1. You need to have a good ground wire from the engine block to the bolt where the ignition coil attaches to the chassis metal. The original battery cable went from the battery negative to the coil bolt and then on to the engine block. If your battery ground cable is only going between the battery negative and the engine block, add another wire from the block to the bolt where the ignition coil attaches.
2. Measure the resistance (with your multimeter) between the two spark plug connectors. Remove both connectors off the spark plugs and place one of the multimeter leads into the plug connector for the right side plug and then the other meter lead into the plug connector for the left side plug. You are measuring the resistance of the secondary of the ignition coil. The service manual give you what the reading should be but I think it is something between 5,000 and 30,000 ohms. If it is 0 or open, you have a problem. If the resistance looks open, check the spark plug connector. You can unscrew it from the cable and check the wire resistance directly of the plug and the coil's high voltage wires.
Note: I just checked a couple coils and the primary side of the coil (the two other wires on the coil which are not the spark plug wires) both measured 4 ohms. The resistance between the spark plug wires was 13,000 on one coil and 14,000 ohms on the other coil.
3. With the points gap closed and the ignition switch "on", you should measure zero volts where the blue
wire connects to the points (that would be the wire which goes from the ignition coil to the points). If you open the points with your fingers and measure the voltage where the blue wire connects to the points, the voltage should be about 12 volts.
4. If you see something reasonable for the ignition coil secondary resistance (something which is at least several thousand ohms), I would get 2 new, clean plugs and plug them into the connectors but leave them not connected into the engine. You will hold the threaded part (spark plug casing) of both plugs against the engine block. With the ignition switch "on", if you crank over the engine, you should see sparks jump across the gaps at both plugs. They fire at the same time on both plugs because the engine doesn't have a distributor. It may be a faint spark or it could be a strong spark.
5. If steps 1 thru 3 looked ok and you did not get spark at step 4, I would suspect the condensor. Is it hooked up? One side is grounded to plate in the distributor and the other side goes to the same spot at the blue wire. If you don't have a way to test it (some multimeters will test capacitors), it should be about 0.2 uF. If you measure the resistance of it, it should be a high value of 1 million ohms or more.
good luck,
Dale
> Also on the list, the wire going from the coil to the points is VERY > sketchy (patched, taped, etc), however power is still getting to one side of > those points!
> Thanks everyone.
> -Elias
> On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 8:59 PM, Elias Baldwin
> baldwinelias@...
> wrote:
> > However I will add with the points closed one side of the > > points was still without power...
> > On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 8:58 PM, Elias Baldwin
> > > baldwinelias@...
> > wrote:
> > > Today just fooling around with my test light I had power > > > to one side of the points. I turned the engine until they were open, and > > > the tip of my test light made a spark across the gap. From what I am > > > reading that it a good sign! A friend of mine has a spark plug tester I > > > might be able to borrow. But placing the plug near the block and cranking > > > it over (with the other plug in) doesn't produce a spark....yet.
> > > On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 8:36 PM, blake neilson
> > > > > blakeneilson@...
> > > wrote:
> > > > That is good advice but a simpler method would be to turn the > > > > engine over until the points open with the ignition switch on.
> > > > Then take a screwdriver and use it to bridge the gap in the points > > > > making sure the screwdriver contacts both sides of points. Then > > > > just make and break contact with the screwdriver and look for sparks at > > > > the points. If you see sparks then the primary side of the system should > > > > be good. Then at the same time use a spark tester on one of the > > > > spark plug leads with the other lead connected to the other cylinder's > > > > spark plug as normal. You should see sparks at the tester. If you > > > > see sparks at the plugs the secondary side of the coil should be good. I > > > > say should be because in some very rare cases the coil is weak but > > > > capable of making a spark in open air but not in a pressurized > > > > cylinder.
> > > > I hope this helps.
> > > > From:
> > > > TOM THIES > > > tdthies1@...
> > > > To:
> > > > anzhonda600owners@yahoogroups.com
> > > > Sent:
> > > > Tuesday, September 27, 2011
> > > > 6:54 PM
> > > > Subject:
> > > > Re:
> > > > [anzhonda600owners] 1972 Coupe with no spark
> > > > Chas, when that happen to me I sanded the points than tested > > > > to see if there was power to both sides. I turned the motor over > > > > until the point were closed and with the key on I tested both > > > > sides. one wire to ground and one to the points. Use a > > > > voltage tester, you should see voltage than on both sides.
> > > > there might be a problem with the plates and two long of screws but some > > > > one else will have to help you on that.
> > > > hope this helps
> > > > Tom
> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > From:
> > > > > Elias
> > > > > Baldwin
> > > > > To:
> > > > > anzhonda600owners@yahoogroups.com
> > > > > Sent:
> > > > > Tuesday, September 27, 2011
> > > > > 4:43 PM
> > > > > Subject:
> > > > > Re: [anzhonda600owners]
> > > > > 1972 Coupe with no spark
> > > > > Chas,
> > > > > I have power at the points. I sanded them down today. Would I see > > > > > spark there when turning the car over?
> > > > > Thanks,
> > > > > Elias
> > > > > On Mon, Sep 26, 2011 at 9:17 PM, Charles Gould
> > > > > > > > > chasgould@...
> > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > Gently file or sand the points and confirm spark at the points.
> > > > > > If that does not work, replace the condenser.
> > > > > > Chas
> > > > > > Sent from my iPhone
> > > > > > On Sep 26, 2011, at 9:13 PM, baldwin_elias > > > > > baldwinelias@...
> > > > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > > Hello everyone,
> > > > > > > I'm new here and I have been reading some
> > > > > > > recommendations for 600 coupes that won't start and have no spark.
> > > > > > > Here is my situation and clues, and any help is greatly > > > > > > > appreciated.
> > > > > > > 1. I am not getting spark. However, the engine > > > > > > > turns over very nicely.
> > > > > > > 2. Battery is fully charged.
> > > > > > > 3. Fuel
> > > > > > > pump, dash lights come on when ignition is turned on.
> > > > > > > 4. Fuel
> > > > > > > getting to carb.
> > > > > > > 5. Power getting to both sides of coil, and at > > > > > > > one side of the points.
> > > > > > > 6. 95% sure coil is good. Swapped in a
> > > > > > > spare one to be sure and nothing happened.
> > > > > > > 7. Points are
> > > > > > > correctly gapped.
> > > > > > > 8. Spark plugs look good.
> > > > > > > 9. Ground cable
> > > > > > > looks good.
> > > > > > > 10. I bought the car a few months ago and it
> > > > > > > supposedly started fine right up until it was for sale.
> > > > > > > I can't
> > > > > > > wait to get this on the road. Thanks again for any input on the > > > > > > > first of what will surely be many questions!
> > > > > > > -Elias
> > > > > > > Baldwin,
> > > > > > > Vermont