Killed Two Distributors and Don't Know Why!
^^That was more intended as a step by step how it works^^
Also.......
Wiggle test all connectors , the ECU, the ballast, and the distributor connector. work them in/ out to feel for tightness and scrub the terminals clean
Disconnect the dist connector, hook your meter to the distributor on AC voltas and crank the engine or spin the dist. It should generate about 1 volt AC.
Inspect the reluctor and pickup for rust or debri, or strike damage, feel the shaft for bearing wear and check the reluctor gap at .008" (that's inches not metric)
With the system hooked up, put your meter on coil +. Crank the engine using the key and read the meter while doing so. Coil+ shoud read "same as battery" and more than 10.5
Read coil+ voltage with key in run. Should be between 6--10 volts. If it is same as battery (12.xx) the coil is not drawing current
Measure coil NEG with key in run. It should be quite low, no more than 2V and should really be less. If it is 12V the coil is not drawing current and CHECK THAT THE ECU IS GROUNDED. It MUST be grounded. Scrape around the firewall bolt holes and the rear of the ECU and remount tight with star lock washers.
EDIT.........One thing I left out. With system hooked up normal in car, disconnect distributor. Take the engine harness end of that connector, and with key in "run" tap the bare end of that connector to ground. Each time you tap it to ground, the coil should produce one "snap" spark. Use a solid core wire for testing. You don't even need a spark/ coil wire You can use a wire probe like in the earlier posts
"Rig" a wire/ spark plug or buy a spark gap type tester to test spark. I use a Lisle as it's adustable, and they are not expensive
Like this: Connect to coil and ground the other end
^^That was more intended as a step by step how it works^^
Also.......
Wiggle test all connectors , the ECU, the ballast, and the distributor connector. work them in/ out to feel for tightness and scrub the terminals clean
Disconnect the dist connector, hook your meter to the distributor on AC voltas and crank the engine or spin the dist. It should generate about 1 volt AC.
Inspect the reluctor and pickup for rust or debri, or strike damage, feel the shaft for bearing wear and check the reluctor gap at .008" (that's inches not metric)
With the system hooked up, put your meter on coil +. Crank the engine using the key and read the meter while doing so. Coil+ shoud read "same as battery" and more than 10.5
Read coil+ voltage with key in run. Should be between 6--10 volts. If it is same as battery (12.xx) the coil is not drawing current
Measure coil NEG with key in run. It should be quite low, no more than 2V and should really be less. If it is 12V the coil is not drawing current and CHECK THAT THE ECU IS GROUNDED. It MUST be grounded. Scrape around the firewall bolt holes and the rear of the ECU and remount tight with star lock washers.
EDIT.........One thing I left out. With system hooked up normal in car, disconnect distributor. Take the engine harness end of that connector, and with key in "run" tap the bare end of that connector to ground. Each time you tap it to ground, the coil should produce one "snap" spark. Use a solid core wire for testing. You don't even need a spark/ coil wire You can use a wire probe like in the earlier posts
"Rig" a wire/ spark plug or buy a spark gap type tester to test spark. I use a Lisle as it's adustable, and they are not expensive
Like this: Connect to coil and ground the other end
