Frustrating - No spark from coil to dizzy?, Update: OK we have a runner Options

[jaredmcginness]

Hey guys,

This is endlessly frustrating. I waited to post until i needed to. I will try to give as much info and be as clear as possible, so bear with me.

This SHOULD be simple. Air, Fuel, and Spark.


Completed my engine build. Ready to fire and break in the cam. I got good oil pressure while cranking. All is well there.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i.imgur.com-23209-1601947105.6.jpg)

I am breaking the motor in on the ground. Do I have everything necessary?
Going off the old beetle bench run list.
-Positive battery to Starter +
-Negative battery grounded to starter base and trans body
-Direct 12v to Terminal 15 on the coil

I believe - beside fuel and air, thats all I need hooked up for a carbed motor. Coils typically do NOT need a ground, right?


(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i.imgur.com-23209-1602370043.1.jpg)


Last night I tried this and only got spark from cylinder 3. No luck on anything else.
I met up with my buddy @nditiz1 today and he mentioned maybe I had the wrong vaccuum advance/FI distributor.... ding ding ding. (Pn# 172-001)


Gracisouly, he lent me three 009 Distributors to test. One being a pertronix. These are known good out of a running car(s). My two hunks o junk on the right...


(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i.imgur.com-23209-1602370043.2.jpg)


I have:
-Bosch Blue Coil tested @:
-3.9 resistance
-8600 ohms

Stocker coil tested @:
-4.2 resistance
-7600 ohms.

12 volt and test light check out @ term 15 and term 1

I believe these are good numbers all around.


I ditched the FI dizzys, tried the pertronix - no dice.
I tried a points 009, no dice.

At this point, I have swapped:
4 Dizzy
5 caps
5 rotors
2 coils
3 starters
set of plug wires

Other notes:

New battery.

Rotor lined up with the notch, at TDC #1, pointed at one.
Plug wires, clockwise, 1, 4, 3, 2 (they are a bit wonky lay out, seemed wrong, but match the firing order

This is the plug layout... seem right?

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i.imgur.com-23209-1602370043.3.jpg)

-Plugs are NGK and gapped

-I cannot seem to get the coil post to spark. I got it last night, but it is fighting me now.
(unplugged from dizzy, held about 1/4" off a ground, and cranked the motor) No spark. But coil numbers are good. Could be benching it wrong. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

-Tried grounding plugs 3 and 1 on the body, no spark.

Everything seems good until it comes out of the coil?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

[Tbrown4x4]

I should stay the hell out of this, but I have to ask. Who told you the coil doesn't need a ground?

Tony tried to steer you right, but the hammer was too small.

An ignition coil has three terminals: positive, negative and the high voltage terminal. Positive is battery voltage with the key in the run position. The negative terminal is a ground circuit THROUGH the ignition points. The coil wire plugs into the high voltage terminal and the center terminal of the distributor.

The condenser is wired to the points to keep the points from burning.

When the distributor points are closed, current flows from the positive terminal through the primary coil windings to ground, creating a magnetic field. When the points open, the ground circuit is lost. The magnetic field collapses, and induces a current in the secondary coil windings which produce the beautiful spark the engine requires to run.

Your Pertronix distributor should have a red wire to the coil positive, and a black wire to the coil negative. Condenser not needed.

[Superhawk996]

I should stay the hell out of this, but I have to ask. Who told you the coil doesn't need a ground?

Tony tried to steer you right, but the hammer was too small.

An ignition coil has three terminals: positive, negative and the high voltage terminal. Positive is battery voltage with the key in the run position. The negative terminal is a ground circuit THROUGH the ignition points. The coil wire plugs into the high voltage terminal and the center terminal of the distributor.

The condenser is wired to the points to keep the points from burning.

When the distributor points are closed, current flows from the positive terminal through the primary coil windings to ground, creating a magnetic field. When the points open, the ground circuit is lost. The magnetic field collapses, and induces a current in the secondary coil windings which produce the beautiful spark the engine requires to run.

Your Pertronix distributor should have a red wire to the coil positive, and a black wire to the coil negative. Condenser not needed.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

I may be lost by all the churn in this thread. I see a whole lot of parts swapping going on without a logical apprach. If the issue was no spark why all the dizzy swapping and disucssion about valves, distributor poistions, etc.

PM me if you want detailed help. I will provide my phone number and will walk with you though this to trouble shoot in a methodical way to get your off center if you haven't already figured this out.