1970 383 no spark!

[RShaips]

Hello, after a lifetime of GM products I recently bought a 1970 Super Bee with a 383 and 4 speed. The car had been sitting for 10 years and the coil was out of it. Anyway I bought a new coil, points, condenser, rotor and cap. I am still not getting any spark at the plugs and I don't think at the coil either. I have spark at the points with the key on if I touch them with a screwdriver. I am also getting power through my ballast resitor. What else could I check? I really want to hear this thing run! Thanks for the help!

[BigBlockSam]

 

[elacruze]

Do you get spark from the coil while operating the points with a screwdriver?

If yes, check your point gap and dwell.
If no, check your point gap and dwell.

Seriously, if your points have power, and are closing between openings you should have coil spark. If you have coil spark but no plug spark, check your distributor phasing to be sure the rotor points to an output during spark.

[maxwellwedge]

There were a lot of bad condensers out there - Try the original one or another brand.

[RShaips]

I had all the same problems before I changed everything. I don't think its a condenser. I can't tell if I have spark from the coil when I jump it with a screwdriver, the cap is off.

[elacruze]

put a long phillips screwdriver in the cap end of the coil wire, and hold the shaft near some point on the engine to create a gap. Then test. You should get a nice bright blue spark. If you don't, you'll have to go on search and destroy. Check coil polarity, resistance, capacitor, etc.

[RShaips]

I am not getting any spark out from the distributor. Everything is tight and all parts are new. Is there anything in the distributor itself that could be causing this? Thanks

[firefighter3931]

Male sure the tab on your rotor is making contact with the coil terminal on the cap. I've seen a few over the years that needed to be "bent up" to make proper contact. Good luck !



Ron

[RShaips]

I've already bent it up but I will check it again. Thanks