[DeTomaso] Here we go again--need more help

Christopher Kimball chrisvkimball at msn.com
Sat Dec 18 19:24:19 EST 2010


OK, so I take off the 12v constant wire and solder it to the ring clip and re-attach it to the same terminal as the solenoid's 12 connection from the battery.  While I'm at it, I solder three ground wires, too.

I start the car.  It turns over about five times as if it were going to start, then it dies and suddenly there is no spark.  I put the timing light on #1 cylinder and tried to start it again to be sure that was the problem, and it flashed once, than nothing.  The engine kept turning over, but no spark.  I tried loosening and tightening a few connections in case of corrosion, but that didn't help.  During one of my subsequent attempts to start the car (while practicing the definition of insanity) the timing light flashed once, but still no sound of electrical life from the car.

I had my wife crank it while I removed the spark plug wire from the coil and gently touched it to the coil terminal to see if there were any sparks there, and there was nothing.

I disconnected the coil and measured the impedance across the two small terminals of the coil and it read almost 0, and across the ground terminal and the main coil output, and that read about 6 or 7 ohms.  I think those are both normal.

What should I do next?  The MSD box's little red LED flashed as it should while the car is cranking, and remains on when the ignition is in the on position.

Is there a way I can measure voltage going into the coil from the MSD box to see it the coil is the problem?

I am really at my wits end here.

Thanks,

(the ever-frustrated) Chris
 		 	   		  


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