I was working on something while the car was running and it randomly cut out. It cranked back up, then did it again. Then it wouldn't start back up. It was getting gas but no spark. After another few minutes it started back up. I think it did this once more so that's where I'm at. It currently starts up but it seems like after a few minutes it dies and won't start back up for another few. Definitely spark issue because I checked for spark with a plug type spark tester. I'm getting volts out of the coil though. My connections are tight and wires look fine. Is my distributor going out?
If you have the same amount of voltage on both sides of coil, the points are open or it has a bad/broken connection to points(or possibly the small ground lead inside dist is broken)... If voltage is zero on dist side and around 6-8v on the battery side, points are closed or there is a short to ground in lead to dist... Check to see if this voltage varies(pulses) while cranking, if so dist/points are working, could have a bad condenser...
the ground wire in distributor isn't broken. I went out and realized the resistor wire coming off the coil was disconnected. I rechecked my points to make sure they were alright too. I wonder if this has anything to do with it. It connects to the connector on the firewall near the master cylinder right? that's where it is now.
Well you lost me now, there is voltage at coil but voltage supply wire is disconnected? If that's the case it should start, as jumper from solenoid supplies voltage to coil while cranking, then die as soon as key is released...
i believe it's the ballast resistor wire or something. the wire that's supposed to lower the voltage going to points.
Well then as I stated in my first post, there should be 12v on coil if points are open and somewhere in the range of 6-8v when closed... A resistor doesn't drop voltage without a load...
When I had my '73 I had similar symptoms. On mine the secondary (high voltage) side of the ignition coil had burned out. It sounds like you have voltage at the primary side of the coil. You should be able to look up specs and check the resistance in the secondary side of the ignition coil.
It's got the negative marking so would the way to measure it be opposite? (ground lead on terminal, positive lead on battery cable)
For instructions on how to test the ignition coil, try the website: http://www.aa1car.com/library/ignition_coils.htm Scroll down to the section 'How to test and ignition coil'. It tells you how to test it, and common specifications (if you have a Chiltons or other manual it may say what the specs for your coild should be). You just need an ohmmeter to test it. Good luck.
If that secondary reading was 11.62 thousand ohms then that sounds good. If it was only 11.62 then it is out of spec.
