points, but no spark

[racerjohnson]

Dear abby:
I have a '69 chevy pickup with a 350 and a points distributor. one day, i tried to start it after it had been sitting for 10 years. It wouldn't start as it had no spark. In a long series of trips to NAPA, I replaced the coil, the points (and condenser), the resistor between the coil and the distributor, replaced the switched power wire from the firewall to the starter (which also goes to the coil), and rotor. No spark. I tried 4 different coils. There is power at the points, the points spark, power at the coil, but still no spark. The only wire i haven't replaced is the wire from the coil to the distributor, but the test light lights up on it, and I forgot how to check continuity on my multi-meter (i'm electrically dumb).  Also, when I hold the test light on the points, the light goes on and off while cranking like its supposed to. Help. I even made sure the key was turned on ( i have one of those trigger deals hooked to the starter so i can crank it over from under the hood). dumping more gas in the carburetor didn't fix the spark problem. nor did slamming the drivers door, nor swearing really loud at the sky. Hamms didn't even help. The old mechanic I bought the truck from couldn't even get it to work. He suggested a mallory unilite or an HEI. To hell with that. I want points. Any ideas?

[Tom]

Dear Mr Johnson:
Since you have me LMAO I would really like to help you. Try the wire from the dist to the coil. I know said it checked OK, but that's with low voltage. Also I'm not sure from your description, is the rotor turning. Leave the cap off and spin the motor to see if that is working.

Love,
Abby

[Eyeball]

HEI will fix it and for cheap..... but I know want to be ol' skool......Just like the late 60's bro.

If you have power at the points and the points triger you will have spark at the coil wire....if you do not you need a new coil....I don't want to talk about coils.

[sko_ford]

so ya got a pick up eh

[tracywiedrich]

so ya got a pick up eh

that needs to make it out to Stanton for a 40 Ford carcass,hehe

[Tom]

Pete, did you get this working?? And if so what was the fix??

[Ricola]

Check that the carbon pin inside the cap is touching the spring contact on the rotor. I've seen the carbon fall out of the cap before.

[racerjohnson]

Apparently the distributor wire goes to the negative terminal on the coil, my resistor goes in between the power wire from the ignition switch and everything else (starter and positive wire on the coil), and the wire from the ignition switch y's off and goes to the starter and the + side of the coil. I also learned how to set dwell, timing and all that without starting the engine. So, it has spark, now I just have to get it running. Tomorrow after drill it will run. The truck was one of those "it ran when I parked it" gigs. Ya. My electrical skills are poor at best.

[eugenevik]

is the resistor wiring built into the harness??? seem to rember replaceing the resistor wire with solid on lots of old chevys when going to HEI
you dont want to drop the voltage twice

[racerjohnson]

you dont want to drop the voltage twice

Thats exactly what my HS shop teacher told me when he came up to help me get the truck running on Friday. by my errors described above, I melted the factory wire that is designed to have the correct resistance that you are wondering about. So, I had to put a resistor in. Bummer, eh? I'll get this points stuff eventually.