VAC ignition help!

thefordman79 · Sep 4, 2014

So I went to start my VAC, and initially it fired, but shut right back off. Pulled a plug, turned it over, no spark. Pulled the distributor, rotor and dust cover, turned it over, no spark at the points. Checked 12 volts were going from the ignition switch to the coil + side (12 volt battery, negative ground), and I had power. Checked for power coming out of the coil (-), yep good there too. Checked inside the distributer, yep good there. So I bought NAPA CS725A points, and AL869 condenser and installed them. hand cranked motor over until the lobe on the center cam had the points open, where I set the gap to 0.020, and tightened the set screw. turned it over and saw spark at the points, so I put it back together. Turned it over, wouldn't start. Checked the power at the coil, no 12v coming out the (-) side. Grrrr.... Bought new NAPA coil IC14SB with the internal resistor. Hooked it up. 12v in, and 12 v out when you turn the key to the on position. turned it over. Saw arcing on the coil from both of the terminals to the center wire. Now that new coil is dead too. 12v in with the key on, nothing out. What am I doing wrong here????

rvirgil_KS · Sep 4, 2014

coil to distributor wire should have 12 volts with points open and 0 volts with points closed.

Fold a dollar bill and pull through points contacts to remove any film on them. Check for shorted mounting or feed through connections

More likely a points problem than a coil problem.

souNdguy · Sep 4, 2014

1, ic14sb has no resistor in it.. it has enough primary wire of the correct size to have the correct impeadance for a 12v system.

2, when points are closed, the outgoing primary wire from the coil with show 0v

3, arcing from the high tension wire to either terminal means the high tension wire has no where to discharge. IE.. no plug wire hooked up.. or the rotor is inbetween posts in the dizzy.

olddog · Sep 5, 2014

Somehow on my VAC, the terminal that goes thru the side of the dist. ended up on the bottom. Had trouble one misty day, turns out any moisture that condenses inside; lays right around that terminal. Clean around that terminal and check the bakelite insulator that goes thru the dist housing.

olddog · Sep 5, 2014

3. ....... or missing!

souNdguy · Sep 5, 2014

same as nowhere to discharge.

mj · Sep 6, 2014

(quoted from post at 14:50:21 09/04/14) So I went to start my VAC, and initially it fired, but shut right back off. Pulled a plug, turned it over, no spark. Pulled the distributor, rotor and dust cover, turned it over, no spark at the points. Checked 12 volts were going from the ignition switch to the coil + side (12 volt battery, negative ground), and I had power. Checked for power coming out of the coil (-), yep good there too. Checked inside the distributer, yep good there. So I bought NAPA CS725A points, and AL869 condenser and installed them. hand cranked motor over until the lobe on the center cam had the points open, where I set the gap to 0.020, and tightened the set screw. turned it over and saw spark at the points, so I put it back together. Turned it over, wouldn't start. Checked the power at the coil, no 12v coming out the (-) side. Grrrr.... Bought new NAPA coil IC14SB with the internal resistor. Hooked it up. 12v in, and 12 v out when you turn the key to the on position. turned it over. Saw arcing on the coil from both of the terminals to the center wire. Now that new coil is dead too. 12v in with the key on, nothing out. What am I doing wrong here????

Every once in a great while a capacitor (condenser) will go bad and act pretty much like you described (make sure you've got the right coil!). I'd try a new condenser if I were you 8)

VAC ignition help!

thefordman79

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rvirgil_KS

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souNdguy

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olddog

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olddog

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souNdguy

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mj

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