Howdy all, new here, because I've got a new truck. It's a '58 f-250 with a '62 292 in it, and I cannot get it to spark up. Starter cranks it, but no flame. Bench tested the coil, it's showing 1.8 ohms on the primary and about 9000 on the secondary side. Checked all of the wiring for continuity from bat to ignition switch to the resistor(which I replaced) to starter yadda, yadda, yadda, it all seems fine. 12v at the bat, resistor takes it down to 6v for the coil, I assume this is normal. The coil doesn't seem to send any fire to the distributor, though I've checked the cable to it and it seems able to carry current. Also, new dist. cap and rotor, new condenser, didn't make a difference. Anyhoo, I'm at a loss. Any suggestions would be very appreciated. Thanks.

 

Juice to the coil, but no spark? Checked the wiring..all hooked up, ground etc correct? Try another coil--maybe a known good coil off another vehicle-- I know nothing about the test specs you posted--assume that means it tested ok. Is it possible to test good but fail under 'in service' conditions?

Better minds will chime in methinks....

 

Try this simple test:
Remove the cap.
Bump the engine until the points are CLOSED.
Obtain a plastic or wooden stick or tip strong enough to push the points open.
Turn the key ON.
Remove the coil wire from the cap, and hold it 1/2 inch from a ground.
Use the plastic or wooden tip to open and close the points repeatedly.
You should see some light sparking at the points themselves, and a single fat blue spark from the coil wire to the ground, each time the points open.

If you get no spark, check your voltage at the points (with them open!) to ensure juice is getting to them.

If you get no spark, possbilities are:
Bad condensor. You can re-run the test above without the condensor. If you get spark without the condensor, you have found the problem. (The condensor keeps the points from burning up. You can even run the truck for a short while with no problem without it, but it will eventually burn out the points, and do so very quickly.)
Short between the coil and points.
Bad coil.
Bad resistor or resistor wire.

Also, a bad rotor may be shorting out spark between the coil wire and the plug wires.
Good luck.

 

swap out a known good coil from another rig and see if it works...it sounds like thats the issue if you are getting juice to it, but not from it...that or a bad coil wire...


- cs65

btw...is the existing coil a mustard top coil...if so, its most likely the original as those were used thru '72 as I recall...

 

Thanks for the suggestion banjopicker. Well, there was a spark in the points and from the high tension wire to ground, though it was not crisp and blue or consistent, it wouldn't jump 1/2 inch either, more like an 1/8, and it was more yellow than blue. I achieved this by replacing the high tension wire 'again', apparently the first replacement was, in fact, bad, even though it was brand new. Now, the engine really tries to start up, cranks for awhile before it catches, but I even had it running for about 3 or 4 seconds, but then it seems starved of fuel and dies. It has a new fuel pump, new lines, and the tank has been cleaned, and the carburetor has been rebuilt, could the float not be at the correct level? I adjusted with the gauge that came with the rebuild kit. Does it matter, is there something else I need to do, or do I just need to find that fine line between flooding the engine and starving it. Any help is appreciated.