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Date:         Sun, 26 Jun 2005 02:58:35 -0400
Reply-To:     "Daniel L. Katz" <katzd54@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Daniel L. Katz" <katzd54@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: High resistance causing no spark?

jack:

i was just about to ask the same question.

incidently, in operation the the coil (-) terminal drops from essentially ground to roughly -200 to -300 V (relative to ground) each time the primary circuit is broken. in the meantime, the coil (+) terminal is at roughly full battery voltage with primary circuit open, but drops to about half that value when the primary circuit closes, the difference in voltage appearing across the ignition resistor (except during cranking, when the ignition resistor is bypassed).

going back to the original post, the 16 k ohms measured across the coil wire verses the 2.4 k ohm specification is of no consequence.

dan

On Sat, 25 Jun 2005 19:34:45 -0700, Jack <john.cook58@VERIZON.NET> wrote:

>Mike, please don't be insulted when I ask a question. You ARE >turning the engine over with the starter when you check for a spark - >right? You won't get a spark otherwise. (If you're new to auto >electrics or electricity in general, you might not realize that the >coil will work to generate high voltage only when the input across >the coil primary winding is made to alternate between +12V and ground >due to the rotating distributor shaft.) > >Just making sure. > >Good luck, >jack > >On 25 Jun 2005 at 18:03, Mike Jeffrey wrote: > >> Thank you everybody for your replies!! You don't know how much I >> appreciate the help :) >> >> I remeasured the wire and found it at about 12000 ohms... went to the >> parts store, opened up a set of wires, and measured the same wire - >> about 9000 ohms. So close enough, I figured (they have a restocking >> fee, so didn't want to take them home to test). I tried Mark's trick >> of attaching a spark wire with spark plug attached, and grounding that >> to the block - no spark :( >> >> Tested the low-tension lead that attaches to the coil - with the >> ignition on, one multimeter lead attached to the LT lead and one >> multimeter lead touching the block, it read ~11.5 volts. So, we figure >> that power is getting to the coil, but no farther - bad coil? Is there >> any way to check (I tried the resistance test between center and side, >> and between both sides, and found it to be a tiny bit out higher than >> spec). >> >> Thanks again!! >> Mike. >> >> On 6/25/05, <rrecardo@webtv.net> wrote: >> > 16,000 ohms? >> > >> > I'd check to see that I had the right setting on the ohm meter before I >> > got nervous. >> > It's possible you got the right reading but on the wrong scale or >> > hundredth. >> > ( you can select what scale you want to read on your mutimeter. >> > Right?) >> > >> > You can't locate any individual plug wire? >> > Go to any lawn mower shop or Ace is the Place. >> > Pick your self up a length of Packard 440 wire, and some ends. >> > >> > Nobody will be able to listen to a radio in a 5 mile radius of your Van, >> > but if your coil is good, you'll have direct drive spark, and a low ohm >> > draw. >> > >> > Rather than doing a cheap repair, why not just pop for some tune up >> > parts and a set of good copper,or stainless core wire's. >> > Throw the cabon core garbage away. >> > The pencil lead filled string wire. >> > >> > Do you know when the last time the Van's engine was completely tuned up? >> > >> > You have to start somewhere. >> > Might as well be here. >> > >> > >> > >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. >> Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.8.1/28 - Release Date: 6/24/2005 >>


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