• Got the Contributing Memberships stuff finally worked out and made up a thread as a sort of "How-To" to help people figure out how to participate. So if you need help figuring it out, here's the thread you need to take a look at -> http://www.corvetteflorida.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3581 Thank you, everyone! Rich Z.

no current over coil

K

kip younger

New member
After breaking in the engine this morning, I turned the car off. Then it would not restart. There was no spark. With the ignition switch on, I could not find any power on the pos. and neg. sides of the coil. (I no longer have the HEI, but a seperate coil, feeding a eletronic distributor - but not an HEI type) I took the coil to a store, who tried to test it, and determined it was not up to par. I had 19 volts on the pos. side of the coil, at the ignition wire connection, using the neg. side of the alternator as the ground to test the pos. side of the coil. Soooo, I got a new coil, and had the alternator tested, and it was fine. The store replaced it anyway. Soooo, with a new coil, new alternator, I still get 19 volts on the pos. side of the coil, still no current across the pos. and neg. of the coil with the ignition on, and still no spark! Everything worked fine this morning and has since we put the engine back in the car. It's hard to imagine that this new coil is bad. And why would the alternator show 19 volts coming out? Hellp. Thanks - kip :-? just to clearify - the battery has 19 volts across its terminals... thus 19 at the alternator as well...
 
kip younger said:
After breaking in the engine this morning, I turned the car off. Then it would not restart. There was no spark. With the ignition switch on, I could not find any power on the pos. and neg. sides of the coil. (I no longer have the HEI, but a seperate coil, feeding a eletronic distributor - but not an HEI type) I took the coil to a store, who tried to test it, and determined it was not up to par. I had 19 volts on the pos. side of the coil, at the ignition wire connection, using the neg. side of the alternator as the ground to test the pos. side of the coil. Soooo, I got a new coil, and had the alternator tested, and it was fine. The store replaced it anyway. Soooo, with a new coil, new alternator, I still get 19 volts on the pos. side of the coil, still no current across the pos. and neg. of the coil with the ignition on, and still no spark! Everything worked fine this morning and has since we put the engine back in the car. It's hard to imagine that this new coil is bad. And why would the alternator show 19 volts coming out? Hellp. Thanks - kip :-? just to clearify - the battery has 19 volts across its terminals... thus 19 at the alternator as well...
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I've never heard of a 19 volt system! What are we working on??:shrug01::shrug01:Need more Information!!:thumbsup:
 
77 vette... I don't know why the battery shows 19 volts... across its terminals; which then puts the 19 at the back of the alternator and on the positive side of the coil. With the ignition on, but of course the car not running, there is no current across the coil's positive and negetive terminals.. should it show current? since the negetive side only goes to the distributor and the tach? thanks - kip
 
kip younger said:
77 vette... I don't know why the battery shows 19 volts... across its terminals; which then puts the 19 at the back of the alternator and on the positive side of the coil. With the ignition on, but of course the car not running, there is no current across the coil's positive and negetive terminals.. should it show current? since the negetive side only goes to the distributor and the tach? thanks - kip
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I think your Volt meter is Off!! What Kind of Electronic Distributer??It probly won't show voltage across the coil + and - because there isn't a complete circuit,it will probly show voltage at + coil to a good ground,and the - will probly show voltage from - to a good ground (Be careful on the - side though,That coil could reach out and GET YOU!!):rofl1: :D
 
Tomorrow, I'm getting a new voltmeter... but, the deal is still the same, it won't start. There is no spark at the plugs... and the wierd thing is that it seemed to run fine this morning when I broke it in. Then after a few hours to cool off, it's not gettng spark. Thus, I thought the coil must have been shot, somehow... but, still no spark... what's the chance the older coil and the new one from this afternoon are both bad? I would think not much chance... thanks... kip
 
kip younger said:
Tomorrow, I'm getting a new voltmeter... but, the deal is still the same, it won't start. There is no spark at the plugs... and the wierd thing is that it seemed to run fine this morning when I broke it in. Then after a few hours to cool off, it's not gettng spark. Thus, I thought the coil must have been shot, somehow... but, still no spark... what's the chance the older coil and the new one from this afternoon are both bad? I would think not much chance... thanks... kip
Click to expand...
Well I'd still like what kind of distributer you have!!You say it's a Electronic (Non HEI),I want to know what kind!! Dose it have breaker points and a condenser in it?? How many wires dose it have??It's really hard to diagnose anything when you don't know exactly what your working on!!:thumbsup:I have some suspicions of why it ran hot and now has no fire,But I need to know what kind of set up it is!!Photos would be Nice!!:thumbsup:
 
Didn't GM use a resistance wire in the ignition to coil circuit around that time? Had a simular problem with a 1971 Camaro (it was non HEI to start).
 
You either have a fusible link or a relay between the coil and the battery that has burnt. I had a similar issue on a 1978 Dodge that I had years ago. I spent $70.00 dollars (in 1978 dollars) replacing everything I could think of until I found the relay. Cost $2.00 for a new one and, don't you know, they wouldn't take any of the other electrical parts back. I STILL have them! (anyone need any 1978Dodge ignition parts?)
 
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