ignition woes

[shifty]

I left Zippy overnight with the key in the on position. (Doh!)

I took the battery out and recharged it. Now it turns over but won't start.

Can you damage the coil that way? The only other things I did while the battery was out was to put in a new condensor and move the ground from the timing cover bolt to the block. Plugs look fine, and I checked all the plug wires.

What's the best way to check for spark? I haven't got anyone around to try starting it while I hold the coil wire near a gound.

[S Allen]

If you still have points you fried them. Replace them and you should be running again. I stand corrected as I did not think it would do damage to the coil. Did you test it like Glenhuff suggested?

Steve

[shifty]

I've been swapping a few sets of points in and out for about an hour.

The points that were on the car don't look too bad, a bit of a grey patch (they only had about 250 miles on them).

I got some new points from Napa. Having touble getting them to sit flat. The post of the points arm fits into the locating hole, but when I tighten down the rear (fixed) screw the arm twists and the gap is huge!

I tried an old set of points from one of my parts dizzys. Much beefier design and I was able to set the gap to .02 inches. Still no love. Not getting any spark.

I'll try to fit the new points. Anything else I should check?

Thanks! This is such a bummer - it's a nice day and I was going to take a drive!

[glennhuff]

You may have burned up your coil. The constant voltage could have created enough heat to melt the primary windings. Try connecting an ohmeter to the + and - terminals on the coil (the two small posts). If you get continuity, then the coil may be OK. If you get no continuity then the coil is definitely bad. Good luck.

Glenn

[hport]

20 A ignition fuse? Do you have battery voltage on the ballast and coil positive with the key in the on position?

[shifty]

Coil checks out. I got a new once just in case. Power is getting to the coil and to the resistor in the on position.

Here's a shot in the dark. When I put a continuity tester on either side of the points installed in the dizzy, opening them by hand does not break the circuit. I thought that was how the coil is triggered. A short in my distributor?

A side question - I got a new ballast resistor - 1.6 ohm from Napa. It started smoking when cranking and the coils now have a white substance on them - normal? It reads at 1.6 on the meter. I put the old Hanshin back in which reads about 1.4.

[S Allen]

Check the wire inside the dizzy that goes to the points from the dizzy case where the coil wire hooks up. You may have burned it up and it is shorting out. With the ignition key on you should be able to open the points and see a spark. I bet you cooked that wire.

Steve

[shifty]

Well it was the dizzy! I was having trouble getting the points to seat, so I swapped out another advance plate. The points sit much better and it moves much easier than the old one. Was able to adjust the points, and gave it a spin. Nothing. Then I noticed the rotor sitting up on the cowl! Doh! Fired right up and seems peppier.

Leaving the car on for that time must have created some sort of short that new points, swapping plates and cleaning solved.

Thanks for your help everyone. I was really pulling my hair out over this!

[S Allen]

Glad to hear you got it sorted out. I do not believe that new resistor should have smoked. Could have been another symptom of your problem. As to the white residue on your coils?? No clue-never had that problem but does not sound normal.

Steve