no spark check list

[mynauticaldog]

I know this is very basic but I finally got my 67.5 1600 running again after 15 years off the road(new carbs, hydraulics, brakes, clutch,points,plugs, coil,wires etc) and now once again I'm getting no spark. Can anyone give me a basic checklist to run down the problem, including if it is possible to check coil,condensers etc with a multimeter. Wiring under the dash is badly butchered as well, so and shortcuts tracking the problem there would be greatly appreiciated. Thanks, Chris

[S Allen]

Chris,

A multi-meter is an invaluable device and will pay for itself the first time you use it. A 12 volt test light works okay! Pretty cheap. So I take it the starter turns over but you have no spark. Turn the ignition key to the on position. With either a multi-meter or a test light check to make sure you have voltage at the resistor and then the coil. If you have no voltage at the resistor you have a bad connection from the igniton switch to the resistor. If you have no voltage to the coil then I would suspect the resistor. If you have voltage to the coil check the connection to the distributor. If you have no voltage there it could be the coil. You can also check spark by pulling the cap and rotor off of the dizzy. With the ignition key on open the points with an insulated screw driver. If everything is working up to the distributor you should get a spark when you separate the points. You can use the Ohm Meter function to test the integrity of a wire. You will have zero resistance with a good wire and infinite resisitance with a bad wire. Corroded dirty connections can cause all kinds of intermitent problems. That should get you started.

Steve

[Minh]

If you get spark from the coil to the distrubutor and no spark from distrubutor to the plugs, then chances are the problem is in the distributor - condensor, points, ground, corroded connector.

If you get no spark from the coil, then it somewhere between the coil and the ignition switch.

[mynauticaldog]

Thanks for the info so far guys, I haven't had much time to fool with it but did check for juice at the coil and had none. I put a jumper wire from bat to coil and got weak spark at the points, tried to start it, as yet with no luck. I'll keep you posted when I try it again. Thanks again, Chris