Not getting fire to the plugs

[Bill Atlanta]

Tried to start my 60 Eldorado and no spark to the plugs. I am getting 12v on both sides of the coil (should it have a lesser voltage from the resistor wire?) the "-" side of the coil goes to the distributor.

Pulled the coil wire from the distributor and held it close enough to the ground and no spark. I pulled the coil and replaced it. No help. I have a condenser on the coil that goes to the "+" side of the coil. The car did run about a year ago. Been in a dry warehouse.

Have not yet looked inside the distributor. This is next.

Parts house did not have a new condenser. Getting one tomorrow


Any ideas?

[V63]

The external condenser on the coil is for radio reception. When the ignition is in

Message truncated 🤦🏻‍♂️👆🏼

[TJ Hopland]

You want to do the volt meter test on the coil when cranking the engine.   The voltage should come and go as the engine rotates.  When it stops you got a 50/50 shot it stops on or off.     If its steady on verify that the rotor is actually turning,  if it is and things otherwise look Ok in there (not full of water or critters) then I would suspect the condenser that is inside the distributor.  While you are in there give the points a cleaning.  If they are not bad a dollar bill is usually rough enough to polish them up. 

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Have you checked the wire from the coil to the distributor cap?
It could have a break in the inner core that you can't see.  Try
an ohm meter and see if it is OK.  It happened to me once --
on the highway.  It was cracked and shorting out.

Mike

[fishnjim]

If you're just measuring "static" voltage, the voltage won't be lower.   V=IR needs current, "I".
It probably needs what we used to call a "tune-up".   New cap, rotor, points, plugs and wires.   Might as well change the oil while you're at it.   Check fluids.   The carb is probably dry too.
Once the contacts are used, when they sit, they continue to corrode.   A build up of corrosion(white stuff) lessens the spark.   If it's going to sit a lot consider switching over to electronic.

[David King (kz78hy)]

Points could have corroded.  Borrow Ann's nail file if you can get it in there and scuff up the contact points and check again for voltage.  I had this happen to me once.

David

[TJ Hopland]

I too was going to jump right to dirty points but he says he is reading constant voltage so either they were closed and working when he was testing or he has a shorted condensor (my idea) or a damaged and shorted wire between the points and coil as suggested by someone else. 

[bcroe]

I would start by connecting my 12V test light between the block and
the points side of the coil terminals.  The light should flash on and off
when cranking, if the points are good (I suspect they are not). 
good luck, Bruce Roe