause I've been there and done that, sorry for trying to help. guess I'll keep where I been to myself.

 

[Ford851]

Your right. I apologize. My intent was not to start a fire.

 

[Dr Dave]

Sounds like you have a voltage drop when cranking, Battery good? starter draw excessive? Voltage drop on ground or +battery cable? or ignition switch/circuit to coil. If ok try the 4 terminal Ford type starter relay, hook I terminal to coil+, this will give full voltage when cranking.

 

[nj82tj]

Sounds like you have a voltage drop when cranking, Battery good? starter draw excessive? Voltage drop on ground or +battery cable? or ignition switch/circuit to coil. If ok try the 4 terminal Ford type starter relay, hook I terminal to coil+, this will give full voltage when cranking.

How much voltage should be at the coil when I'm cranking over? I tested that last night and was at about 8.5-9volts when cranking. I am also going to get a new distributor cap, dust cover and clip to try tonight.

 

[nj82tj]

If you didn't install a resistor you may have burned out your coil. I would think that be the issue if it worked before converting to 12 volts and then ran a few times after. Even 12 volt coils require the resistor, they start on 12 Volt but run on 6. No resistor would put 12 to the coil all the time.

My first attempt was with a 12volt coil that had no resistance...that thing got so hot it would have melted the skin off my hand. Needless to say, since I've changed to the one I put the picture up of, it doesn't really get hot at all. It might warm up a few degrees, but it stays much much cooler.