pbob42

Lost spark on my 63 super - think it is the coil. Measures 1.6 ohm from outside post to outside post and 8K ohm from center to outside post. One looks high and one looks low but I don't have the specs. Can you help me out here?

Have 12 volts to positive side and pulsing voltage on the negative side as I turn the motor so I think my distributor is good. Just nothing coming out of the center connector of the coil to the distributor.

oldcutlass

What is your point gap set to, should be around .019

pbob42

I will check that but I figured if the negative side of the coil was flashing 12v that the points were right. Thanks for the heads up.

MDchanic

Just test the coil the old fashioned way:

Put a plug wire in the top of the coil,

Connect the other end of the plug wire to a spark plug resting on a good ground,

Disconnect the wire on the (-) coil terminal,

Connect a length of wire to the (-) coil terminal,

Turn on the ignition,

Touch the other end of that wire to a good ground for an instant and pull it away.

When you pull the wire away from ground, the spark plug should produce a good, hot spark.

- Eric

pbob42

I can do that

BILL DEMMER

while your ohmmeter checks show that your coil is probably good, that method of testing is a static method for continuity checking. the procedure for dynamically checking via actually having it generate a spark is a more valid test, as it will show if there is a high-voltage breakdown inside the coil. a weak, yellow/orange spark is evidence that the windings are breaking down. you want a white/blue spark across a .035" gap, as that is what you're gap should probably be.

most people won't have a high-voltage probe, so i won't go there...


bill

MDchanic

I reserve those for particularly naughty play dates.

- Eric

pbob42

Think someone was playing a joke on me and scrambled up my sparkplug wires. What is the firing order?

MDchanic

It's cast right into the intake manifold: 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2, COUNTER-clockwise.

- Eric

pbob42

mine says - 18736542 - thanks.

BILL DEMMER

got a pic of that??

1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 is 100% correct, guaranteed. <<<good thing it wasn't a money back guarantee


bill

pbob42

firingorder_zps8e4e6f55.jpg

TripDeuces

I'm guessing it's a 394, they have the 4/7 swap if I remember correctly

oldcutlass

He got ya! LOL

MDchanic

... But you found the correct firing order, and can now check your distributor.

Sorry I gave you the wrong information.

- Eric

BILL DEMMER

i learned something else new today.


bill

pbob42

Got it running - need to set my dwell correctly. New points have the condenser in the way and it is a pain to set the gap

BILL DEMMER

remember, setting the dwell also affects the timing. you'll want to check the timing afterwards, just to be sure it's correct.


bill

MDchanic

Doesn't the 394 have the "windowed" distributor cap?

You should be able to just set the dwell with the engine running, without using a feeler gauge or setting the gap.

- Eric

pbob42

I am trying to get it running so I can set the dwell. Pain the in butt setting the gap to get it to start. My eyes aren't what they used to be. Got it running for a minute but it was sputtering a bit and blew off the vacuum cap for the break booster. Turned it off, put the cap back on and she is not wanting to start up again.

My old points were easy to gap. I could slide my feeler gauge right in.

I will put some time in on it this morning and be all dialed in.

pbob42

Got my dwell set - all is good. Thanks for the help.

MDchanic

Great!

- Eric

oldcutlass

Your dwell needs to be right at 30, no more no less.