[Healeys] Spark/no spark condition

[Earl Kagna]

Fred:

The original set up had the white / black wire from the battery master 
switch to the coil, and then a short jumper to the distributor.  It's 
purpose as Bob said was to ground the ignition with the battery master 
switch in the off position so that the engine could not continue to run on 
the generator.  (Thanks to the late Norman Nock for explaining that to me). 
If you have a white / black wire still connected to the coil, it will 
continue to perform that function with the Pertronix ignition.  In this 
case, if the hanging wire is not insulated, it can ground the ignition if it 
touches any metal surface.  It's more likely that the distributor jumper is 
gone, so there would be no effect from the hanging wire - ignore it.

First thing I would do is replace the rotor.  If no luck, the coil is 
suspect.  Pertronix is likely all the way on or all the way off, like most 
electronic things they don't seem to fail intermittently, but you never 
know.  It's also possible that the cap is bad - maybe in the area of the 
centre electrode - they can look good and still give trouble.

Let us know what happens

Earl Kagna
Victoria, B.C.
BJ8, BT7 tri-carb

-----Original Message----- 
From: Fred Wescoe
Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2014 2:26 PM
To: healeys
Subject: [Healeys] Spark/no spark condition

I am stumped.

First the basics.  1963 BJ7.  Changed to negative ground 30 years ago.
Changed to an alternator 30 years ago.  Installed Pertronix ignition many
years ago, red wire to the + post of the coil, the black wire to the - post
of the coil.  The + coil post has the white wire from the battery cutoff
switch and the switch is on.  Plug wires are tight and the coil wire is
firmly connected to the coil and the cap.  Interior of the cap is clean of
carbon.

Here is the problem:  on # 1 plug, sometimes I get spark but most of the
time I do not.  I checked all of the plug wires and the results are the
same.  Some times spark, usually none.

Also, a puzzler, there is a yellow (could be originally white?) wire with a
black tracer and the wire is just hanging loose below the distributor, the
coil, the horn and the alternator.  There are no missing connections that I
can see.  The loose wire has a black rectangular plastic push on connector
on it.  My 11" x 17" color wiring  diagram does not show this wire or any
other yellow (white?) wire with a black tracer.

Anyone have ideas on the no spark/sometime spark issue?  Where does the
loose yellow/black wire go?  What else do I need to check?

Thanks,

Fred