Spark at coil and distributor but no spark after plugs installed and crank at key

[67Dart273]

11.7v at coil +
12.3v at battery

8.5v at coil + while cranking from key
10.7v at batt while cranking from key

Reading while cranking is pretty low. You might want to go through the "path" Find that bypass "IGN2" wire at the ignition switch connector and measure it there while cranking. If it is a bunch higher, you are losing it in the bulkhead connector, and so on.

 

[67Dart273]

All,

I have noticed that it only feels bound up after I try to add gas to the carb. This afternoon after having it sit all night I cranked from key and it cranked just fine, after I added gas to see if it would fire it started acting up.

Heading to the auto store to get a piston stop now to check TDC.

Also you can check timing with a light "on the starter"

 

[Duster509]

Here are some pictures, don’t mind the messy shop, it’s a 1972 Plymouth Duster Gold Duster 318, 904, 8 3/4” rear end, 3.23 sure grip, sbp drums all the way around on slotted mags.

 

[AJ/FormS]

To set the idle-timing and low-rpm timing you don't need to be accurate.
It will start or try to with the timing anywhere from between 5* retarded to about 25 or even 30* Before.
And with the right amount of throttle opening will also run there.
And then you can even set the idle-timing by ear.
What Ima saying is that with a factory-type distributor, it is almost impossible to give the engine the idle-timing that it wants anyway, and still be able to drive the vehicle......... so accuracy at idle in this case, is just not a big deal. I certainly would not go out and procure a piston stop just for this endeavor.
Having said that you may need it for setting the Power-Timing.

 

[Dana67Dart]

Make a mark on the outside of the dist where the #1 plug wire is. Then pull the dist cap.

Then rotate the engine by hand till it is on tdc of the compression stroke, the ballancer Mark should line up with the 0 on the pointer.

Rotate the dist till the rotor is pointing to where the #1 wire would be, lightly lock down the dist.

Put the cap back on.

Then try starting with a small amount of fuel down the carb.

 

[Bewy]

Trust Pertronix to get it wrong......

Instruction sheet in post #21. Says red ignitor wire should be connected to pos side of the coil. Fig 3 diagram shows it connected to the bal res, NOT the coil pos terminal. If the car has a bal res & the red ignitor wire is connected to the coil pos terminal, you will probably get spark in the crank position, but not in the run position [ Because wired like this, the ignitor does not get the full 12v in the run position ].

 

[Dana67Dart]

Instruction sheet in post #21. Says red ignitor wire should be connected to pos side of the coil. Fig 3 diagram shows it connected to the bal res, NOT the coil pos terminal

Positive side of coil OR 12v switched power source.

I saw that too and their images are a bit wonky. The one image I posted would be a correct way to hook it up.

They also showed an image of no ballast resistor with the feed to the protronix on the pis coil terminal but their instructions specifically say must use a ballast.

 

[Bewy]

Dana,
Yes exactly. If you connect to the coil pos terminal as in fig 3, then the ignitor does not get the full 12v. Orrrrrrrrr. If you connect to a switched 12v source, then the ignitor does get the full 12v.
If the ignitor has been connected as in the first scenario, this is probably the problem.

 

[Duster509]

Make a mark on the outside of the dist where the #1 plug wire is. Then pull the dist cap.

Then rotate the engine by hand till it is on tdc of the compression stroke, the ballancer Mark should line up with the 0 on the pointer.

Rotate the dist till the rotor is pointing to where the #1 wire would be, lightly lock down the dist.

Put the cap back on.

Then try starting with a small amount of fuel down the carb.

Bingo, did what you said and now it idles, thanks a lot. It doesn’t fire right off so I will have to start digging into that but at least it runs now. I’ll get the timing light out and try to dial the timing in as well.

 

[Dana67Dart]

Bingo, did what you said and now it idles, thanks a lot

That's awesome!

Very glad it was simple.