No power coming out of coil - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Old School Low · 09-29-2015, 09:55 AM

Just bought it an drove it home on Fri. 65 SWB, 283, 2bbl, 3 on tree. Rough but I love it. 1/4in of sludge all over engine. Mechanic friend offered to clean up and rebuild carb. I plUgger manifold holes and pressure washed twice using Auto Zone degreaser. Stayed away from dist but didnt cover it. W carb back on and new battery...zero spark coming out of coil wire. (when I first tried starting w new carb and everything dry somehow one plug wire was resting on metal heater box. Looks like it sparked thousand times. But still NOTHING EVER FIRED) Starting fluid etc. Now new plugs, wires and dried out dist cap but there was no moister there. And head lights never worked. Others and blinkers dash etc work. WHAT AM i MISSING???

iLL FIGURE OUT pHOTO bUCKET AGAIN AND POST PICS.

TJ's Chevy · 09-29-2015, 01:49 PM

If your points aren't creating a spark your coil won't spark. Try cleaning the feet on the points and then opening and closing them with a screw driver...if you get sparks from them...crank the engine over with a spark plug resting on a bare metal surface and see if you have spark. Points may LOOK fine, but it doesn't take much corrosion to break the contact.

cableguy0 · 09-29-2015, 08:25 PM

Do you have power to the coil? Are your grounds hooked up properly? Do you have grounds on the engine? Most likely your pressure washing knocked a wire loose or broke one somewhere.

87Skier · 09-29-2015, 11:00 PM

Definitely check your grounds and check that you are getting power to your coil. All your problems could be related as Chevy brought all power into cab (headlights, coil, etc) before routing it to where it was going.

Old School Low · 10-27-2015, 10:15 AM

Wire from coil to ig was just twisted w elec tape, came loose. Only took two hours to find it. Thanks for the replies. Now..., bought two harnesses. From dash to rear, then splits to each tail lt. Tail lt one plugged right into existing one from dash but I want to replace that one too. Folling frame rail to dash I was hoping to find plug to plug this one into but it is taped y'd into major loom going to eg switch. Seems I need to cut where it goes onto other wires and put plug??

09-29-2015, 09:55 AM	#1
Old School Low Registered User Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Kennewick Wa. (SE part of state) Posts: 247	No power coming out of coil Just bought it an drove it home on Fri. 65 SWB, 283, 2bbl, 3 on tree. Rough but I love it. 1/4in of sludge all over engine. Mechanic friend offered to clean up and rebuild carb. I plUgger manifold holes and pressure washed twice using Auto Zone degreaser. Stayed away from dist but didnt cover it. W carb back on and new battery...zero spark coming out of coil wire. (when I first tried starting w new carb and everything dry somehow one plug wire was resting on metal heater box. Looks like it sparked thousand times. But still NOTHING EVER FIRED) Starting fluid etc. Now new plugs, wires and dried out dist cap but there was no moister there. And head lights never worked. Others and blinkers dash etc work. WHAT AM i MISSING??? iLL FIGURE OUT pHOTO bUCKET AGAIN AND POST PICS. __________________ OLD SCHOOL LOW: 78 Short Wide Heavy Half-Ratty Rod at moment. Old 4blt stroked to 383 Vortecs, Weiand, Scat, Hedman 1 5/8, Howards Roller, .495/500, Scorpion. Leaf flip, cut coils. Make do tires and wheels for now. Slip ahead a year? Sold GMC, bought Harley, got all obsessed doing the biker thing, now starting again w 65 SWB, 283,2bbl, 3 on tree. Last edited by Old School Low; 09-29-2015 at 10:01 AM.

09-29-2015, 01:49 PM	#2
TJ's Chevy Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 10,384	Re: No power coming out of coil If your points aren't creating a spark your coil won't spark. Try cleaning the feet on the points and then opening and closing them with a screw driver...if you get sparks from them...crank the engine over with a spark plug resting on a bare metal surface and see if you have spark. Points may LOOK fine, but it doesn't take much corrosion to break the contact. __________________ 1966 Chevy C10 "Project Two Tone" http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=596643 1964 GMC "Crustine" semi-build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=665056 My youtube channel. Username "Military Chevy": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_h...fzpcUXyK_5-uiw

09-29-2015, 08:25 PM	#3
cableguy0 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Delta,Pa Posts: 14,948	Re: No power coming out of coil Do you have power to the coil? Are your grounds hooked up properly? Do you have grounds on the engine? Most likely your pressure washing knocked a wire loose or broke one somewhere. __________________ Owner of North Point Car Care in Dundalk Md. We specialize in custom exhaust on both modern and classic vehicles. We are a full service auto shop from classics to modern vehicles. Feel free to contact me with questions. I will give a 10% discount to any board member.

09-29-2015, 11:00 PM	#4
87Skier Registered User Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Corvallis, OR Posts: 715	Re: No power coming out of coil Definitely check your grounds and check that you are getting power to your coil. All your problems could be related as Chevy brought all power into cab (headlights, coil, etc) before routing it to where it was going. __________________ 1972 GMC Jimmy Custom 4.8L (L20)/6L90E/NP205 1989 Chevy Suburban V2500 350/Turbo 400/4.11 gears 1996 Chevy Suburban K1500 350/4L60E

10-27-2015, 10:15 AM	#5
Old School Low Registered User Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Kennewick Wa. (SE part of state) Posts: 247	Re: No power coming out of coil Wire from coil to ig was just twisted w elec tape, came loose. Only took two hours to find it. Thanks for the replies. Now..., bought two harnesses. From dash to rear, then splits to each tail lt. Tail lt one plugged right into existing one from dash but I want to replace that one too. Folling frame rail to dash I was hoping to find plug to plug this one into but it is taped y'd into major loom going to eg switch. Seems I need to cut where it goes onto other wires and put plug?? __________________ OLD SCHOOL LOW: 78 Short Wide Heavy Half-Ratty Rod at moment. Old 4blt stroked to 383 Vortecs, Weiand, Scat, Hedman 1 5/8, Howards Roller, .495/500, Scorpion. Leaf flip, cut coils. Make do tires and wheels for now. Slip ahead a year? Sold GMC, bought Harley, got all obsessed doing the biker thing, now starting again w 65 SWB, 283,2bbl, 3 on tree.

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