I couldn't get my car started earlier today and after trouble shooting for a few hours came up with the conclusion that my coil was bad. I was getting 12 volt to the + side of the coil at 'on' position and it dropped just below 10 volts when cranking. I pulled the coil wire and had it about 1/8" off of a ground source and tried to crank and it didn't even arc. I currently am running a points distributer with an Accel Super Coil P/N 140001. I am debating weather to just replace the coil or to upgrade my ignition system? If I do just replace the coil, should I get the same coil I previously had or get something different? The accel is big and bulky yellow unit. If I do upgrade the system I am not sure what route to go. I have been looking at the different MSD and searching posts, but am a bit confused on the whole topic. The engine is a SBB 350 with a cam and headers. It is a street car. Not sure what kind of system I should go with. Any suggestions?
The only thing I really don't like about my setup now is the Yellow super coil. It is a big square thing on the inside fender. I really don't mind the points, because I have never had any problems with them. I am not sure what kind of coil to get to replace.
The over the counter auto parts store replacements all seem to be made off shore. If you can believe it, the only ones Ive had luck with are 40+ year old used Delco's.
The stock replacement MSD Blaster 2 coil 8200 or 8203 with a set of points would work just fine. If you want to add the MSD 5520 box, the point contacts will always stay unpitted and you gain a rev limiter. If the box ever goes bad you can bypass it, go back to just the coil operation and keep driving. Paul
Quick question. I installed a new coil and it sputters, but won't start. I checked the voltage on the coil when I have the key in the on position and if I check the '+' terminal with a good ground I get 12 volts. If I move the ground to check at the '-' terminal it goes to zero. Does this mean the ground to the coil is bad? Shouldn't I get 12 volts with a multimeter if I have them on the '+' and '-' of the coil?
a easy way to check you neg side of your coil is with a test light. connect the gator clip to the postive terminal of the battery and put the point of the testlight on the neg side of the coil. when cranking the test light should flash stating that your points are closing and grounding out the coil. sounds like you have a burnt set of points. if you keep your key in the on postion, pull a plug to check spark and with a jumper wire go from a know good neg(ie battery) and just touch the neg side of the coil a few times and you should see a spark every time you ground the coil. Paul 66larkgs turbo 401 nailhead
It has different voltage cranking than it does with the key on. There is a resistance wire for key on, and nearly no resistance when cranking. But to check all this the coil should be grounded. I'd try this. Crank, should be 12 volts between positive on coil and negative battery terminal. Key on it should be 8 or 9 ish. If you get 12 with key on, the negative wire off the coil isn't conducting like it should, or the resistance supply wire has been replaced with one that has no resistance, which can damage coil. Another check, Key on, measure voltage with the coil supply wire unattached from the wire to battery negative. It should be12, even if the resistance wire is still used. There is no resistance without current. Then touch it to the terminal of the coil with all other wires attached and see if it drops. 8 or 9 should be right or maybe 10. If it stays 12, you have a problem in the distributor (or no resistance wire) since you have a new coil. If you see less than 8ish, the supply/ignition switch wire has a bad connection someplace. My thought is something wrong in the distributor.
I have had points that haven't been used for a while, oxide and not make contact. So look for battery voltage across the coil primary (with points closed), before going after another coil. Just another reason to convert to an HEI. Bruce Roe
Wanted to give an update. I double checked my wires and redid the positive wire because it had a bad splice. Was able to get it started after that. I also went and bought a new engine wiring harness from Rock Auto. My wiring was nice and crispy and had a ton of different splices. The new harness from Rock auto looks real nice. Weekend project to install it!
