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Re: Who wants to help with an electrical problem?


On 31 Oct 97, Carlson Bryan J wrote:

>  I have had some time today to look at my car.  Using a voltmeter,
> the voltage from the primary wire to the coil is 12v, the voltage
> from the distributor back to the coil is 11v, and the voltage from
> the coil wire to the center of the dist cap is 11v. 

These are perfectly normal if the points are open.
If the points are closed they ground the wire between the coil and 
the dist so you will measure 0v there.

> These
> measurements were all taken by turning the engine over by hand. 

Doesn't matter how you got there.
 
> Curiously, my tester light lit upon touching the + lead of the coil
> and the - lead of the coil, but not when touching the coil wire to
> the dist, either when detached fron the cap or when attached and
> touched to the inside center of the cap.  Gave a voltage reading,
> though

Normal again, due to the large resistance of the coil secondary 
winding.

.  Another curiosity:  The wire from the dist to the coil
> (connected to term 1) would only light the tester light when the
> points were open.  I know that this is not entirely clear, but I'll
> leave it at that. 

Normal, when that wire is grounded there will be no voltage there.

 I hope to get some time tomorrow to fiddle
> around, so give me some suggestions.  Your previous suggestions have
> helped, although the spring on the points was not grounding to the
> side of the dist and all of my battery connections and ground straps
> are in good shape

The spring on the points is not supposed to touch the side of the 
distributor.  Electrical contact is made, however via the spring, 
base plate,and flexible wire braid to the dist ground.

So far everything you have described is normal.  What have you 
observed that leads you to believe that you have an ignition problem?

Jim
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       Melissa Kepner                                    Jim Adney
                             Laura Kepner-Adney
                         jadney@vwtype3.org      
                             Madison, Wisconsin
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