[TR] Help with Ignition Hiccup

[Randall]

---- Dave1massey at cs.com wrote: 
> How about the little wire in the distributor?  If it is intermittently 
> contacting the breaker plate bye bye spark.

I agree, but there are two little wires in the distributor, one from the points to the side terminal and another from the moving point plate to the distributor body.  Either of them can be internally intermittent (conductor broken), while looking fine.  And they both flex when the vacuum changes (the vacuum advance moves), which may close the gap.  The wires are special extra-flexible wire, but you can use ordinary stranded wire as a temporary replacement.

I won't say the generator scenario is impossible, but it strikes me as extremely unlikely.  A healthy battery will put out 1000 amps or more while still supplying enough voltage to run the ignition.  The lead to the generator simply won't carry enough to short out the battery (and will let the smoke out almost instantly if you try).

Wouldn't hurt to check the wire from the dizzy to the coil too, if you haven't already.  It is less prone to fail, but it is still possible.

Randall