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'66 Ambassador no spark again

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poormansMACHINE View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote poormansMACHINE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/27/2011 at 8:21pm
Now start moving/pulling the power lead to the points and ground lead while you're checking it.
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Trog View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Trog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/28/2011 at 8:40pm

Continued testing. 

No effect on moving the new wires above.
First test I did was per '66 Service Manual page 17 "Primary Circuit Tests to detect excessive voltage drop.  The measurement is supposed to be <0.4 Volt but I got 3.4 Volts on two occassions.  Then I did this test: 
1. Hooked up Voltmeter positive side to distriutor side coil wire.
2. Grounded other side of the voltmeter.
3. Turned the ignition switch on.
4. Points I know were closed so reading was 0 volt as it should be.
5. Cranked the engine and the voltmeter read close to battery voltage whereas I read on a tune-up chart that it should be 1/3-1/2 battery voltage.
 
With this reading, according to the tune-up chart results, there is an "open coil to distributor primary lead."
So it would appear the coil-to-distrubutor wire is bad?
Question: how is that wire replaced? Is there a rubber grommet or fitting through the base of the distrubutor?  Since the wire has terminals on both ends, I'll have to deal with that.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote poormansMACHINE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/28/2011 at 8:50pm
Originally posted by Trog Trog wrote:

 

So it would appear the coil-to-distrubutor wire is bad?
Question: how is that wire replaced?


I asked about this wire and you said it was replaced around 09. How did you do it then?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Trog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/28/2011 at 10:12pm
I replaced the other two wires in the distributor, the condensor lead and the primary lead, the two that attach back-to-back.  Did not touch the coil to distributor wire at the base. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote poormansMACHINE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/28/2011 at 10:25pm
The wire should have the grommet molded on. If the wire moves, replace it.They eventually fall apart from flexing and corrode with age.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PHAT69AMX Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/29/2011 at 11:20pm
Distributor Wire(s) Info - Delco Points Type
 
Ground Wire from Point Plate to Vac Adv Can Mtg Screw:
(2nd small hole in terminal at screw end locates on Vac Can Dimple)

#DL77 BWD is a "screw at both ends" replacement Point Plate Ground Wire.

#DL77 BWD Distributor Ground Wire ( short internal Ground wire )
#ECH LW42 NAPA ECHLIN   - Qty. (1) $1.29 ea. NAPA 05-15-10
-----------------

Wire from Coil to Distributor:

#DL29      BWD Distributor Lead Wire - Qty. (1) $7.50 at Advanced 05-15-10
#ECH LW72  NAPA ECHLIN  15-3/4 Long  - Qty. (1) $3.69 ea. NAPA 05-15-10
     LW67  Napa Echlin  20-3/4 Long 09-28-10

Tue 09-28-10 NAPA:
#DL29 - LW67 - $ 5.99  20-3/4 Long Lead Wire
      - LW72 - $ 3.79  15-3/4 long Lead Wire
#DL77 - LW42 - $ 1.49  Short Ground Wire

Tue 09-28-10 Oriellys:
#DL29 - LW67 - $ 4.69  20-3/4 Long Lead Wire
#DL24 - LW72 - $ 3.99  15-3/4 long Lead Wire
#DL77 - LW42 - $ 1.29  + some $ for shipping Short Ground Wire
----------------------------

Points Rubbing Block Grease:

Tue 09-28-10 NAPA:
#CL70 BWD  - $ 5.99  1.5 oz. Tube of Moly Grease
#ML-1 NAPA - $ 5.99  1.5 oz. Tube of Moly Grease

Tue 09-28-10 Oriellys:
#CL70 - ML-1 - $ 4.49  Tube Moly Grease
---------------------------------------

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Trog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/30/2011 at 6:22am
Great information and have printed it out. Thanks very much!  Try to get back to problem by this weekend.  I pulled the coil-to-points wire a little through the grommet last night and got 12V at the points, so I'll try to see if I have spark now and then replace that wire as being the culprit.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PHAT69AMX Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/30/2011 at 9:49am
Welcome, copy and pasted, had it on my pc.
The Grommet at the dizzy is split on the Coil to Dizzy wires I've seen.
This allows remove/replace of the wire.
The wire itself has a small metal ring crimped onto it on the dizzy end that goes
inside the dizzy to prevent too much wire from coming through the grommet.
Old grommets can be pretty hardened, but usually come out in one piece.
Can cut the old wire first and remove from grommet.
This makes it easier to compress and remove the grommet. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote poormansMACHINE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/30/2011 at 3:12pm
Originally posted by Trog Trog wrote:

Great information and have printed it out. Thanks very much!  Try to get back to problem by this weekend.  I pulled the coil-to-points wire a little through the grommet last night and got 12V at the points, so I'll try to see if I have spark now and then replace that wire as being the culprit.


Crap is all over 40 years old. Replace it all replace it once and be done with it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Trog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/30/2011 at 5:42pm
Be this weekend before I'll get back to it if time permits.  But after pulling that coil to points wire a little I thought I'd just see if anything changed and indeed I did get 12+V at the points terminal the whole time I tried to crank but again ONLY the initial spark and then never after that out of the coil wire.   Strange but I'll replace the wire since I don't get the spark and see what happens. Pretty frustrating.
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